Glass for pastel paintings?

Hanna Larsson · 09-06-2002, 06:02 AM

One thing I really like about pastel is that it is matte (not shiny). Especially when working with dark images and dark paper, the painting looks bad when framed. The reflections on the glass and the smallest of dust or dirt shines in front of the image and ruins everything. Does anyone know what to do about this problem?

Hanna

Mari DeRuntz · 09-06-2002, 08:08 PM

I've seen galleries use a matte-finish plexiglass instead of glass for framing drawings and pastels.

Steven Sweeney · 09-06-2002, 10:33 PM

Nonglare glass is widely available through frame shops in the U.S. I don't know what the market for it is in Sweden. You might want to check around and ask for it specifically. It doesn't completely eliminate glare and reflection, but diffuses it sufficiently so that it's not distracting. I've heard, only through anecdotal advisories, that acrylic and Plexiglas can store static electric charges that will attract to them any loose pigment particles from the pastel surface. I've never actually seen an example of that, and I don't really know if it would be a big problem in any event.

Cheers

Chris Saper · 09-06-2002, 11:45 PM

If you are framing to deliver a portrait, you can use regular glass. It is nearly as good as (but not quite) as UV protective glass. Plexiglass, which is often a requirement in shipping a painting to a show, offers no UV protetion. It just doesn't make people worry about breakage.

Non-glare glass, in order to perform at its best, requires the surface of the image to touch the glass. With original work, (any work worth framing in my regard) this simply cannot happen.

There are a number of new glasses on the market that minimize glare; you will need to look at each option, as many of them "fog" out as you move off the perpendicular.

Do not underestimate the negative aspect of static charge. Without a special anti-static spray (used instead of something like Windex), your loose pastel dust will fly to the plexiglass and be EXTREMEMLY aggravating.

When you use this kind of spray (or any spray) be SO very gentle, as the tiniest swipe can scratch the plexiglass.

Hanna Larsson · 09-13-2002, 10:52 AM

Thank you for your answers!

I have another question too: When displaying pastel paintings in an exhibition, should I just put them in a mat for people to see them at their best or should I frame them?