Choosing the right paper size for your artwork

A new headache when working on paper, I didn’t see this one coming. I spent a lot of time choosing appropriate dimensions for my artworks, the aim being that you, the collector, can go to your favorite framer and find a frame you like without having to order a custom one. I can’t offer you weird formats that I like, only for you to have to pay a bit more for a frame worthy of the name.

The cheapest frames you can find are to be avoided – well, they’re used to present a work of art, thank you IKEA – but there’s no guarantee of the composition of the wood, whether or not there’s acid in it, which will eventually damage the work. Nothing beats a good anti-uv and anti-reflection glass to appreciate the work properly.

I’m French, I live in France and all my life I deal with the metric system, which is our reference, but if by chance a collector from the USA is interested in one of my works, I have to keep that in mind.

For the paper, I was tempted to use our good old A3, A2, A1 system, but it doesn’t exist in the USA, the paper system used by the Beaux-arts papers is different, a medium format I like is the one called “Raisin” it’s 50 x 65 cm, there are no frames of this type for the USA for example. I decided to follow the Beaux-arts paper system, working on Clairefontaine Pastelmat, which absorbs all the layers of oil pastel I apply and doesn’t warp.

The only solution I’ve found to satisfy anyone interested in my work, in this case for my presentation in the art fair at the end of the month in Paris, would be to work with the French system, and if I don’t sell the work then I’ll order a custom mat to match a standard inch frame.

Fortunately I’m not rushing headlong into it, I’m working on a 24×30 cm at the moment, which is the largest format I’m testing, yes I know, it’s not that huge.
If I like the result after fixing it, I’ll probably go for a 50×70 cm, or 70x100cm.

I’m not familiar with blank-page syndrome, but rather orange-page syndrome.