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Monday, April 20, 2009

Getting a Head Start on Spring Cleaning

When is the last time you took a good look at the framed cross-stitch sampler in the spare bedroom? Have you ever considered re-framing your limited edition print in the living room? If you’re like most people, you haven’t given much thought to the framed artwork hanging on your walls in your home. And that’s okay, because a well-made frame design shouldn’t need constant attention. But it would be wrong to think that once artwork is framed, it’s safe forever.

For example, check out the photo below of a painting by Galiano Island artist McPhee. The first photo displays how the original art was displayed. After a "spring make-over", which included new matboards and moulding, this painting has a new and sophisticated look.




Framing materials and procedures are constantly improving and something framed ten years ago is no longer state-of-the-art. Art also changes over time; it may fade, discolor or warp. It might even be vulnerable to attacks by bugs. Has the bevel of your matboards turned yellow? If yes, this is an indication that your matboards are not conservation quality and will likely cause irreversible damage to your art.

A close visual inspection of your art once a year will be enough to spot any potential problems. You can either bring your artwork to the frame shop, or ask us what you should look for so you can inspect each piece yourself.

It’s also a good rule of thumb to re-frame artwork once every ten years. Not only does it give you the opportunity to preserve your art with the best in new materials and techniques, it’s also the perfect excuse to choose new matting to match your new decor.
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What is Conservation Framing?

Conservation framing uses materials that protect and maintain art in as close to its original condition as possible.

Conservation framing uses acid and lignin-free mat and mounting boards which contain no impurities that can damage the art. Ultraviolet filtering glass protects the art from irreversible damage caused by light exposure.


The Custom Framing Process - Matboard

The matboard is the border that surrounds the art within the picture frame and provides presentation, proportion and protection. Matboards are used to enhance the art that is being framed. Matboards can highlight a color, accent a shape and increase the overall size of the art. It also creates a space between the art and the glass which will reduce damage to the art caused by heat and condensation.

The selection of matboards is the first step in the custom framing process. Multiple matboards can be used to compliment the art. The industry standard is to frame with the lightest colored matboard on top with darker detailed colors for consecutive mat boards. This method helps create a tunnel effect and draws the viewer’s eye to the center of the art. Alternatively, it can be visually pleasing to place the darker matboard on top with details colors for the consecutive matboards.

There are basically two types of matboards; regular and conservation. Regular matboards are used for short term presentation, such as art posters. Regular matboards are less expensive but will fade over time and the edges along the bevel edge will turn a yellow-brown color. This discoloration is called matburn and is caused by heat, light or humidity.

Conservation mat boards are made out of cotton fiber or alpha cellulose wood pulp and contain no lignin. Lignin is found in all plants giving them strength and rigidity but it causes art to become brittle and turn yellow overtime. Conservation matboards are fade resistant, bleed resistant and pH buffered to 8.5 to protect the art against external pollutants.

Matboards come in two sizes 32” x 40” and 40” x 60” and they also come in a variety of textures such as linen, marble and suede. The standard matboard border is 2 ½” to 3” wide but different widths can be used to compliment the art.

Frame This! uses Peterboro and Crescent matboards.

Matboard Cutting Techniques

Regular Bevel A regular bevel is the standard technique used to cut the inside window of the matboard. A regular bevel will show the core of the matboard which is usually white in color.

Reverse Bevel A reverse bevel is a technique used to cut the inside window of the matboard and it is opposite or a “reverse” cut to the regular bevel. The matboard core will not be shown. A reverse bevel can be visually pleasing especially if there is not a lot of white color in the art.

V-Groves A v-grove is a cutting technique where two beveled cuts are made in the top matboard giving the appearance of a line around the window in the shape of a “v”. The v-grove cut is the color of the mat oard core.

Weighted Bottom The use of the weighted bottom was introduced years ago when ceilings were ten to twelve feet high and it was customary to hang paintings near the ceiling. This gave an illusion of the bottom of the matboard being narrower than the other borders. To correct this illusion, the bottom of the matboard was cut wider than the other mat board dimensions. This technique suits some artwork but the common practice today is to have all four sides of the mat board cut to equal size.

The Custom Framing Process - Mounting

Mounting is the process of attaching the art to a mounting board. Frame This! uses acid-free foam board for conservation framing. There are many different techniques and materials that are used to mount the art to the mounting board. Frame This! assists its customers in determining whether their art should be mounted permanently or if a reversible technique should be used.

For the mounting to be deemed conservation, it must be must reversible, contain no sprays and if glass is used, it should not touch the art.

The Custom Framing Process - Moulding (The Frame)

The frame is a boundary that keeps the viewer’s attention on the art instead of wandering across the wall. The frame also protects the art from physical damage and deterioration such as dust, moisture, insects, mould and pollutants.

The two most common types of moulding are wood and metal. Metal frames can be made out of brass, copper, precious metal but most metal frames are made from extruded aluminum sticks. Metal moulding is generally less expensive and is usually used to frame diplomas and certificates.

The Custom Framing Process - Glazing (Glass)

Glazing is used to protect the art from environmental damage such as dust, insects and the mishandling of the art. To prevent condensation damage, glass should never come in contact with the art.

Ultraviolet rays are one of the most dangerous elements that your artwork can encounter. It will not only cause the colors to fade but it will also cause the materials to begin to break down. Conservation quality glass should be used to protect the art from the damaging effects of ultraviolet light.

There are two types of glazing materials; glass and acrylic. Frame This! Uses Tru Vue glazing products and offers four types of glazing; regular, conservation clear, non-glare and anti reflective.

Premium Clear Glass (Regular) Regular glass is transparent and allows the sharp lines and true colors of the art to be visible. It does reflect light and will produce a glare.

Conservation Clear Conservation glass is regular glass with ultraviolet filtering qualities. It blocks 98% of harmful ultraviolet rays and it is commonly used in conservation framing.

Conservation Reflection Control Glass (Non-Glare) Non-glare glass is single-sided etched with acid to impede light reflection with ultraviolet blocking properties. It has a more translucent than transparent property that will cause visual distortion when separated. Non-glare glass should not be used with fine detailed art or selected when more than three mat boards are used.

Museum Glass (Anti-Reflective) Anti-reflective is regular glass with an optical coating. When looking straight at the framed art, there is no reflection and the transmission of the light back to the viewer is enhanced. This is the highest quality of picture framing glass available.