4 large framed collages

[Shadow box]

Hi, I am a newbie here and I am in need of some help.

This is my second job and I have been asked to frame 4, 44x32 inch photo collages for an exhibition and so I want to make sure that this looks as good as I can make it. The photos are all 4x6 overlapping to produce a panoramic landscape of London icons. Each one with around 160 photos.

Anyway, the photographer wants to flat mount this himself, but is using photo corners to stick the photos down. I have a hot glass press and was thinking that I could use this to mount the pictures but as the finished piece is not a uniform shape not quite sure how. He also wants this on charcoal grey mountboard and I can't seem to find a sheet big enough.

Any suggestions you may have would be gratefully received.

Thanks

Anita

The other

[David]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I'm not sure what is exactly required but a few things come to mind. 160 is a lot of photos and a lot of time, if you are going to do the work make sure you charge for the time. Montages like this are tricky in a press as there is a risk of images moving if you do them 1-2 at a time it'll take for ever and if you do them all at once something is going to move. I'd let the artist do it as he knows what he wants and the effect he is trying to achieve.

As to the mountboard at 32x44 you are at the limit of standard boards, arqadia and bainbridge do boards at this size but if you also need a surround you'll have to go to a jumbo board typically 40x60".

Careful if you are glazing the photos as you will need to lift the glass above the photos, you shouldn't let the glass rest on the pictures. Use a mount or spacers under the rebate.

Hope thats some help, I'm sure you'll get some more replies.

[Graysalchemy]

I would agree with David leave the mounting of the photo'd to the photographer, the montage is part of the artistic process and should be his responsibility. Also if you dry mount a few at a lime you run the risk of the picture slipping being cooked to long etc. I wouldn't go there.

[Shadow box]

Hi, thanks for the response I will leave him to mount the photos. The board was my main problem not being able to get charcoal grey in a big enough size, can you join boards together? He is adamant that he does not want photo blak. Or am I just getting over complicated?

Thanks

[Gesso&Bole]

Definitely agree!

Supply the photographer with the jumbo charcoal board - cut to the finished size. Let him mount the photos (that will take all day!) and then frame with a mount or spacers to keep it away from the glass. Be sure your frame is substantial enough.

You can join boards with a bevelled cut, and with care, can achieve a good finish, but you can get a jumbo sheet from a professional framing wholesaler, and that will be a whole lot easier!

One easy way to achieve a good looking result here could be to put a charcoal window mount around the edge, possibly with a fomecor spacer to give a subtle shadow effect. This does not detract from the artist's charcoal artwork, but serves to keep the glass away from the photos.

[David McCormack]

The board was my main problem not being able to get charcoal grey in a big enough size, can you join boards together?

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