Help needed! How to hang a silk artwork?

Cryptic Vigilante

0 likes 20 Jul 2017

So, I'm currently shopping for artworks to decorate my new apartment and I just stumbled across an awesome one that I'd love to hang in my living room. Thing is, it's printed on a silk canvas and I have absolutely no idea how to handle that fabric.

I'm already planning to buy artworks that are printed on cotton canvases and mount them on a wooden frame myself (just like all those pre-framed canvases that you can buy in any art shop), but I was wondering if silk could be handled in the exact same way. Silk is much thinner than cotton, so I'm rather doubtful.

Here's the most helpful bit of information that I found. In the video, the woman performs the usual procedure to frame her artwork, however she puts a blank cotton canvas below her silk painting:

I've been wondering if that blank cotton canvas is really necessary. That doesn't make the whole process much more complicated, but my prospective artwork being rather large (32" x 48", or 80cm x 120cm), just that piece of cotton canvas could cost me more than $50.

Besides, simply hanging the artwork on the wall isn't quite an option because it'd look like utter shit, and proper frames of that size may cost me more than $100.

How should I go about hanging my artwork? Thanks for your time!

SereneProdigy

Cryptic Vigilante

0 likes 20 Jul 2017

Here's the artwork in question, for the curious. It's a painting by Russell Mills:

nicola

Matriarch

0 likes 20 Jul 2017

I'll ask my mother. She has a Bachelor in Fine Arts, and has been involved in the art world, for many decades. She's sure to know / know someone who does icon_smile

I'll endeavour to get an answer to you, within a few days, depending on when I can get hold of her!

I think you will need a mount board of some sort, otherwise it will end up sagging.

A person on these forums was recommending hardboard as it's a very cheap alternative to a proper cotton canvas (I would imagine that would add quite some weight though the size you are talking about):

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330273

Guest

Lurker

0 likes 20 Jul 2017

Dammnit! Now I'm curious too. LMAO Regaeman Man

Cool piece. That's kind of you, Nicola.

chesh78

Active Ink Slinger

0 likes 20 Jul 2017

Not so sure if this is any help? The guide talks about the best way of hanging the silk by itself, without using a frame (but using aluminum hangers)

http://www.silkpaintingbygabogrecan.com/alternative-way-to-hang-a-silk-painting/

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noll

"insensitive prick!" – Danielle Algo

0 likes 20 Jul 2017

Quote by SereneProdigy
Here's the artwork in question, for the curious. It's a painting by Russell Mills:

It's not my cup of tea, but he used to make awesome album covers for Nine Inch Nails. Maybe still does even.

As for silk canvas: my brother in law used to paint on silk and I'm absolutely sure he didn't put a cotton canvas behind the silk one. That doesn't mean it's not a good idea of course ;)

=== Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER ===

nicola

Matriarch

0 likes 20 Jul 2017

I'm not sure if I can make head nor tail of her reply, but maybe you can!

"First thoughts are I would never attempt to frame anything in silk myself but take it to a professional framer. My only experience I have of this is friends who do batik which is worked on silk – and I have a vague memory of it being mounted on card? bodged up stuff like this would look simply awful. Go to a proper framer and ask them !! there are people who specialise in silk stuff, because of the batik thing, who also frame embroideries ...

What is silk canvas anyway ?? Why can’t he simply hang it like it's already on canvas?

A piece of cotton canvas should cost nowhere near $50.

Sorry, you know I’m not technical, but it really is worth doing things properly, professionally, or they just look dreadful .. . !! don't spoil the ship for a happ’orth of tar . .. "

I guess what she's saying is, it's best to pay the money, to get it done professionally / properly, or you'll just end up with something which you're not going to be happy with in the long run.

If you are thinking of getting a few, consider buying a roll of canvas and experiment. You can get 6 yds x 62" rolls for $26.30 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EJSJKFK

Good luck!

That image is so you btw! I like it.

Guest

Lurker

0 likes 20 Jul 2017

I'm a certified framer. Worked for a gallery and a frame shop, have done a lot of this stuff...

In order to present a canvas painting, a canvas is stretched taut around the support bar structure of the framework. Canvas is heavy duty and can take the stress needed to pull it tight and solid. The art of stretching a canvas gives the end result of a a smooth surface without causing wrinkles or uneven pressure points which can force a painting to peel, warp, or flake. The pressure needs to be even all the way around.

So, you're right, you can't do this to silk. Silk itself is too 'stretchy' - it's thinly woven of flexible fibers that have a much lower stress point. So, you ensure a good, solid framing with a canvas backing. This backing takes the pressure and forms a smooth surface. Then you lay the silk overtop and use much less pressure as you pull and smooth it into place.

So in essence you'll have a series of nails (or tacks) for the canvas material. Then you'll have a separate series of tacks for the silk.

If tacks aren't desired, some framers use an adhesive but this makes me sick to my stomach as - well - don't put glue on valuable artwork!

To be honest, silk isn't something for a novice. In a decent frame shop this type of thing would be saved for the the senior framers. I suggest you take it to an art studio that isn't something like Michael's or Hobby Lobby (both of which I worked for). Look for a galleria or professionally run privately owned business headed by an expert. One snag is all it takes to jack up a beautiful piece of art... snags can be fixed, but it's better to not even have to worry about it.

SereneProdigy

Cryptic Vigilante

0 likes 21 Jul 2017

Woah, many thanks to everyone who replied, I certainly wasn't hoping for such plentiful feedback in such a quick time! Even the matriarch's matriarch is on my case, how friggin' awesome is that?

My plans are evolving so rapidly these days, it almost feels like a year since I had this idea. Anyway, I talked to my mother too earlier today (moms, right?) and she told me that I could simply buy a regular piece of white canvas in any textile shop for under $10; since it'll only be used for support, there's really no need to invest in an expensive painting-grade canvas. Plus these textile shops can cut any size of fabric that you want and I won't have to buy a whole roll of a few yards (which the majority of would be completely wasted).

Besides, the artwork presented above is only around $25 itself (it's a print, definitely not an original), so I'm relatively reluctant to invest $100 to get it framed professionally (or to buy a large frame of that price). It would almost feel like displaying a vulgar rock on a gold-plated pedestal, haha. I usually surprise myself at these small DIY projects, I'm fairly confident that my framing endeavors will go as planned. Hell, you're talking to a guy who actually waxes his own genitals...

I'll have a few smaller cotton canvases to frame too, so I'll have a considerable amount of practice before attempting it on that larger silk artwork. I'll likely start with those two little 12" x 12" canvases which I'll be hanging in my bedroom next to one another (wink-wink):

With all that said, I actually already have a Plan B: I found a few companies online that can print customized pictures on cotton canvases for as low as $20. I could essentially tweak/create any artwork with Photoshop and then have it printed on a proper cotton canvas, ready to be framed normally (without the fussy particularities of silk I mean). The only downside is that those companies don't usually print canvases that are as big as the one that I initially had in mind (32" x 48").

So I've been thinking about hanging two smaller artworks instead of that large one. Since this thread already gathered a few art-enthusiasts, I might as well ask for opinions here. The two pictures below perfectly represent the wall of my living room: exact same color, exact same proportions (9' x 8'), white moldings and black furniture (sofa and small cupboard). My three main colors are blue, black and white, so I'd love to add some stark black/white emphasis with very contrasting artworks (ie. not a lot of grays as compared to those typical black/white pictures). And I obviously adore those modern edgy/messy ink artworks with a lot of movement.

Tell me which layout you prefer...

Large artwork with smaller artwork to the side (Plan A):

Three smaller artworks of equal size (Plan B):

Note: This is only a sketch of what I could achieve with customized canvases, I'm still not fixed about the whole design.