Artefex Panels for painting

We not only have to create surfaces that you, the artist, want to work on; but we also have to make sure that we create long-lasting support that won't change with time, de-laminate or worse. For our primed Art Panels, such as the Lead Oil Primed Art Panels and the VAE primed panels, one of the most important tests is the Adhesion Test. Understanding how strong the bond between the support and the ground, it is one of the most if not the most important questions that must be answered about support.

We use the most common adhesion test, ASTM Standard D3359 Cross Hatch Adhesion Test. It's a simple and effective test that can determine how well the ground adheres to the tested surface. Below are results for a variety of surfaces, but it is important to note that Artefex Art Panels are only made out of one material, ACM. We originally wanted to use multiple surfaces, such as SINTRA, wood stretcher bars and others; but as we began production, our goals narrowed. We wanted to make great surfaces that above all else would promote the longevity of the artwork. We didn’t set out to make a variety of supports, we set out to make the longest-lasting supports that we can make. Because of this, we decided to only focus on the Aluminum Composite Material. It was a proven surface that has been used for decades by restoration artists and conservators. There was no need for us to waste our time on anything else that might be cheaper to produce. The goal was to make a surface on which you feel confident applying your masterpiece.

Copper Panels supports were attractive to artists for both practical and aesthetic reasons. Paintings on copper do not suffer from the same types of degradation causes as is the case for paintings on canvas or wood. They are not susceptible to biological degradation, such as mould. Supports from metal do not tear, puncture or crack as do canvas and wood supports. Since Copper Panels supports are rigid, they do not respond significantly to environmental variations in temperature and relative humidity. In normal indoor conditions, copper supports exhibit only minor dimensional changes due to temperature. The dimensional changes of Copper Panels are also similar to that of oil paint, as the temperature increases or decreases both expand and contract together. These properties of copper account for the surprisingly good state of preservation that some paintings exhibit today.

The terrain in which stretched oil on rustic stretchers is kept is at the mercy of that terrain. Have you ever demanded to reframe an oil right down after it was hung? Have you ever laboriously removed chief after chief in order to keep your work from being harmed? If you've ever painted on a stretched oil, chances are you have. Changes in relative humidity and temperature are the primary causes. Wood stretcher bars will expand and contract as the relative moisture changes. ACM art panels are superior when it comes to environmental temperature changes. Thermal expansion, or material expansion and compression caused by temperature changes, is reduced by ACM panels. Temperature-related expansion and compression occur in ACM panels, but much less than in wood, making them a more stable face for oil. The ACM art panels are completely stable and will never need to be stretched again.

To provide the most durable, rigid, and long-lasting support for your art, we use 3mm thick ACM panels. ACM panels do not react to changes in relative humidity or other environmental factors, making them a very stable support for artwork. Grid panels 6mm thick are used for larger sizes up to 5ft by 10ft.

We cut Artefex ACM panels to standard sizes, but we can also make custom panels in any shape or size not listed above.

Finally, before sending each panel to you, we inspect and stamp it. This stamp serves as an insurance policy for both artists and collectors. For generations, your artwork will be safe on an Artefex panel.