AlumaComp Unprimed Archival Aluminum Painting & Mounting Panels

The Alumacomp panels are designed to be used as they are sold and not cut or structurally altered. Epoxy might work as an adhesive, but we cannot guarantee in anyway that this would work. The Alumacomp panels can be cut with a circular saw, but you will need to sand the raw edges of the cut panels. I would highly suggest that you contact a glass installation professional about the questions that you have.

According to our inventory system, that panel size weighs 4.51 pounds. You may want to properly frame or provide support backing to the panel to prevent bending of the panel. I hope that this information is helpful.

No sandpaper will not hold up and you really don't need it since you will be using oil pastels. Sandpaper is not archivally sound and any moisture that gets to it from the bath will create mold. We would advise that you sand and scuff up the texture of the aluminum panel and then apply textured layers of acrylic gesso or a pastel ground like the one found here https://www.jerrysartarama.com/golden-gesso-primers-and-grounds After you have applied your foundation ground has dried you can draw as you normally would on paper. Once finished you will need to seal it completely. Artists have reported success with Sennelier D'Artigny Oil Pastel Fixative, which is designed specifically to fix oil pastels. Since oil pastels contain a non-drying binder, the product doesn't purport to fully dry out the oil pastels, but it does fix and harden the oil pastels to reduce smudging and protect the surface against dust. It can take three to four applications before it fully fixes the oil pastels. https://www.jerrysartarama.com/sennelier-fixative-sprays In general, fixatives are notorious for altering the colors of pastels (usually by darkening or dulling them) but Sennelier D'Artigny Oil Pastel Fixative is known for its minimal color shift. Sennelier D'Artigny Oil Pastel Fixative creates a shiny sheen, but that can be adjusted with the addition of an acrylic varnish over top After you finish the painting, let it "gas off" and dry for 4 to 6 weeks. After the drying stage, fix the oil pastel by applying 4 light coats of the Sennelier fixative for oil pastel, allowing the painting to dry thoroughly between each coat. After the fixative layer is thoroughly dry, spray the painting again, with 4 coats of the Golden varnish, letting the painting dry thoroughly between each coat of varnish. Warning: This finish is still experimental. However, my research -- with fellow oil pastelists and with the Golden company -- convinced me that the Golden varnish is compatible with both the Sennelier fixative and the oil pastels. http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-375173.html I would still advise that you frame the work behind glass for safety. Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Yes, you could adhere paper to the Aluminum panels with acrylic gel medium. You will not need to gesso the panel first you can just apply your paper with the gel medium. Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Yes, the screw would pierce through the front or back of the panel depending on how the hardware was installed. Some mixed media artists are able to incorporate or hide the hardware by adding elements to the panel. Most artists have decided to frame the panels. Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.

At a certain dimension, you will see some bending. The boards are not as rigid a support as gatorboard-- for the pressure of stretching paper. I would suggest that you continue to use gatorboard for stretching watercolor paper. Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Thank you for contacting us. We do not have the gauge information for the aluminum since it is not intended for use with jewelry. Each panel is 4mm (3/16") thick. You could attempt to embossed one of the smaller panels as a test. We have not tested the panels to see if they can be used for embossing. Please let us know if you do experiment with the Alumacomp Panels.

Thank you for contacting us. Many artists prefer to use the brushed side of the panel which has more texture. You can sand the panel with sandpaper to provide more texture for the acrylic paint if you feel that you need it. We have talked with artists that prefer the slick texture of the smooth side of the canvas and like that some areas can be scratched off. If you do not like the look of the aluminum showing through the paint you should sand the panel or apply gesso texture to the panel. You do not need to apply gesso to the panel for the acrylic paint to adhere correctly. Epoxy resin will adhere and stick to the panels. Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.