FRAMING MADE EASY: TOP 10 TIPS

1. ALWAYS FRAME FOR THE PIECE, NOT YOUR DECOR ! YES, THEY MUST BE ABLE TO
MERGE, BUT ART GAINS INDEPENDANCE OF SITUE BY HAVING A FRAME ON IT.

2. MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR FRAMER. GIVE YOURSELF A GOOD HOUR
TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT FRAME.

3. ASK THE FRAMERS' ADVICE ! MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START
THE FRAMING PROCESS. SAVE TIME AND ASK.

4. SPEND THE EXTRA ON ULTRA-VIOLET CONTROL GLASS. YOUR ART WILL LAST
MUCH LONGER AND YOU CAN HANG IT ALMOST ANYWHERE.

5. USE ONLY COTTON RAG OR ALPHA-CELLULOSE MAT BOARDS AND BACKERS FOR
YOUR ART. THAT IS WHAT MUSEUMS USE. THAT IS WHAT YOU SHOULD USE !
REMEMBER TO ASK THE FRAMER ABOUT THE ADHESIVES OR SUSPENDING
MATERIALS USED IN THE POSITIONING OF YOUR ART WORK ONTO THE MAT BOARD.

6. DON'T OVER SPEND ON A PIECE THAT DOES NOT WARRANT IT, BUT THEN,
DON'T UNDERSPEND ON A PIECE THAT DOES! GOOD ART CAN LOOK UNINSPIRING
IN THE WRONG FRAME.

7. IF YOU MOVE FREQUENTLY, INVEST IN QUALITY PICTURE FRAMES. IT DOES MAKE
ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN DAMAGE CONTROL.

8. AS A GENERAL RULE, KEEP YOUR MAT BOARDS NEUTRAL! YOU MAY TIRE OF
HARSH COLOURED MATTING.

9. TRY NOT TO RUSH YOUR FRAMER NEEDLESSLY! GOOD WORK TAKES TIME, SO
WAIT THE 2 OR 3 WEEKS HE RECOMMENDS.

10. BE ECLECTIC. MIX AND MATCH YOUR FRAMES. TAKE A SAMPLE HOME TO BE SURE.

 

AS FRAMERS, WE ARE OFTEN AMAZED AT THE POOR CRAFTSMANSHIP WE SEE WHEN
REFRAMING ART. USING MASKING TAPE IS THE CARDINAL SIN OF FRAMING! YET, HOW OFTEN HAVE WE HAD TO TELL PEOPLE THAT THEIR ART HAS SUFFERED SEVERE ACIDIC DAMAGE BECAUSE OF MASKING TAPE BEING USED TO SUSPEND IT! WE ALSO OFTEN SEE CARDBOARD BEING USED AS A BACKER TO THE ART. BROWN CARDBOARD HAS A VERY HIGH ACIDIC CONTENT AND IT WILL MIGRATE TO THE ARTWORK. IF YOU SUSPECT THE FRAMER HAS USED CARDBOARD OR MASKING TAPE, MY ADVICE IS TO OPEN THE PAPER BACKER AND IF HE HAS, INSIST HE REPLACE IT WITH ACID FREE FOAM CORE BOARD AND NEUTRAL HANGERS. ITS ALL ABOUT THE LOVE OF THE ART !