The decision to work with a professional framer and create a custom framing solution will allow you to focus on the aspects that are most important to you while still considering preservation of your art or print. We'll work with you to choose materials such as matting and glass choices based on what type of display you are hoping to achieve.

Preservation Considerations

Frame your art with preservation in mind and it will look like new for years to come.

If you own art there are two things you need to know. Not all artwork is alike, and none of it comes with a maintenance manual. Yet unless your artwork is cared for properly, it will deteriorate. So, how do you decide when and how to care for your artwork?

The answer to that question is complex. How the artwork was created, where it has been and under what conditions, and what kind of care or treatment it has received all affect its future care. The more you know, the better care you can give. This care starts with your decision to frame and display your art. When framing, consider these questions:

• If decorative qualities - color, style, design - are your most important considerations, then you may choose framing materials and techniques based solely on your decorating needs.
• If the longevity and preservation of your art is your primary concern, then the selection of framing materials and techniques must all be directed toward preservation.
• If both the preservation of the artwork and the decorative value of its framing are equally important, you may have to adjust either some of your decorating expectations or your preservation concerns. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, each piece of art has its own value and should be framed accordingly.

Display

How and where your art is displayed will also have a direct effect on its condition and longevity. Environmental elements - light, humidity, temperature, and even pollution - can affect your artwork. Discuss where you intend to hang your art with a framer as you plan your frame design.

Art, like everything else, needs constant care. Sometimes this care and maintenance should be performed by a trained specialist. When in doubt, ask. Making informed decisions about framing your art will add to your enjoyment of it and improve its condition and longevity.

Choosing Materials

The materials used to frame your artwork have a direct effect on it. The type of matting used, the materials used to mount the artwork, and even the glass in the frame are all important. Words like "acid-free", "pH neutral", and "archival" are often used to describe matboards and backboards suitable for preservation framing. Most of these materials have an additive or buffering agent to reduce any acidic condition which may occur. Matboards and backing boards that are not preservation quality may become acidic over time, and damage the artwork they surround.

Because paper reacts to changes in temperature and humidity - expanding when they are high and shrinking when they are low - it is often mounted to keep it flat. Yet there are objections to fully mounting art: if the art becomes damaged at a later time, it may be harder to conserve if it is fully mounted. The mounting may also introduce materials into the artwork that may not be removable.

There are preservation alternatives that you may consider which allow the art to be mounted in ways that are reversible, and which allow the art to change with temperature and humidity while framed.

Surface protection is also important. Glazing, either glass or acrylic, keeps foreign substances (like airborne dust or oil from fingerprints) off the surface of the art. UV-blocking glass or acrylic will also help to protect your art from fading and other types of damage caused by ultraviolet lightrays.

Why is a Mat Important?

The mat is one of the most important parts of a frame design-it not only unifies the design between art work and frame but also protects the art work from a number of hazards.

We know the first job of a frame is to present the artwork it holds at its best. We also know that sometimes a print, photograph, or similar type of paper-borne artwork can look "lost" in a frame without a mat. That's because its not easy for the eye to move from the delicate paper-borne art to the solid, sturdy frame. A mat provides a transition between these two worlds.

That's also why matboard color and shape are an important part of the frame design. Everything from how light or dark the matboard color is, or if there is a double mat, or a mat with a specialty cut opening, affects how you and other see and react to the art inside it.

The other functions a mat can perform are much more practical. Paper - borne artwork, like many other objects, reacts to changes in the environment. Changes in temperature and humidity can cause paper to expand and contract, buckle or cockle, making it seem "wavy". A mat can help a piece of art from becoming deformed because of such changes. When paper expands it may also come in contact with the glass or acrylic in the front of the frame. This can sometimes cause sever, non-reversible, damage to the art work. A mat helps to distance the art work away from the glass or acrylic, preventing such a possibility.

The Right Glass Makes Your Art Look Its Best

There are more types of glass for custom picture framing than most people realize. And while many customers don't take the time to consider their glass choices, glass is an important part of any custom frame design.

Regular glass protects your paper art from dirt, dust, fingerprints, and any air-borne particles. Although some kinds of textile art-like a needlepoint design or even a tapestry-and paintings on can-vas don't need this kind of protection, art on paper does, because it is more fragile.

Ultraviolet-filtering glass (or Conservation Clear) can offer even more protection. Over time, ultraviolet light can cause colors to fade and paper to yellow (just like a newspaper).UV-filtering glass blocks more than 97% of these harmful rays, extending the longevity of your art.

Reflection Control Glass - Another choice for glass is reduced-reflection glass. While this kind of glass is not new-you may have heard of it as non-glare or anti-reflective glass-improvements in manufacturing have made it more popular than ever. Reduced reflection glass either scatters or absorbs the light reflected from it, so when you look at your framed art, you see the art-work-not a reflection of yourself in the glass! This is especially useful in rooms with multiple sources of light.

Museum Glass® - The ultimate type of glazing available to the consumer would be Museum Glass® which has the highest UV protection (99%). When a piece of artwork is framed with this type of glass the reflection is so minimal that it looks like the frame has no glass at all.