Whether it's a fine watercolor or your child's finger painting, your work of art deserves a customized frame to show off its beauty and prevent deterioration over time. A skilled framer is your partner in this process. Quality framers have years of experience with preservation framing using a variety of materials and methods, and should be able to work within any budget.
Instructions
1. Decide whether you want to mat the piece. This provides a spacer to protect paper art or photographs from direct contact with the glass. This is necessary, particularly in humid climates, to prevent the art from coming in contact with condensation or sticking to the glass and permanently damaging it. It also provides structural support for the artwork. Ask the framer if the picture warrants a double or triple matting with a straight or bevel cut. Also ask about archival quality matting for pieces you really care about. Matting can often increase the cost of framing.
2. Figure out what type of mounting is best for you piece. A picture can be hinged or stuck down. Hinging is the process of using acid-free linen tape at the top of the mat and letting it hang. A more permanent method is to mount the entire picture to the backing board, achieving a smooth, flat finish. For dry mounting, some framers use a vacuum-heat mounting press, which removes air by a vacuum suction pump before the art touches the heat plate, which seals and mounts the piece.
3. Decide what backing is best. As with mats, the wrong backing can damage your work. Insist that your framer use a lightweight neutral-pH backing, called conservation-quality art board, such as Tru Vue's UltiMat and UltiBlack. Barrier paper can be added to this as an extra precaution for works of higher value. Your picture should then be sealed to protect it from dust, air, moisture and insects.
4. Pick a glass. Conservation-quality picture-framing glass is specially formulated to protect framed works of art from the damaging effects of ultraviolet light. For example, the Tru Vue Conservation Series glass filters out more than 97 percent of UV light. If you think reflection may be a problem, choose a non-glare glass. Consider using acrylic for pictures or posters larger than 36x48 inches, or for pictures and prints intended for a child's room. It is shatterproof and less expensive than regular glass.
5. Last, but certainly not least, choose a frame. There's only one absolute in picking the frame: The frame you choose should be strong enough to support the final combined weight of the glass, mounting and artwork. Styles, however, are up to you and your personal taste. Try to match them with either the theme or decor of the room, or match them with the associated work they're framing.
