"Ask John"     

You're encouraged to e-mail John with your questions. At times, we'll post some of the questions and answers on the main page of the website. Some of the answers to frequent art questions John has addressed regarding the best practices an artist should use, can be be read here.

"You quoted me a price for a floating frame with a solid color (black) exterior? Why is there such a high premium for solid color?" -J. Rawson, Houston,TX

Stains and clear lacquer are relatively easy to apply, but a solid color finish is a six step process - hand sanding, sanding sealer application, hand sanding, pre-stain application, color application (2x), and then lacquer application. This results in a finish as good as a piece of fine furniture. The premium is worth the look it creates.

How should I price my art?

The tradition is it is priced per square inch and that is based on the highest price paid for your art. Example. You sold a 10" x 10" painting for $100.00 or $1.00 per sq. inch. So a 30" x 40" + 1200 squre inches at $1.00 per sq. inch the price would be $1200.00. It helps to have a bona fide record of the sale, such as an auction record or at least a Bill of Sale.

The price of art is established by someone paying the price - so it is the buyer who establishes the price, but the artist sets the asking price. It is always easier to raise your prices, it is a poor idea to reduce your value, particularly since many of your collectors paid the higher price and may want some money back. If they realise that your value went down, their investment in your art want down, like a stock, they may look to sell before it goes down further.

I'm an oil painter. I was told I shouldn't be using acrylic gesso, why not? -P.Knapp, Pittsburgh,PA

We encourage our customers to create paintings in a "compatibly organic" environment. Flax is used to make linen. Flax seed is used to make linseed oil, linseed oil is used in making oil paints. An oil painter should be starting with linen, using a rabbit skin glue sealer, using an oil ground, and then using oil paints. This creates a compatibly organic environment for your oil painting. Acids from the color pigments are much less likely to damage the art support.

Using an oil ground on linen means that you'll have better paint adhesion, the first layers of paint are absorbed into the ground. The use of glazes means the underpainting will glow from the inside out. Thicker applications of paint on an oil ground underpainting means you can scrape back to the stained ground color.

You can paint oil on an acrylic ground, but the paint will just sit on the surface, not bond with the ground. An acrylic ground is best for acrylic paints, it creates a chemically compatible bond. You cannot use acrylic paints with an oil ground ever. It won't adhere.

The universal ground offered on many of our linens and on both polyester fabrics is a compromise. It has two coats of sizing glue that protects the fabric, then is coated with acrylic gesso. Both acrylic and oil painters are choosing to use these fabrics.

What is the difference between sizing and priming? -M.Burnett, Orlando,FL

Size is a glue barrier that prohibits the ground and paint from contact with and penetration into the fabric. In the case of rabbit skin glue sizing, it adheres all the fibers to each other so that they expand and contract together and react to environmental changes as one unit rather than each thread acting independently. When different areas of the painting react separately to the environment, then you get cracking of the paint film, and similar problems.

Priming, also known as the 'ground', or 'gesso' is an absorbent coating which provides the paint a porous, reflective surface to adhere itself to. The gesso is not a size and will not seal or create a barrier: just the opposite it is absorbent.

Why would I want to use a panel?

The painting lasts longer and stays in better condition. It is supported over 100% of its surface. It is protected from the back, insulated from temperature, moisture, and hard knocks, etc.