The Elements of Framing
Art Protection
What does this mean?
Art is fragile, especially art on paper or canvas. Both are friable (they tear easily), scuff, stain, discolor, and fade. Some damage is inevitable especially fading) even with the best of materials.
BUT, we can reduce or eliminate much of the potential damage that can happen.
Preservation: Minimizing environmental damage to art by the use of proper materials in it's framing
Conservation: Measures taken to restore or repair damaged art and sometimes the frame, usually undertaken by a conservator with minimal invasiveness.
Restoration: usually applies to photographs and sometimes frames.
This may involve replacing missing pieces on a frame. Photographs, the photo is scanned on a high resolution scanner and then retouched either by hand or by computer. This completed restoration is then printed and framed.
The negative created in the process is given to the customer.
What I and most framers do is Preservation Framing.
If conservation is needed I take it to a conservator.
I know several conservators: Paper, works on canvas, and frames.
Art is fragile, especially art on paper or canvas. Both are friable (they tear easily), scuff, stain, discolor, and fade. Some damage is inevitable especially fading) even with the best of materials.
BUT, we can reduce or eliminate much of the potential damage that can happen.
Preservation: Minimizing environmental damage to art by the use of proper materials in it's framing
Conservation: Measures taken to restore or repair damaged art and sometimes the frame, usually undertaken by a conservator with minimal invasiveness.
Restoration: usually applies to photographs and sometimes frames.
This may involve replacing missing pieces on a frame. Photographs, the photo is scanned on a high resolution scanner and then retouched either by hand or by computer. This completed restoration is then printed and framed.
The negative created in the process is given to the customer.
What I and most framers do is Preservation Framing.
If conservation is needed I take it to a conservator.
I know several conservators: Paper, works on canvas, and frames.
Glass and Glazing
There are a variety of choices.
We can show you samples of each and help you to decide which will work best with your project.
Whether Glass or Acrylic it is best to use an Ultra-Violet blocking material
We can show you samples of each and help you to decide which will work best with your project.
- Conservation Glass filters up to 97% of Ultra-Violet light that may cause framed pieces to fade. It is also available in Non-glare.
- Museum Glass blocks out 99% of Ultra-Violet light and has an anti-reflective coating which eliminates virtually all glare. It is almost undetectable. This is the very best option.
- Acrylic or Plexiglass is a form of hard plastic and is much lighter than glass. Acrylic is almost impossible to break and can be treated with Ultra-Violet properties. The reduced weight makes it a very good option for large pieces. However, Acrylic does tend to attract dust, scratches easily and should be cleaned with special cleaners and soft clothes. There are several grades of acrylics: regular, non-glare, conservation, conservation non-glare, museum and abrasive resistant. Of course, each type comes with a price difference.
- Premium clear glass is an affordable option that will protect your art from dust and dirt, but will not protect is from UV light. This is also available in non-glare, which gives a matte finish. Non-glare will also visually murw oe dull the image under the glass (more mats yields more diffusion).
Whether Glass or Acrylic it is best to use an Ultra-Violet blocking material
Why should I care how my art is mounted?
Paper
At My Personal Framer we mount according to the artwork and use techniques that are appropriate and best for the art. Mounting includes all methods of backing artwork to preserve, protect or flatten artworks.
Fine Art on Paper
All methods of attaching the fine artwork to the backing board (mounting) must be reversible without harming the artwork. The attachment should also be less strong than the paper of the artwork -- this allows the attachment to give before the paper of the artwork tears or is damaged. Archival corner pockets may by used on many types of artwork, others will need linen hinges, or mulberry paper hinges and wheat starch glues.
Backing
Backing is a minimum of 3-ply rag, Alpha-Cellulose or at a bare minimum Archival foam board. Archival foam board is not enough protection for fine art but may be used with less expensive or less valuable art. Archival foam board may be used in addition to the rag for maximum protection (in most frame packages regular foam core is used with the rag). The foam core acts as a stiffener to support the art and mat package and to protect it from the back. All frame packages (except metal frames-nothing to attach to) should be sealed to keep out bugs and dust. Posters and non-valuable pieces are usually mounted on Foam Core in a vacuum press for maximum flatness and eliminates wrinkles and ripples.
Fine Art on Paper
All methods of attaching the fine artwork to the backing board (mounting) must be reversible without harming the artwork. The attachment should also be less strong than the paper of the artwork -- this allows the attachment to give before the paper of the artwork tears or is damaged. Archival corner pockets may by used on many types of artwork, others will need linen hinges, or mulberry paper hinges and wheat starch glues.
Backing
Backing is a minimum of 3-ply rag, Alpha-Cellulose or at a bare minimum Archival foam board. Archival foam board is not enough protection for fine art but may be used with less expensive or less valuable art. Archival foam board may be used in addition to the rag for maximum protection (in most frame packages regular foam core is used with the rag). The foam core acts as a stiffener to support the art and mat package and to protect it from the back. All frame packages (except metal frames-nothing to attach to) should be sealed to keep out bugs and dust. Posters and non-valuable pieces are usually mounted on Foam Core in a vacuum press for maximum flatness and eliminates wrinkles and ripples.