Today I bought lots of wood to make some drying racks. Oil paintings take time to dry, so having somewhere to store them is important. I've made a few wooden racks to hold paintings face down; face down is good because it stops dust and stops runs when varnishing.
The first ones were simple squares, like picture frames but with prongs on the sides at 45 degrees to touch just the edges on the picture. The second ones were, when seen from above, like a T and a second inverted T. They slid alongside each other so were adjustable. This had limits.
My challenge was to make a frame that would be adjustable in size, be relatively simple to make and easy to store, and ideally stackable. My new design uses a central length of wood with holes along, like a flute! A second bar is bolted along it and that bar has vertical sloping parts on it. By choosing the holes to bolt the size can be adjusted, and the fact it's bolted with wing-nuts means that the whole thing can be taken apart and hung on the wall when not in use. Today I've made two prototypes and they are now drying after a quick coat of varnish. I'll take a photo when I can.
After looking once again at my painting Remembering Summer I'm struck by just how awful the finish is! I've recommitted myself to producing only the best paintings from now on, and will most likely repaint that one from the start. Something I do to two or three paintings each year.
