Joining separate pieces of paper

[Wildatheart]

Somewhere on this site, maybe last year some time, I saw a reference to a method for joining pieces of paper for large-scale soft pastel work. I think it referred specifically to AS Colourfix, and how to join sheets without the join showing, but I can't find that thread. Perhaps I dreamt about it - I often try to solve practical problems in my sleep!
Anyways, are any of you pastellists out there aware of a technique for this? I know many artists use Wallis paper on the roll, but I didn't really take to it when I used my Unison sticks (great for charcoal and graphite powder though). Alternatively, has anyone come across rolls -say 100-120cm wide- of lightfast Ingres-type paper?

[chewie]

i've never tried this, but hear it this way--take your 2 pieces of art spectrum paper, glue to backing as closely as possible, then take the primer goo that comes in a jar, and 'putty' the join, like spackling a wall.

[Wildatheart]

Chewie, thank you! Why didn't I think of that?! This British brain isn't working too well in this unaccustomed heat/humiditywave...

[Scorpio]

You can find that information on Donna A.'s web site, along with a ton of other useful things.

http://www.aldridgestudios.com/610-S...Colourfix.html

[Wildatheart]

Thanks for that, Scorpio. I've had a look at Donna Aldridge's site, and the step-by-step guide is really comprehensive. Not sure I would have developed such a refined technique on my own!

[Donna A]

Originally Posted by Wildatheart

Thanks for that, Scorpio. I've had a look at Donna Aldridge's site, and the step-by-step guide is really comprehensive. Not sure I would have developed such a refined technique on my own!

Hi!!! I'll upload the pdf file here for that. Can't remember if I have a download for the pdf file to print out. (I should check. Geee---I should just do a bunch of updating, too---BUT----having tooo much fun on some new paintings!) :-)

AND---you can also try using the Colourfix Primer on large sheets of 100% rag papers of good weight---or masonite, etc! I just sooo love that AS really has a complete "system" for the artist. So many lovely things we can do for ourselves and our needs!!! Best wishes! And isn't this a great group!!! :-) Donna ;-}

[Wildatheart]

Thanks for that, Donna Sorry I didn't get back here to thank you sooner. And yes, I think the AS system is great - no longer are pastellists confined to standard sheet sizes! I've been looking through my Great Art supply catalogues (the UK name for a very good German-based company called Gerstaecker) and found that a few other manufacturers also make pastel primer, namely Schminke and Liquitex (possibly Lascaux too, tho' I'm not sure). There's Golden too, of course. They're all colourless primers though, so AS still have the edge there!

I'll be sure to try your suggestion of using primer on heavy rag paper, which is something I've not done so far. I looked on the UK Khadi website a couple of days ago, and their papers come in large sizes. They even do a size they call 'Atlas' - 100cm x 140cm. I'm really tempted...

This certainly is a great forum

[Donna A]

Originally Posted by Wildatheart

Thanks for that, Donna Sorry I didn't get back here to thank you sooner. And yes, I think the AS system is great - no longer are pastellists confined to standard sheet sizes! I've been looking through my Great Art supply catalogues (the UK name for a very good German-based company called Gerstaecker) and found that a few other manufacturers also make pastel primer, namely Schminke and Liquitex (possibly Lascaux too, tho' I'm not sure). There's Golden too, of course. They're all colourless primers though, so AS still have the edge there!

I'll be sure to try your suggestion of using primer on heavy rag paper, which is something I've not done so far. I looked on the UK Khadi website a couple of days ago, and their papers come in large sizes. They even do a size they call 'Atlas' - 100cm x 140cm. I'm really tempted...

This certainly is a great forum

Hi, Oh Wild-at Heart One!!! Yes---it certainly is a great forum!

Looks like I got side-tracked from the response to you I started several days ago! Hope you have found some interesting and useful options!

I had a neighbor diagonally across the street from me until a couple years ago who had been an assoc. professor of art from the university in Wichita, Kansas. She had done some really, really large and wonderful pastels which were two feet high and eight feet wide! (Wish I had a better sense of cm to inches other than meter to yard!) She had done them in the early 1990's before we knew about the Colourfix Primer, etc. here in the USA. She used a heavy rag paper that came in rolls---and built up 2 to 3 layers with a lot of fixative in between layers. They were very impressive with some strong color and high-contrasts in values. She framed with a narrow metal frame under plexiglass resting against the pastel painting's surface, which is usually not a good choice, but often with really large works under glass, there is usually no alternative. Did see a piece at one of the PSA shows in New York City one time where the life-sized standing figure painting had little posts protruding from the backing board, through the painting surface and perhaps 1/4" out from the surface, against which the plexiglass rested. Since the painting was done primarily in warm and cool grays with other subtle color the silvery metal posts rather worked into the painting, and there may have been some little bits of the painting around the "pegs" to incorperate them visually into the whole visual impact of the painting.

Since we are talking about larger pastel paintings----just thought that might be interesting for some folks who might work with very large pastel works. Very best wishes! Donna ;-}