20. Postcoats and Finishing

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If the substrate is the last layer of a cake, then the postcoat is the frosting, and the finishing is the plate on which it’s served—those last few details can make the difference between a good work and a great one. And while we don’t like preservatives in our cake, you need them in your work to ensure that it’s archival and will last long enough for generations to enjoy it.

Part of this means deciding on a postcoat chosen from the several types I discuss here. The other part of this traditionally meant framing your work, but after spending thousands of dollars on frames that were destroyed in shipping, I’ve shifted ...

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