Posting Pastel Portraits

[jumiclads]

I have done quite a few pastel paintings for people but have allways been able to deliver them by hand. I use soft pastels and pastel pencils on a sand type textured paper and I leave them unfixed because of the detail deminishing when sprayed with fixative. The painting can obviously be damaged quite easily untill framed and still remains quite fragile afterwards. My question as if you havn't guessed is, has anyone any suggestions on how I can package a framed pastel painting up for posting.

[somerset artist]

I have done quite a few pastel portraits (human and pets) and I never spray my paintings with fixative - a bad experience I had many years ago! - but I do 'press' the pastel into the paper. Once the portrait is finished I take a plain wooden rolling pin, cover the painting with a sheet of tissue paper or kitchen roll and then proceed to roll the pin over the painting. This removes any loose pastel and 'presses' the pastel into the support.

When I am posting a pastel painting - mine are usually mounted - I wrap first in tissue and then in corrugated card, smooth side towards the painting, and the along with a sheet of backing card place into a large jiffy type envelope. This method has been used many times sending up to 20 x 16 inch paintings. Touch wood I have not had any paintings ruined using this method. I do write on the envelope 'fragile' 'do not bend' 'do not throw' etc.

Hope this helps.

Andrew