Mounting my first piece of art onto a wooden board felt daunting, I'm not going to lie.
It has something which has been on my to do list for ages but I didn't know where to start. However, we all need to start somewhere so I searched online for some helpful videos.
This piece was created during one of my art workshops, an intuitive demo on Apples inspired by of Cezanne's beautiful still life paintings. It was painting on a piece of thick A3 cartridge paper.
I particularly like the square format and so decided to crop this piece and mount onto a square cradled wooden panel.
Here are the steps I took:
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I sealed my cradled panel - Using 3 layers of Golden GAC100 (Gloss Medium would work too)
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I fixed my painting with fixative. It has compressed charcoal and would smudge. Then I sealed with gloss medium and when dry added a small amount of Dorlands wax with a paper towel, left to dry for thirty minutes, then buffed with a green scourer pad.
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I cut out a square the same size as my panel to test where I wanted to crop the painting. This was just a template to help me visualise the crop. Once I was happy, I marked the crop area on my painting with a pencil.
NOTE: You want some overhang on each side of the board. So I cut the actual artwork 1 cm larger than the panel on all sides.
- I added glue to the board using Lineco pH Neutral Adhesive to protect the artwork. I was careful not to use too much so the paper wouldn’t buckle, just enough to ensure the corners and edges were fully covered.
- Making sure my surface was clean (I use a large sheet of cartridge paper), I laid the cropped painting face down and placed the glued board on top, making sure it was centred with an overhang on each side. You can move the panel around until it is in the right position.
- I turned the panel over and smoothed out the painting to make sure there were no crinkles or bubbles. Some people use a clean brayer or roller to ensure the painting is fully glued down, but I didn’t find it necessary this time. Instead, I gently pushed from the centre out towards the edges. Be sure to wipe away any excess glue from the sides with a damp cloth.
- I turned the painting over, face down and placed some heavy books on it over night.
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The next day, using a brand‑new precision scalpel, I carefully trimmed away the excess overhang of paper, keeping the blade right up against the wood while making sure not to cut into it. The result? A lovely clean edge.
What You Need to Mount a Paper Painting onto a Cradled Panel
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Wooden cradled panel (your chosen size)
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GAC100 or gloss medium (for sealing the wood)
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Fixative (if your piece includes charcoal, pastel, or anything that smudges)
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Dorland’s wax (optional, finish your painting with whatever feels right to you, it could be spray varnish)
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Cutting mat
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Steel ruler
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Precision scalpel (brand‑new blade for clean edges)
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Lineco pH Neutral Adhesive (or another archival glue)
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Clean sheet of cartridge paper (to work on)
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Brayer or roller (optional, for smoothing)
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Heavy books (for pressing overnight)
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Damp cloth (for wiping excess glue)
What I’ve Learnt
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Starting is always the hardest part. Once I took the first step, the whole process felt far less intimidating.
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Preparation makes everything smoother. Sealing the panel properly and fixing the artwork gave me confidence that the piece would last.
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Precision matters. A sharp scalpel and taking my time made all the difference to getting those clean edges.
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It’s okay to learn as you go. I didn’t know every step before I began — I figured it out piece by piece.
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Mounting a painting transforms it. Seeing the work on a cradled panel gave it a presence and finish that paper alone doesn’t quite have. I love the freedom working on paper provides so it feels great to finally mount a piece I am proud of onto a board.
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I actually enjoyed the process. What felt daunting at first turned into something meditative and satisfying.
I will be ordering a frame from Jacksons Art in the coming days, I cannot wait to see how it looks framed.
If you have any questions on this process, feel free to reach out to me at info@rebeccahurstart.co.uk.
Rebecca x