The Framers Forum

HI All
ADvice please.
I have had a customer bring in 2 framed water colours the cardboard backing board has ballooned out the painting ant the mount are buckled.
I have suggested a de-assembly, clean up a putting a stiffer MDF backing board in. ANy ideas what can be done with the art and mount board? Cant replace mount board as I do not have the skill to replicate the painted lines on the mount, which was a common place thing to do in the period these were framed.
What about sandwiching the art and mount between mount board and giving it a blast in the hot press? Any suggestions welcome.

Hi Deepjoy

You could try the heat press but i would tell the customer you cant give any guarantees,

You could also try 5mm foam board in the back as well as a 2mm to 3mm mdf back if there is room in the rebate,

There used to be people you could sublet washline mounts out to maybe have a ask on here,

Good luck
Dave

You could replace the back mount and the cardboard back board with MDF as you suggested.
If there's room, then putting in a sheet of foam board is also a good idea, as has been said.
Another idea is to use thin plywood instead of MDF.
Or -
You could make a back frame with R&H F293 and glue and pin it to the rear of the front frame.


Make the frame with the bevel edge out, and just a tiny bit smaller than the outside size of the front frame.
Then if the image is landscape say, put in two or three vertical strips of R&H F7 to support the back board.


For the warped front mount, I would try gently dampening it with clean water on the back surface.
Then press it between two clean sheets of mountboard.

I would not do anything to the art.

Hi Deepjoy
do you want to post a picture of the lines
I still do traditional washlines so may be able to help

Not being a conservator/restorer, ideally you want to renew the whole frame contents with a nice upgrade to conservation/museum glass while you’re at it.

The mount/undermount/glazing sandwich can be enclosed in metal foil, that with a non absorbent backing like correx will help prevent repetition.

Good to see someone up to the washline job - go for it!

While waiting for that to be done and delivered leave the watercolour under weight - if it’s problematic that’s really a conservator’s job.

I have flattened watercolours in a vac press as you suggest and it can work well. It can also go badly wrong.
It depends on the nature of the buckling. Extreme bumps will generally not flatten well and you end up with
a tight half-moon crease (This has happened to me with buckled prints - never an original). The best way is
saturation in water followed by careful drying, this is a tricky process and job for a experienced restorer.

As for the mount, you really have nothing to lose in trying it in a press. It may work. Place it under a sturdy
weighted board to cool.