Try This to Store and Share Pastel Paintings

'Pretty in Pink'        2.5 x 3.5      pastel      ©Karen Margulis

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 It's a Daily Painter Dilemma.  How will I  decide what paintings to share and which to retire to the pile?  I paint just about everyday so that adds up to a lot of paintings. Sure some are just small studies and some have  been sold and some just aren't up to par.... but that still leaves quite a few paintings that need to be organized.

I certainly don't want to frame them all. The cost wouldn't be feasible. But I would like some paintings  available for easy viewing by studio visitors or at my workshops. How do I keep the pastel protected while still allowing for the painting to be handled?

I need  a good compromise! I think I found one.  A way to display unframed pastels while keeping them protected...and no frames are needed!

Crystal Clear Bags to the rescue!

A painting with it's foamcore and clearbag package

I've actually used this method of displaying pastels for years. And I can vouch that paintings left in the bags for years are no worse for wear. Here is what I do:

• Order a selection of Crystal Clear bags to fit your painting sizes. I usually allow for a bag slightly larger than my painting size so it fit's snugly.  What are Crystal Clear bags? They are high quality clear bags with an adhesive flap seal. They are acid free and archival safe. They come in an huge array of sizes. I order mine from clearbags.com
• Cut a piece of foam core the size of the painting. Slip this piece of foamcore into the bag.
• Slip the painting into the bag. The foam core backing will provide support. Since it fits snugly in the bag there is no need to tape the painting to the board. Also the snug fir means the painitng won't move around and get smudged.
• I take an extra step and include a preprinted slip of paper with my contact information and care instructions. I suggest that the bag be cut off and pulled away from the painting. You can take the painting out without cutting the bag if you are careful.

Yes you do get some residual pastel dust on the inside of the bag but it isn't enough to make a difference. The key is to make sure the painting and foamcore fit snugly inside the bag. You do not want the painting to be able to slide around.

To give you an idea I order bag B75 for my 5x7 paintings. They measure 5 7/16 x 7 1/4
Here is the list of the bags I recently ordered:

B75 for 5x7
B86 for 6x8
B811 for 8x10
B1012 for 9x12
B11 for 11x14

(I ordered 2.5 x.3.5 inch bags for my minis but I didn't remember to allow room for the foamcore so they are too small!)

My new stash pf clear bags!

A basket full of older 5x7 pastel paintings

**** I know this blog post may come too late for many of you but they bags are still a good deal even without the discount!