Matthew wanted to get away from the traditional way charcoal art is represented, behind matting, glass and a frame. After experimenting with cradled wood panels, Matthew found the unique and original presentation he was looking for.
The first step is finishing each side of the cradled panel with a charcoal/paint combination. This gives the art work a unique finish that does not require a frame.
The second step is to glue a piece of high quality heavy weight paper to the wood panel. Once the paper is affixed, each edge is carefully trimmed to fit flush with the edges of the panel. It is now time to create!
Charcoal and graphite powder are the main materials Matthew works with, but compressed or vine charcoal and acrylic paint are never out of the question!
A few other favorite tools include blending sticks, multiple types of erasers and many different pencils.
The third and final step is to protect the drawing. At this point a few layers of UV finish are sprayed onto the work to keep the charcoal/graphite in place.
Once dry, three coats of Golden gloss varnish are applied to finish the work. The gloss varnish will give the art a protective coat from oils and pop the black and white lines just enough.
This piece of original art is now extremely durable and ready to hang!
