Basic Conservation Framing  [ Printer Friendly ]

Copyright © Bob Orsillo -  http://www.orsillo.com – All rights reserved.

A question that comes up often is; “how do you frame your art work for collectors and fine galleries?”

A few years ago I was asked to write a white paper for a local museum detailing the criteria the museum should follow when collecting modern chemical and digital photography.  During the coarse of this research I found many artists where knocking themselves out to make sure their art was of the highest archival quality, then without realizing it destroyed their work when it came time to frame.  

There are two very important things every artist needs to remember Cheap is expensive and you will always be judged by your worst presentation.  Or great art + bad frame = disaster.

In saying this, if you look around and pay close attention to the materials you buy; if you are doing the framing yourself or asking the right questions when selecting a framer you will find very little if any increase in cost.

Now for a bit about Conservation Framing.

A Guide to Conservation Framing

When framing works of art, care must be taken to protect the art work from contaminants in the environment and in the materials used in the framing process.

You want to make sure all the methods used to frame your art work can easily be undone without damage to the art.  The goal here is to be able to remove the art work at any given time, from the frame, mat and backing without damage and in its original condition.  Remember the real value is art work not the frame.

Artwork A few simple rules of framing:

 Never cut, trim, mount or alter a work of art permanently.  Do not dry or wet mount a work of art to a board to avoid a wave or “cockle” in the paper (often a problem in humid climates).  NEVER allow the art to come in contact with the glazing (glass or plexie) If you are not going to use an over mat, then use archival spacers that keep the art from making contact with the glazing.  Always use a dust cover. Even on metal frames. This adds a professional look and value to artwork .I recommend any acid-free, buffered paper, 40 lb weight with moderate porosity. This will cuts and handle very easily.

Window Mat:

 A window mat is more than a decoration. The job of the window mat is first and foremost to keep the art work from coming in contact with the glazing and allow air to flow freely between the art and the glazing.

Secondly it adds structure support when the art is hanging on the wall.

Third the window mat is used to feature the art. Select a mat color that brings the viewers eye into the art work.

The window mat must be cut from acid-free, buffered board with a pH range of 7.5 to 8.5.

I strongly recommend 100% cotton fiber Museum Board.  I use Alpharag Artcare, which has a Micro Chamber technology and Crescent 100% cotton museum board.  However there are others outstanding 100% cotton fiber mat boards out there.

Use at least a 4 ply board for the mat. It provides the recommended air space between the work and the glazing as well as structural support when exhibited vertically on a wall.  Personally I prefer 8ply and 12 ply

 Note that unbuffered board with a pH of 7.0 - 7.5 is recommended for certain photographs and textiles.

Hinges Attach the art work within the frame with at least two lightweight paper hinges. A good example are ones made Japanese papers they are very light weight and remove easily with water and Framers Tape; stronger and thinner than linen or paper tapes, this archival-grade, self-adhesive tape contains no harmful plasticizers. The moisture proof, non-porous film backing remains stable throughout. Framer's Tape is easily reversed with minimal heat from most surfaces, leaving the article in its original state. Both types are equally good and are more personal choice than anything else.

Important - Hinging material should be weaker than the art work so that under duress, the hinge will give way, not the art.

Place the hinges at the top of the work. This allows the paper to expand or contract without cockling.

Remember, the hinging must be reversible. The best adhesive to use when affixing the hinge to the back mat is starch paste or methyl cellulose. Do not use any kind of pressure sensitive tape, rubber cement, glue, etc., for conservation quality framing.

Back Mat For complete security, 100% cotton Museum Board is the best choice. At least 2 ply acid-free board when used with a high quality, acid-free backing board. Avoid acidic paper mats or mounting boards with a ground wood core that are faced with cotton fiber paper.

There may be times when you need to use a non archival material for your backing board. If so use 2 – 2 ply or thicker 100% cotton museum board.  When in doubt thicker is better.

Backing Board Backing board adds additional stiffness and protection. Archival Corrugated is the ultimate frame filler board due to its superior strength, smooth surface and light weight. Lineco Archival makes a great board as does Bainbridge Artcare Archival Corrugate. These will insure a completely acid-free environment.

Do not use the standard brown corrugated materials. They are highly acidic and contain lignin.

Again there are other fine manufactures of 100% archival backing board you will have plenty to select from.  

Glazing This is most important and often neglected. The glass or acrylic glazing must be held away from contact with the work of art.

 Ultra-violet filtering acrylic glazing has been recommended for use with works that are particularly sensitive to light.

However, acrylic glazing should not be used with pastel or charcoal drawings.

Personally I only use glass.

Molding - Frame Most materials will expand or contract with changes in humidity and temperature. Care must be taken to keep the edge of the artwork and the mats away from the molding. Leave a little wiggle room.

Never force the art, mats or glazing into a frame. If they do not lay in nice and smooth the frame is two small.

Dust Cover I can not say enough about dust covers. Use them on all frames to protect against dust and insects. And use a good quality dust cover tape to act like a gasket and attach the dust cover to the frame.

Conclusion: It is a lot of work. But if you have invested your time in creating the art work, or if you are a patron who invested money purchasing the art there is no better way to protect your investment.