For the Print Paint Flow show there was just a bit less than a month to put together artwork that had been recently made or needed several hours to complete. In addition there were a number of new painting s that were to be produced which included reworking on one and painting new on four 20 x 30″ birch panels; making four 24 x 36 inch panels for stapling on archival sleeves to hold 20 x 30 works on paper and making four 36 x 60 inch panels for new paintings. On top of that there was so much sculpture and three-dinetional work that we decided to make three new platforms for this show and space.
This post focuses on how and why panels were made from hollow core doors. Hollow core doors are relatively cheap if you can buy them at ReStore or Second Use or other recycled building material centers for about 10-20 bucks each. New blank flush doors with primed Masonite skins can be purchased at Frank Door or Dunn Lumber for about 30 bucks – these are cheaper in time because you don’t have to fill hinge slots or door handle holes and they already have one coating of primer. After the doors are cut to length, filled with new edges, glued, clamped, sanded and gesso is applied they are ready to paint. Near the show and before transport the eye hooks are installed and they are ready to hang.
Panels are relatively cheap and much cheaper in the larger sizes than canvas or frming of canvas or works on papaer. Panels are very stable and flat. Panels from doors can be hung from the top with eyehooks. The largest panels were less than twenty pounds, easily held by most hanging systems.
Process used to prepare panels:
Step 1: Cut doors to length (and width if needed).
Step 2: Make correct thicknesses for cut end fill pieces and glue and clamp. Fill any holes or mortises with wood and filler.
Step 3: Afer glue and filler is set, sand and/or plane for flushness. Fill as required.
Step 4: Sand, then gesso at least 3 layers on painted surface and 2 coats on sides and back. These panels were painted with Daniel Smith World’s Best White Gesso.
Step 5: Paint and draw.
