Aluminum panels
 

I wonder if anyone has any good info on aluminum panels. I'm tired of the sags and droops of large stretched linen. I've priced some panels from expensive museum art restoring places. These panels cost more than some frames! I wonder about getting panels directly from the aluminum producers.

Many of the leading landscape guys are using these panels for their larger works. Are any of you using them for portraits? I'm told they can't be beat for lasting, stable ground and never sag!

I've painted on aluminum panels. The best and cheapest kind comes with a baked enamel finish. Look for them in a store that sells sign supplies. You can't beat them for a smooth surface. However, you will need to rough 'em up a bit with a fine sandpaper so your paint will stick.

The reason I don't use them is because they can be a very "slippery" surface. Because the paint can only dry from one side, drying times are longer. And lastly, even though it is aluminum, it made for a very heavy painting and tended to break my frames apart.

Found
 

I've found several museum quality services that sell these - they are VERY expensive. They are very strong honeycombed aluminum panels. Most of the art places will attach linen to the metal for a PRICE! I was hoping to get these direct. I think I've found a source for those too. Thanks Karin.

Did you find an internet source for these? I'd like to know the weight/size of a panel when you get it.

Today
 

Today, I got an awesome sample. I'm talking over details now and I'll let you know - it looks really great. I just tried twice to make a panel myself and wasted 2 hours; then this lovely, perfect example showed up in the mail.

Look up Wlison Hurley, Oklahoma City Murals? I think that's where I found the stuff.

I have an internet clipping from April 2001, from the http://www.museumservicescorporation.com and their website is operational...start here:
http://www.museumservicescorporation.com/painting.htm for the honeycomb aluminum panels.

This may be what you are referring to, Tim. The website is operational, and there appears to be quite a number of interesting painting supports available, and they can be ordered with ragboard or linen mounted to the panels.

Aluminum panels: Lovely aren't they?
 

It is for me rather like looking any other very nice thing I feel I can't afford. I may yet try them. It seems they do make some very reliable products. I priced a 40" X 60" panel from one place and the total, delivered price was one thousand dollars.

Aluminum and MDF board
 

Hello all!

I just got a quote from www.museumservices.com on panels I would like. The Info is on my thread about MDF panels.

MDF board is much nicer than masonite, lighter and takes paint well. It is widely used in Europe and is archival.

I also make a cost and weight comparison between the MDF board and the aluminum panels.

News
 

As some of you know there's a new product out there using thin aluminum in a far less expensive fashion than the honeycomb style panels. I've seen the samples and ordered a large selection. I'll report back on it.

Panels arrive
 

My panels arrived as promised and were all I expected. I'm about finished working on the first one and it's wonderful. The surface is eggshell yet will never rot. The absorbtion rate is perfect etc. It's good stuff. It ought to last 500 years - not that anyone will care.

Beautiful, lightweight, archival,reasonable, ALUMINUM PAINTING PANELS!
 

Hi all,

I just recieved some incredibly beautiful aluminum painting panels from www.studiomaterials.com!

They are lightweight, covered in a choice of different canvasses and beautifully made.

The prices are from $6.34 for a 8"x10" to $40 for an 18"x24". He also has gessoed panels available, and does custom sizes very reasonably. Compare these prices with the aluminum panels a www.museumservicescorporation.com. They use the same aluminum substrate and charge $20 a square foot, for just awning canvas.

Micheal Ozog, is very helpful and knowledgeable. He could probably put your canvas on his substrate.

Tim, is this the site you recieved your panels from?

Sincerely,

Yes, Sharon
 

I'm glad they work for you. I've finished a couple of paintings already on these lovely puppies. One of the best things is no more saw time. I was spending 3 or 4 hours a week makng inferior products. These guys will last far longer and look so professional! I'm with you.

I do dread the day when he gets so busy that we will no longer get such quick personal service. I have a large one coming today. I intend to do all my new work on these. No keys, no wrinkles no dents!

Sharon and Tim: What surface have you chosen to use?

The Claessens' No.66 oil primed linen? Or the Artfix P7U? Do they have an acrylic primed surface on linen available?

I just checked out the Studio Material site and the panels look great but suppose I must stick to what I use for now.

But I checked out their paints just out of curiosity and I love their Cad Orange but at $31.00, I have to pass on that too. Would any of you share your secrets about some paint brands and colors that are that vibrant? I love the Cadmiums but what would you suggest on brands for luminosity or vibrancy?

Thanks in advance:sunnysmil

Try looking at Gamblin oil paints first. You might as well start at the top.

If you want the non-toxic stuff check out Genesis colors.

Back to the panels...I want to paint on an acrylic gessoed surface because I often use an acrylic imprimatura or draw on the bottom layer with an acrylic paint before switching to oils.

I like the acrylic gesso "tooth" that grabs the paint on my first layer and really want to try these panels. ArtFix (whatever that is) is acrylic primed. Because it is synthetic, is it a mechanical looking weave?

ArtFix
 

Karen,

ArtFix is a top of the line canvas manufacturer. Their canvases are fabulous. They are not sold in too many places, I get mine from New York Central Art Supply in NY.

"For over 30 yrs. the Narzoni family of Provence, France have been crafting ArtFix Primed Canvas. These fine art canvases combine the best of the classical methods with today's technolocical advances and are a result of consultation with world renowned museums, conservators and restorers. Without a doubt these are some of the finest primed surfaces available to artists today.

Two coats of a specially formulated acrylic sizing are applied to every canvas to isolate the fabric from the primer along with the acids that the primer and oil paints contain. Then, up to 4 layers of oil based or acrylic base universal primer are applied by hand to create a flawless surface unparalleled for glazing techniques and detailed work. These archival primers are extremely stable and will not crack or peel.The secretly formulated oil based primer has the feel strength and absorbsion of a traditional white lead primer wthout the toxicity. The acrylic universal primer is very absorbant and has good bite for oil painting."

I have used their canvasses, they are beautiful and they are very expensive.

Karen, the P72U has 2 coats of universal primer.

As to the surfaces you have to look at it. It looks fine to me, but each person has their own preferences. Get a small one to check it out.

If he does not have the surface you want, ship him out your canvas to mount. He is just starting up so his canvas inventory is small at the moment.

I hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Sharon, this is very helpful. THANK YOU!

Simply Aluminum!
 

Pat ET all,

Tim Tyler has dug up a wonderful new source of a material, aluminum panels, something a lot of us are interested in. Could we please keep to the topic or we will have another thread with the head of a cat and the tail of a dog.

Sincerely,

Artfix
 

Mine are artfix. I love them. This stuff is way better than other "modern cloth" - it feels better, is heavier (stronger) and tighter in weave. I can't keep changing horses every 4 months with linens etc. There's something to be said for locking in on one reliable favorite.

Tim,

Whatever happened to Micheal Ozog and his panel site? Do you have a phone number? As I remember you were really pleased with the results.

Thanks,

If you want to find stuff that lasts, talk to the sign folks. I've done a good bit of it. I've painted on aluminum, DiBond (Aluminum), steel, fiberglass, masonite, plexi, pvc, MDO, MDF, Expanded PVC Foam (Sign Foam), glass, concrete, coroplast, and the worst, wood. Sometimes priming is the biggest concern and I would say that aluminum is the hardest to prime properly. I never felt good about painting on bare aluminum. If you are going to paint on aluminum, make sure it's coated. That baked enamel finish is extremely durable. The masonite they make these days is no good. Anyway, no one suggested painting on bare aluminum, but I just wanted to warn against it. There are lots of aluminum products these days. Anything with the word "Museum" in it will cost 4 times what it's worth. DiBond for instance has little advantage over Coated aluminum, .050 or .060, but cost 3-4 times as much. Alucabond is similar. There is one similar product made locally called Reynabond I believe. Comes in 4'x8' sheets. It's the same thing as DiBond, coated on 1 or 2 sides, and it's $48 per sheet. That's less than half the price of DiBond. Now I would begin to know how to apply linen but if I used it, I would surely find out. Anyhow just passing it along.

Wayne,

Why is wood the worst to paint on? I've just collected numerous sanded wood panels (3/4" finish grade) that have been reinforced on the back side to prevent warping. I plan to gesso them and paint away. I've never done this before, and wanted to try something different. What problems am I looking at?

Jean

Honestly, I was speaking of outdoor applications where the elements make the wood breathe, expand contract, crack. And preparing it to make it smooth was always a pain - and I have had resins come up through the paint. I think you're OK.

Wood has such a range of quality that even the time of year it's harvested affects its life and stablity. Musical instrument manufacturers, the good ones, are VERY concerned about the type, texture, tone and particularly the age of wood. They buy pieces of wood by auction sometimes and will walk around and lightly knock on the wood to hear its sonic properties. All these things make it a more soulful medium, but also less stable. But indoor applications are less susceptible to these problems. I wouldn't worry, unless you are going to leave it outside:)

Sharon,

Very sadly for us, Michael Ozog has closed down operations in order to have time to paint. I'm hopeful it is not a sad event for him.

Wayne, you are correct in that aluminum panels have their greatest benefit for commercial art, and scuffing and priming are the most important issue to contend with. I have also read that William Whitaker has used Dibond or Alucabond (one of the aluminum laminate products) for some of his paintings. As a sign professional, I could offer some information on aluminum panels if you should require it. As an artist, I can't say that I have ever tried painting (with artist's oils) on aluminum, however, my experience with other mediums on aluminum is that it may be the best hard surface available if it is prepared correctly. One issue on durability, however, is that Dibond and Alucabond (these are the company names) are really just thin laminates of aluminum sandwiching PVC or styrene. One thing that I am not certain of, for archival purposes, would be the aluminum delaminating from the middle board. I have seen aluminum delaminate after many years in exterior applications due to poor adhesives and the enivronmental factor, however, I am not sure if there are any issues if the work is kept inside. I could contact my supplier to find out if anyone is interested.

David