Ampersand Pastelbord Users

[Diana_pastels]

I just received some Pastelbord and was a little surprised by the weight of it. For those of you that use Pastelbord, do you find the weight a problem when you frame your work? It is obviously heavier than the papers (Wallis, La Carte, etc.) taped to foam core for framing.
I am excited about trying the pastelbord, since many of you have mentioned how much you like it. But now I am a little worried about the weight.
Diana

[PeggyB]

Yes, it is heavy to frame, and if you have to ship the work to an exhibit.... well let's just say the price for shipping is way more than with other products. When framing, be sure you have a very sturdy frame, and hanging wire sufficient to hold it. You'll also have to consider that weight when placing it on the wall.

I've liked the Ampersand pastel bord, but the weight and nuisence of having to frame it in special ways if you want to use a mat over it wasn't worth the effort (or price) to me. If you frame without a mat, it is easier.

peggy

[CindyW]

Hi Diana,
I have done work on this board and love its surface to work with...pastels feel solid and smooth on it (for me).
It IS heavy but not so unbearably heavy that I would say no to using it. One painting I posted here this past summer was an 18x24 matless ampersand pastelbord under glass and I was able to hang it without worries. I do put heavyduty wire on the back of a pastelbord painting and I make sure the wall hook is heavyduty and will instruct anyone buying a bord painting to do so as well.
Hope this helps!
Cindy

[bluefish]

I use/love the 24"x36" size and frame utilizing 'plexi' and a solid wood frame - no mats. customers seems to like and have no problem with the weight - not much different from doing a acrylic painting on masonite, something we have been doing for years.

'bluefish'

[maggie latham]

I too have had good experiences with Ampersand Pastel Board, although these days I prefer to buy their gessoed panels and paint on one or two coats of Colourfix pastel primer myself. I like to utilize the brush strokes from laying down the primer myself in the finished painting, and find that pastel board has too uniform a surface for my taste.
Like Bluefish I have framed these boards with out mats (although I usually varnish my pastels with acrylic varnish) using spacers and glass....
I particularly like the small gessoed squares for small work, and these look great framed without mats.
Good luck, and let us know how you get on.
Maggie