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 !
