Your Paper Mounting Challenges Solved!

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Do you ever feel frustrated trying to mount your beautiful pastel papers to boards? You're not alone! As artists who love working on those wonderfully gritty, sanded surfaces that make our pastels sing, we've all faced the mounting challenge. Those sanded or coated papers that give us such gorgeous results can also give us challenges if left unmounted, leading to curling, buckling and warping in unsightly ways that make framing a challenge.

I’ve been there – literally spending decades perfecting my mounting process using gatorboard and various adhesives. When my go-to product, 3M 568 positionable mounting adhesive, was discontinued, I felt that familiar artist panic: "Now what do I do?"

Citrus & Silver, 9x20 pastel on UART Dark

Here's the good news: I've discovered not just one, but two fantastic solutions that will make your mounting process easier and more reliable than ever.


Solution #1 
Professional-Grade Adhesive Film After extensive testing, I've found an excellent replacement in the double-sided adhesive film rolls from Artgrafix.com. This high-tack, acid-free adhesive is specifically designed for archival mounting and comes in both sheets and rolls to fit your needs.

Why it works so well:

  • Acid-free for long-term preservation

  • Strong, permanent bond

  • Works beautifully with 4-ply or 8-ply museum board, 3/16" Gator board, and Sintra board

  • Available in various sizes to match your preferred working dimensions

Pro tip: Many boards are now available with self-adhesive backing – just peel and stick!

Solution #2
The Game-Changer – UART Peel-N-Stick Sheets This is where I get really excited! UART has just introduced their brand-new Peel-N-Stick sanded sheets – and they're a complete game-changer for pastel artists.

What makes these special:

  • Self-adhesive backing (no more fumbling with separate adhesives!)

  • Available in both sanded and dark papers

  • Professional-quality surface you already know and love

  • Simply peel, stick to your favorite board, and start painting

I'm particularly honored that UART featured my painting "Citrus & Silver" (9x20" on UART Dark) on the cover of their new dark paper packaging. I love working on their dark surface in both 400 and 500 grits – there's something magical about how pastels glow against that rich background. Explore the full range here. 

Join Me for a Special Landscape Adventure! 

Mark your calendar: September 8-12, 2025

Ready to break free from perfection and experience the joy of loose, expressive landscapes?

Over three live sessions, I'll guide you through breakthrough exercises that unlock painting freedom and help you make a bigger impact through your work. Come enjoy a fresh dose of confidence-building play!

SAVE YOUR SEAT for Landscape Week. I can't wait to share this experience with you!

Artist Hack! The Tape-to-Tape Method

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Do you ever find it frustrating when you are working on a pastel painting and your marks keep bumping into the tape that overlaps the edge of your paper?

As pastel artists, we want to take advantage of the direct, energized mark-making that pastels provide. From sketchy lines to big bold side strokes, one thing is for sure. We don’t want anything to get in the way of making those marks. Like tape! 

I have developed a simple yet effective way of taping up my pastel paper that allows it to be securely mounted to the backing board, without any tape overlapping the edges. This method can be used for unmounted papers or fully mounted boards. I call it the tape-to-tape method, and I’ve been using it for years. Let me show you how it’s done. 

In this video, I’ll reveal a tape-to-tape method so you can create bold and free marks beyond the edges of your paper! Download the Tape-to-Tape Guide so you can follow along.

I hope this simple artist hack will help you make marks that are bolder, looser and freer than ever before. 

Keep showing up to the easel for your creative dreams! 
Alain