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Custom Framing

An essay on framing contributed by Brian Baker, CPF

Custom framing is where your art becomes one with the it's environment. In terms of how you display your art, there are a myriad of ways to approach framing. We like to tell customers there are no rules when it comes to this, except those you apply yourself. Our philosophy is to be open to anything! Of course, we can help you choose the latest trends or guide you to creating a masterpiece in the traditional sense, but don't feel constrained by tradition if you don't want to. Let your imagination fly! Included on this page are many links to examples of work we've done, with a "behind the scenes" sort of approach.

When it comes to the technical aspects of framing, there are MANY rules! This is all the stuff you don't see, like the mounting methods, backing materials and so forth. While the visual design is open to anything you can imagine, the wrong steps here can damage your art beyond repair. This page is written to help you make informed decisions about how to protect your artwork for years to come.

MATBOARD

Generally speaking, we like to choose the matting as the first step. But which kind? There are many different types. The most common mistake is the "Acid Free" myth. ALL mat boards are "acid free" if you believe the manufacturers. Unfortunately, this isn't really the case. Consider there to be two basic types of mat board, paper or rag.

Paper mats are made from a wood pulp, and as such tend to have a slightly off-white core when viewed from the edge. Eventually, this edge turns a rust color as the acids in them take over. These boards use chemicals to give a neutral pH balance to the board, but the acid is still present. Under the right conditions (which occur virtually everywhere) the acids are eventually released into the framed artwork, manifesting itself as a brownish tinge to the artwork. This effect is similar to a newspaper laying in a window for a day or two. If left unchecked, the paper eventually becomes brittle and breaks down, destroying the artwork.

Rag mats, on the other hand, are made of cotton. The core of these boards are generally a bright white. Some new series of boards are of various buff and off white colors to simulate an antique piece, but these will not fade or burn like a paper mat. Cotton is a form of cellulose, which has a neutral pH. There are no acids to begin with, so they don't cause the destruction that paper mats do. In our gallery, we almost always use rag mats. They are slightly more expensive, but as a fraction of the total cost of framing, the difference is miniscule. For museum quality framing, there are mats now available that go way beyond the basic rag mat by actually creating a barrier which traps the pollutants in the air and keeps them from affecting your artwork. These boards cost the same as the standard rag mats, but the color selection isn't as large.

By now you are probably asking yourself, "So which mat do I use?". Paper mats are okay if your art is a temporary type of thing, but if you want to keep something for even 6 months, you should go with rag mats. Sometimes you just can't find the right color in rag mats, and we use a paper mat instead, but we try to inform the customer of the ramifications of this and at least try to use a rag mat in areas where the matting contacts the artwork.

MOUNTING

This is perhaps the most misunderstood aspect of framing. We think a lot of people assume that we just "tape it in". One must consider the value, both real and sentimental, when deciding on a mounting method. We use three basic categories in mounting: standard, archival, and encapsulation. "Standard" mounting is a kind of catchall for dry mounting, wet mounting, vacuum mounting, and other types of mounting involving covering the entire back of the art work with an adhesive, placing it on a backing board, and in most cases, running it through a press to adhere them together. While most of these methods are reversible, they always leave a trace and can sometimes damage a piece in the process. We generally use this method on posters and photos, and other types of inexpensive art.

If something has an inherent value, either monetary or otherwise, we use an archival method of mounting. This varies greatly depending on the type of art, but usually involves various types of easily removable tapes and hinging materials. If the paper is of sufficient strength (such as that commonly used in limited edition lithographs and the like), we use corner pockets hidden underneath the mat, so no adhesives ever come in contact with the artwork.

Sometimes a piece is just simply too fragile to use conventional methods, or perhaps some additional ultraviolet protection (see the section on glass) is desired. This is where encapsulation comes in. Old newspapers are the most common candidate for this method. Basically, a sleeve is made from a plastic UV filtering material, the artwork is inserted, and the edges are sealed up. This protects the piece from UV, adhesives, and airborne pollutants. It also lends strength to fragile objects such as an old, brittle newspaper article.

GLASS

There are many options available to you for glazing. The most popular is standard glass. This is the least expensive option, and quite often works out just fine. The next most popular is referred to as "Non-Glare" glass; this is a misnomer. It is actually diffusion glass, as it "diffuses" the light to decrease it's reflective effect. Non-glare glass is used on pieces that will be subjected to a lot of light, such as when a spotlight is focused on the piece. It is also used on very dark pieces, as these tend to act like a mirror.

Regular non-glare glass does have a bit of a side effect - as you move to the side after viewing the piece from directly in front of it, the image begins to get fuzzy. If there is space between the glass and the artwork, this effect is increased. To reduce this problem, request our premium grade glass, Museum Glass by TruVue.This glass significantly reduces glare without the distortion of regular non-glare.

If the piece you are framing is old, valuable, one of a kind or fragile, or perhaps you are afraid of the colors fading, then Ultra Violet Filtering glass is the best choice. This glass blocks around 97% or better of the ultra violet rays present in all types of light; UV is the most dangerous culprit in the fight to conserve artwork. It causes inks, dyes, and paint to fade, and promotes the breakdown of the substrate the artwork is created on. This glass is available in both clear and non-glare varieties, and is commonly referred to as Conservation Clear and Conservation Non-glare.

Another option in framing is to use acrylic. Ideally, this is only used where size and weight are a concern, or for safety. Contrary to popular thought, it is actually one of the most expensive options for glazing. The main problems with it are a tendency to bow outward somewhat in larger sizes, and it is easily scratched. In general, we rarely recommend acrylic in a frame design.

SUMMARY

This covers the most important aspects of protecting works of art on paper. Please keep in mind that the information on this page is the way we GENERALLY do things; don't take them as verbatim. We wish only to inform you about the options available to you. Please ask the person doing your framing whether your piece requires any special items such as UV or museum glass, rag mats, and so forth. Every framing project is different, so if your framer uses a different method, ask for an explanation. If none is given, or doesn't make sense to you, I would suggest another opinion. If you would like, you may email the staff at Art and Frame at artnet474@aol.com with your questions. Please put "Attention Terry" in the subject line.

Click here to see this Chicago Marathon poster framed step by step.