Styles

There are no real framing design rules, however there are trends and styles which enhance the presentation. A custom framer will adapt to the gradual changes in architecture and design, while using their experience to choose a look that best suits the work being framed. Good framing is dependent on many factors, including where it is to be hung, the style and colour of the room, and on individual tastes. However, more importantly, the framing must enhance the artwork itself. Colour is a major element and should be used to complement a piece, not to take over.

There are no magic formulas for deciding how wide a mat or frame should be, but it is better to choose wider spaces, as it gives the eye somewhere to rest, between the picture and frame. Small borders give the impression of a picture being squeezed into a frame that is too small.

Acid-free framing

Inferior framing materials can cause permanent damage to photographs and artwork. Brown stains (acid-burn) around the edges of the artwork are caused by acids from the breakdown of the mat board. Poor quality backing material can cause dark spots (foxing) to eventually appear on the artwork.

We use acid-free materials for all of our standard framing. Standard acid-free mats and backing materials are "buffered" (calcium carbonate is applied to the raw product during manufacture) to slow down the effects of change in pH over time.
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Archival framing

This is used for the most valuable items, such as original artworks, limited edition prints, historical documents or historical items. Archival framing uses rag mat, reversable attachment methods, acid-free and lignen-free foam core backing, barrier papers and UV filtering glass. While archival quality materials may look the same as lesser materials, the true difference becomes readily apparent in later years. We will work with you to explain the various picture framing choices available, along with the cost factors involved with each choice.
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Float frame

A float frame is a special "L" shaped moulding made to enhance a stretched canvas, (when it is not being covered by glass). A float frame does not overlap the edge of the painting, but sits behind and around the edge, often leaving a space between the frame and the painting - so the painting appears to be floating within the frame.

float frame

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Giclee

This is a relatively new term for art reproduced (printed) on art paper, heavy water-colour paper, or canvas. Due to improvements in technologies, extremely fine droplets of ink can be controlled by the computer so that the resolution of the printed image is much finer than conventional printing.

Good quality giclees have a predicted life of 85 to 90 years indoors without any noticeable fading. A modern trend is for giclees on canvas to be stretched over a stretcher frame and hung without glass or external frame.

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Glazing

Choose from clear glass, non-reflective glass, UV filtering glass, or acrylic. The standard glass used is 2mm clear float glass. If you are hanging your picture where there will be light from nearby windows, interior lights etc. then you should consider using anti-reflective glass. While this inhibits the reflections on the surface, it offers no protection from fading.

Exposure to ultra violet light is the most common cause of colour fading. Using acrylic instead of glass, will cut some of these damaging rays. Acrylic looks similar to glass, but is more flexible, and less likely to crack or break. It is also much lighter than glass, so is well suited to large artworks.

However, if your artwork has major conservation requirements then we recommend the use of conservation glass which blocks 99% of UV.
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Matboards

These are the paper/rag mats that form a border around your art. Besides presenting a visual border between the artwork and the frame, matboards are also important because they keep the glass from touching the artwork or photograph. Matboards are higher (thicker) than the item being framed, so the glass sits against these, rather than touching your photo/art. Without this small space for the air to circulate over your picture, humidity will cause a photograph to stick to the glass, or mould will begin to grow on the art. In hot or humid conditions, mould may eventually form on the matboard (where the glass is against the surface). This is an indication that it is time to have the framing package taken apart and cleaned, and the mat replaced.

Exposure to ultra violet light also causes the breaking down of the chemical bonds within paper, and other materials. This is largely due to "lignin", which is a natural product found in paper made from wood pulp. Over time, lignin will eventually turn acidic and accelerate deterioration. Today's standard "buffered acid free" matboards and foam core backing offer some protection from this deterioration. However, if your artwork has major conservation requirements then we recommend the use of ragboard (100% cotton), and lignin free foam core backing.
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Mounting

Paper reacts to changes in temperature and humidity, swelling in high humidity and shrinking in low - illustrated by the wavy appearance of artwork from time to time. To eliminate this, papers are often mounted, or stuck down onto a flat backing surface. There are several methods and materials used for mounting, but they are mostly permanent so the artwork cannot be returned to its original state. Therefore it should not be used for original works, limited editions, or works of any value, as it will diminsih their value. The preferred alternative is to hinge the artwork from the top, using an acid-free, reversible hinging material. The artwork then "hangs" within the framing package and can change with varying temperature and humidity.

Stretched canvas

Art on canvas generally does not need to be covered by glass, and is best displayed using a stretcher frame (or stretcher bar). The canvas is wrapped over the sides of this specially shaped wood and stapled onto the back. (See Float Frame above) If the artist hasn't left enough extra canvas around the outside of the picture, the painting might need to be stapled on the sides of the wood to avoid losing some of the picture. A standard frame can then be fitted, to enhance the painting.
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