Ad blocker detected: Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.
I’ve been asked to build a large and deep (600x800x6) shadow box and float mount a work on paper inside so the paper appears to float in mid air. The effect really needs to have the paper about 2-3 cm away from the backing and about the same from the glass. I'm considering making a number of stand offs from several layers of 5mm foam core glued together and using these to support the work. Has anyone done something similar? Oh, and the paper is very uneven (the artist screwed up the paper before semi-flattening it out again and using the creases as part of the work) and the stand offs will need to be different heights to take into account the unevenness of the paper.
It probably sounds more complicated than it is but, my question for the forum is how to glue the foam core? Is PVA strong enough to ensure the foam stacks don't come apart/adrift at some stage? and secondly how best to attach the artwork. the artist said I was OK to glue but I want to make this is reversible. One problem I see is reaching in between the backing board and the art to ensure the foam stacks are secured.
Is there a better way of doing this?
The artist admitted they gave no thought to how the item was to be framed before starting work!
I will have the art work on Sunday (artist making final choice) but I have the dimensions and an example of paper (exact paper size and weight, uneven finish etc) while I apply some thought to the project. The main problem is that the paper is in effect a sculpture. If you lay the paper on a flat surface there is about 5cm difference between the highest points and the lowest, and the unevenness is to be retained, so attaching a single piece of hidden foam core to the reverse as you might do in a ‘normal’ float mounting job is not really an option, hence the foam core stand off idea. I will post a photo when I have the artwork.
GeoSpectrum wrote:If you lay the paper on a flat surface
You didn't need to sculpt that flat (horizontal) surface, all you need to do is make it a flat vertical surface the artwork won't fall off of.
I don't see the need to sculpt the mounting surface - just secure the artwork near its extremities where it rests when horizontal, not at every point, just enough points, maybe one or two central points too - look at the low points; not the high ones.
I'd not be attaching it to foam board either, I'd be using mount board; the foam board is just to create the depth for the 'floating' look.
I did something like this for a customer by screwing 2" stainless screws to a backing of mount card covered mdf (leaving them 1.5" proud. I then "secured" the artwork with rare earth magnets (which were obviously on view). The client loved the result, a true floating artwork. The artwork obviously needs to lend itself to having the magnets showing (8mm diameter by 3pm thick in my case)
Well I completed the frame and the customer (an artist) was delighted. In the excitement I forgot to photograph it, but I'll get the chance again because it will be hanging in the Usher Gallery in Lincoln for the next three months.
The final frame was 860 x 760 x 10cm deep box frame. I made up my own 'FrameBox' for the box by sandwiching and screwing and gluing two layers of 6mm strip wood, offset to give me enough recess for the rear mount board and backing and to slot inside the frame rebate. This also provided enough strength.
The inside and outside of the box were painted in black acrylic paint and lining board was black as was the moulding (28mm deep rebate cushion).
The artwork (a charcoal drawing on paper) was floated approx 3 cm off the backing board using 4, 3 cm square stacks of foam core (of different heights because the paper was crumpled and needed to be attached at different distances from the mount board) glued to the backing board and taped to the reverse of the drawing using gummed archival tape.
The art was mounted from the front and the moulding joined to the box using flexi-points. Standard float glass was chosen by the customer on cost basis.
Hanging was by mirror plates.
In reality it was just a standard box frame with a modified float mounting, just a bit bigger.
I am just about to float a photograph printed on to fine art paper in the same way (a flat piece though) although it will be a smaller frame and not as deep - first one I will have tried. One thing I am wondering is whether this will look better with a slip at a border round the frame or a sheet of mountboard. Not sure whether there are any opinions on this?
