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Design/Layout We
first ask if you, the customer, have a design and/or colors in mind? If yes, we always try to work with your ideas.
If not, we might ask a series of questions about location, size, environment, and color. When multiple objects are being
framed, we may want to consider several designs and ask that you come back to approve your choice. - Your final choice will depend upon the art, location,
design, and budget. - Basics of Conservation Framing The environment around
us is basically acidic. Air pollution, sulphur dioxide from vehicle emissions, and most everything that we consider
a convenience today generates some form of damaging airborne product that can damage a piece of paper art over a period of
time. Insect infestation, moisture condensation, and household cooking oders all contribute to the deterioration of
paper products. The paper itself, if made from wood products, contains acids (called lignins), which will break down
paper over a long period of time, even if no other outside influence is present. Most limited edition art prints, therefore,
are manufactured on 100% cotton rag paper stock which contains no wood pulp products and is totally acid free. But this
isn't enough to ensure the long term preservation of art prints unless they are properly housed in some form of display that
is designed to conserve the art work and protect it against deterioration. This process of using the proper materials
to mount and display a work of art is called "Conservation Framing" and is a very exacting and precise process.
The prints should be mounted to an acid free backing board using acid free hinges or archival corners that will not stain
or burn the paper art touching it.
Basics of Matting Art
mat boards are used primarily to separate the art print or image being framed from the surface of the glass protecting it.
Moisture condensing on the inside of the glass can cause the image to stick to the glass and permanently damage the image.
A mat or series of mats are placed between the image and the glass to allow air to circulate and minimize condensation on
the glass. This is important because moisture will condense where there is no air gap, inviting mildew and mold.
In addition, mats can enhance the look by complimenting the color scheme of the image or draw the viewer's eye toward
the focal point of the image by providing a visual background. For this purpose, the wider the mat, the better.
If the mat overpowers the art, then the mat color is wrong. Mat width affects the visual importance of the finished
piece. Narrow mats are usually more distraction than enhancement; wide mats create focus toward the artwork. - Color choice - The top mat should
be neutral in color, and of less color intensity than the art. If the top mat dominates, it will distract from the art.
Additional mats beneath the top mat can be used to provide accents for color coordination with surroundings or to emphasize
certain colors in the art. - Decoration
- This is a matter of opinion; mat decoration can enhance or detract from art. Common techniques include ink
lines, fillets, V-grooves, watercolor panels, and fabric wraps. Be imaginative, but conservative with mat decoration.
Only 100% cotton rag mats should be used for matting valuable images because the mat and paper that the image is printed on
are in constant contact with each other. Acid migration can occur using a conventional paper mat made of wood pulp. - Framing Notes Frame mouldings come in a large variety of styles and sizes. Choices of frame mouldings in
wood, metal, and composite materials give the art owner a nearly unlimited selection of styles, widths, and finishes from
which to choose. When the frame package is prepared and assembled properly, the frame moulding should never come in
direct contact with the image paper. This would allow for acid migration from the wood to the paper and would contribute
to premature deterioration of the print paper.
Basic Glazing Options Glazing
options include: regular glass, non-glare glass, conservation (filters ultra violet) clear glass, non-glare conservation glass,
clear non-reflecting glass with and without UV filter, Museum Glass (coated and non-reflecting), clear acrylic, non-glare
acrylic, and UV filtering acrylic in both clear and non-glare. - Final Fitting of the Frame Package The final fitting of the art package is as important as the materials used in its construction. It should
be designed so that all the parts fit perfectly and nothing is loose or moving around within the frame. Glass should
be cleaned to perfection and there should be no lint or other foreign debris left on the mats or image. The framed package
should be sealed with a dust cover, which is adhered to the back of the frame. This cover helps to keep dust, moisture,
and insects out of the framed area and further reduces the possibility of damage to the art. Hanging hardware should
be properly sized to support the weight of the framed art and rubber bumpers should be attached to the bottom corners of the
frame to help hold is away from the wall and prevent excessive "shifting around" after it is hung. To do this
correctly takes considerable time and is rarely noticed by the customer unless it is done wrong. - The Finished Package The end result of all these processes is to provide the art buyer with a finished piece that can
be displayed proudly and offer the protection to the art piece from contamination that cannot be received from other sources.
Much of the time spent on conservation framing is dedicated to causing something NOT to happen and is a very important, albeit
little known, part of the framing process. The next time you look at a piece of framed art, consider the time it took
to NOT have lint or dirt in the print area or on the surface of the mats. And think about what was required to get all
the mat borders evenly cut and precisely the same size. Appreciate the fact that there are absolutely no fingerprints
on the inside of the glass and the mitered corners of the picture frame fit properly. These assets aren't automatic
to the process of conservation framing.
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