Watercolor paintings are often displayed behind glass, but Trekell Pro Team Artist Mallory Hart uses a different approach. By mounting heavyweight watercolor paper to a wood panel, she keeps the surface she loves to paint on while creating a finished piece that can hang without a traditional frame.
For this project, Mallory mounts watercolor paper to a Trekell Coffin Panel, paints directly on the paper, then finishes the piece with workable fixative and Dorland’s Wax Medium.
The result is a watercolor painting that retains the character of paper while taking advantage of a rigid wood support, a shaped silhouette and a frame-free presentation.
Watch Mallory’s full process below.
Why Mount Watercolor Paper to a Panel?
For Mallory, mounting paper to a wood panel creates more flexibility in how a finished watercolor can be displayed.
“Mounting watercolor paper to a wood panel is great because it allows me to display and hang a piece of art without finding a frame and putting the painting behind glass,” she says.
Traditional framing can require extra planning. An artist may need to choose a frame before starting and paint to its dimensions, or finish the painting first and then search for a frame that fits. Mounting paper to a panel offers another option.
It also gives Mallory access to shapes that are difficult to frame traditionally.
“Frames are far too square, and the occasional oval, and that gets boring fast,” she says. “Trekell has so many fun panel shapes that I want to paint on.”
Choose the Paper Carefully
Paper choice is an important part of Mallory’s process. Watercolor paper is available in different surface textures and weights, but she uses 300 lb cold press paper when mounting to a panel.
“The weight of the paper is super important,” Mallory explains. “300 lb, or heavier, is the only weight I would use to mount to a panel.”
The heavier paper is better suited to this method because the gel medium used to adhere it is absorbed into the paper. Mallory also needs the paper surface to remain absorbent enough for watercolor and water to behave consistently.
If gel medium absorbs too heavily through the paper and gets close to the painting surface, it can affect how watercolor applies in that area. Those uneven spots may become noticeable in the finished painting.
Mallory’s recommendation is based on her experience using cold press watercolor paper. If you work with hot press or rough paper, test the process on a smaller panel before beginning an important piece.
Decide on the Wood Edge First
Before applying gel medium, Mallory decides whether she wants to leave the panel edges as raw wood or paint them as part of the finished artwork.
If she wants to preserve the natural wood edge, she is careful not to get gel medium or watercolor on the sides of the panel. Once the painting is complete, she applies wax to the exposed wood edges as part of the finishing process.
Making this decision early helps prevent accidental marks on an edge that was meant to remain visible.
Step 1: Apply Matte Gel Medium
Mallory begins by applying matte gel medium across the entire face of the wood panel. She uses a large brush so she can work quickly and cover the surface evenly before the gel medium begins to dry.
Pay close attention to the edges. Mallory makes sure the medium reaches all the way to the perimeter of the panel and that the outer areas are not too thin or drying too quickly.
The goal is an even layer of adhesive across the entire face of the panel, giving the paper a secure surface to bond to.
Step 2: Mount and Weight the Paper
Once the gel medium is applied, Mallory places the watercolor paper onto the panel and presses it down evenly.
Because 300 lb watercolor paper is so thick, bubbles and wrinkles are generally less of a concern. The tradeoff is that you cannot see what is happening beneath the paper once it is placed.
Mallory lays a clean sheet of scrap paper over the mounted watercolor paper, then gently presses over the entire surface with her hands. The scrap paper protects the surface while she works to ensure the sheet has adhered evenly.
Then she gets the panel under weight as quickly as possible and leaves it there overnight.
If Mallory later notices an area near the edge that did not adhere completely, she uses a toothpick to carefully work a small amount of gel medium underneath the paper. She then puts the panel back under weight for another 24 hours.
Step 3: Trim the Excess Paper
After the paper has adhered, Mallory trims away the excess using a sharp blade. She cuts along the edge of the panel using slow, clean passes instead of pressing too hard.
A fresh blade is especially important when working with heavyweight watercolor paper. Mallory uses a 9 mm snap-off OLFA knife, though a standard X-Acto-style craft knife can also work.
If this is your first time mounting paper to a panel, Mallory recommends starting with a simpler shape. Straight edges and broad curves are easier to trim than tight curves, intricate corners or narrow details.
She also recommends avoiding panels with routed channels, cutouts or gaps for this particular technique. Those shapes are better suited to acrylic or oil paint applied directly to the panel.
Step 4: Paint the Mounted Paper
Once the excess paper has been trimmed away, the panel is ready to paint.
Mallory now has the watercolor paper surface she prefers, attached to a rigid panel shape that can later be displayed without a frame or glass. From this point, she paints the watercolor as she normally would.
The difference comes at the end of the process, when she protects the finished painting with workable fixative and Dorland’s Wax Medium.
Step 5: Apply Workable Fixative Lightly
After the watercolor painting is fully dry, Mallory applies workable fixative in light passes across the surface.
The fixative adds a layer of protection before waxing. Since Dorland’s Wax Medium is applied by rubbing the surface with a cloth, Mallory uses fixative first to help protect the watercolor from being disturbed during that process.
It is important to make sure the painting is completely dry before spraying. Mallory also emphasizes that the fixative should be applied lightly.
“If the fixative drips or pools at all, it will re-wet the watercolor paint and change the painting,” she says.
Before spraying the artwork, Mallory tests the nozzle on another surface to make sure it is not dripping or sputtering. Workable fixative is designed to help protect artwork from smudging when applied as a light coating, but always follow the manufacturer’s directions and test a new finishing process on a sample first.
Step 6: Finish with Dorland’s Wax Medium
Once the fixative is dry, Mallory applies Dorland’s Wax Medium using a clean, soft cloth. She works the wax across the full surface of the painting, burnishing it gently into place.
She repeats the process for several coats, allowing each coat to dry overnight before adding another.
Mallory likes this finish because, in her experience, the wax sits on the surface rather than noticeably changing the watercolor underneath it.
“The color is not changed and the sheen tends to be a slightly satin matte finish,” she says.
Dorland’s Wax is designed to be applied with a soft cloth or gloved hand, and it can be used to create a wax-finished surface. Mallory treats the finished surface with care, but notes that it can be gently wiped free of dust once the artwork is hanging. She also adds that more wax can be applied years later if desired.
Keep the Waxing Rag Clean
One of Mallory’s simplest tips can help prevent a frustrating problem. Before applying wax, check the cloth for lint, dust, pet hair and loose fibers.
Anything caught in the rag can become trapped in the wax on the painting surface.
Mallory uses a loop of packing tape wrapped around her fingers with the sticky side facing outward. She rolls the tape over the rag before beginning to remove dust and loose fibers.
She also chooses the color of the rag based on the painting.
“If my painting is mostly dark, I use a dark rag. If it’s very light, I use a white rag,” Mallory says.
That way, if a loose fiber does escape notice, it is less likely to stand out against the finished artwork.
Tips for Your First Panel
If you want to try Mallory’s process for the first time, keep the project simple and give yourself time at each stage.
- Use 300 lb or heavier cold press watercolor paper based on Mallory’s preferred method.
- Start with a panel that has straight edges, broad curves or a relatively simple silhouette.
- Avoid routed, channel-cut or open-cutout panel designs for this technique.
- Apply gel medium evenly and make sure it reaches the outer edges of the panel.
- Place the paper under weight as quickly as possible after mounting it.
- Allow the mounted paper to dry under weight overnight.
- Use a fresh, sharp blade for trimming heavyweight paper.
- Decide before mounting whether you want to preserve the natural wood edges.
- Allow the watercolor painting to dry completely before applying workable fixative.
- Test the fixative nozzle away from the artwork before spraying.
- Apply fixative in light passes and avoid drips or pooling.
- Use a clean, lint-free rag when applying wax.
- Allow each coat of wax to dry before applying the next.
The Takeaway
Mounting watercolor paper to a wood panel gives Mallory another way to think about both her painting surface and the final presentation of her work.
She still gets to paint on the heavyweight cold press paper she prefers, but she is no longer limited to traditional framing options. A watercolor can become a coffin, arch, circle or another shaped piece that feels complete without being placed behind glass.
The panel does not replace the watercolor paper. It gives the watercolor painting a different way to exist.
Materials Mallory Used
- Trekell Wood Coffin Panel
- 300 lb Cold Press Watercolor Paper
- Matte Gel Medium
- Watercolor Paint
- Workable Fixative
- Dorland’s Wax Medium
- Sharp Craft Knife or 9 mm OLFA Knife
- Clean, Soft Cloth
