Helpful Tips for Picture Framing

Picture framing and matting can be a daunting task, and often misunderstood.

Whether you’re collecting my prints and artwork or simply displaying and preserving your cherished family photos in great condition, I hope this information will be valuable to you.

Picture Framing

There is custom framing, and frames off-the-shelf. A ready-made frame right off the shelf is a good option for a lot of things. For your most precious valuables, complete custom framing is usually best and worth spending the money to have it done properly. I’ve used both, but in opinion, it’s best to save up and get what you really want. Nothing is worse than putting up something that you forget about.

When you do it right, it really adds that special-something you’ve been looking for.

But believe it or not, some places actually have ready-made frames that come really close to rivaling the quality of a custom frame. Bravo to these folks!

As a side-note, while I was once working at a framing shop, I once helped a nice lady with her old frame and original glass, which was sagging due to age. Yes, glass is actually a liquid. REALLY OLD glass has ripples and sagging caused from plain ol’ gravity. Such character!

The solution to her problem was to include her old frame (as a fillet) inside the new custom frame. The final result was great! She was able to display all of this original framing material and now the artwork is preserved.

Matting
(Not Just For Looks!)

The first thing to know about matting is that it is not just for making your artwork look great. It is actually functional too. Matting keeps the artwork from touching the glass, which is harmful.

However, be forewarned…

Not all mats are created equal!

Unless you’re planning on throwing it away in a couple of years, always use an acid-free mat.

I’ve seen it too often, where a lot of framing shops cut corners in this regard. Sometimes they even use mats that have an acid-free veneer, but the core of the mat is not acid-free! Over time, the bevel (the slanted cut at the mat-opening) will yellow, as will the artwork inside.

Choosing a quality mat is not always easy.

Some Matting Tips to help:

1. Choose a mat(s) which bring out the most important details and colors in your artwork. Texture (such as a fabric) of your mat may also help here.

2. Some pieces look great with a fillet: a small wooden or metal frame that lines the inside opening of your mat. Fillets can create a great-looking border and often lend continuity to the finished look.

3. Always use an acid-free mat!!! If you purchase a mat off the shelf, make sure it says it on the packaging. It might cost a bit more, but it is worth every penny.

Mounting
(Your Artwork Inside the Frame)

So what kind of mount should you choose? Basically, the two most common mounts for your photos and artwork are:

1. Preservation Mount

2. Dry Mount

A preservation mount is where the artwork is placed within the mat without permanently fixing it to the surface. At any time it can be removed from your picture framing. So it is preserved! Often this is done with photo corners which remain hidden under the edges of the mat. For larger pieces, other methods can be used.

Try not to use tape, if you can help it. It’s best not to have things stuck to your photo or artwork. However, if you must, use an acid-free tape made specifically for mounting.

I prefer to use Preservation Mounts for prints, limited-editions such as my prints and artwork , and other valuables.

Dry mounting is recommended for less expensive posters and open-edition prints (especially large ones). A dry mount is where the piece is permanently adhered to another surface: usually acid-free foam core. It’s also a great option for keeping large posters from sagging or wrinkling within the frame.

However!

Once it is dry-mounted, it is permanent!

So don’t do this for things of value. The end-result is that it may reduce the value of your collectable. Ask your framer what options he has for preserving your artwork properly.

The ultimate goal is to make it “archival”…which is just a fancy term for preservation.

Another thing to remember about posters and open-edition prints: if you’re fortunate to have one hand-signed by the artist, it now has something extra of value. In essence, it too is now limited in number. So a preservation mount is preferable to keep it in mint condition.

If You Choose Not to Use a Mat

Ask the framer for spacers in the picture framing fit. This will ensure that the artwork is not touching the inside of the glass. This might be a preferable way to go, especially if you’re trying to save on mat cost or make your print look like a painting (which usually does not have glass or matting).

There are some exceptions to this: A Leanordo De Vinci painting displayed at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. is actually framed behind glass.

Glass and UV Protection

A lot of frames right off the shelf have glass already. While it’s sometimes awfully tempting to cut corners and use the existing glass, unfortunately it is usually cheap glass. It simply won’t provide the protection your artwork deserves.

Even if your artwork is not in direct sunlight, over time it will fade and yellow.

That is why a good UV glass is so important.

Here are some options:

1. Basic UV Protection Glass

2. Reflection-Control Glass

3. Museum-Quality Glass

At a bare minimum, have some form of UV Protection Glass put in. If you can stretch a bit on your budget, I’d recommend Museum Glass. Some places have it, others don’t. If not, they should be able to order it. Believe me, it’s like night and day when it comes to clarity.

As for Reflection-Control glass, I’ll admit that I’m not a big fan. While it does succeed in cutting down glare, the etched glass tends to blur your original image. This could be a real issue if your photo or artwork is soft. It’s also a problem for fine detail such as maps and documents with small itty-bitty writing!

So if you are able to, try using Museum-Quality Glass. However, if it’s simply not in the budget, I still recommend using a basic UV Protection Glass.

You’ll be glad you did.

Information about Limited-Edition Prints

The basic Law of Supply and Demand means that the fewer quantity available to people who want them, the more valuable they will be.

Ya see! I guess my business degree finally came in handy.

At least this works in theory...thankfully it works most of the time.

Unfortunately, the term limited-edition has become quite a gimmick in certain circles. Some art companies mass-produce art and stamp limited-edition on it when in all honesty, it should be considered an open-edition. Or their "limited" numbers are so high that everyone can obtain one.

That is why I keep my limited-edition numbers low to ensure that you’re buying something of value. They’re also created with the utmost quality in mind.

After all, you’re honoring me by displaying my artwork. You deserve to have a quality product.

Each of my limited-editions is hand-signed and individually numbered. For example, 2/500 means that yours’ is the second print out of a total of 500 that will ever be produce in that print run. Each also comes with a Certificate of Authenticity as proof that you've got the real thing!

In that way, they’ve been created specifically for you to collect, but most important, to enjoy for years to come!