At Tweed Art, all our framing meets the criteria of the Fine Art Trade Guild’s Commended Framer qualification. The qualification was launched nearly twenty years ago to distinguish skilled framers from the semi-skilled and to provide the public with a recognised statement of excellence of both craftsmanship and service. More than 600 framers have gained the coveted GCF qualification, but Toby is the only one in the Borders to do so.
The process of framing that we use at Tweed Art is based on protecting your image so that it can last for as long as 300 years. Every image that we deal with, be it watercolour, oil painting, football shirt or cross-stitch, has its own process.
In order to help you decide which frame and mount work best for your artwork here is a bit of background on the proper materials and procedures for framing. Using the correct materials will help keep your print or drawing safe and guard its value, now and for years to come.
Frames
- Frames are used to enhance a work of art aesthetically, as well as to protect it from dirt, dust and handling, while maintaining a controlled setting essential for the life of the piece. There is more to framing than just four bits of wood around a picture.
- In terms of aesthetics, you should choose what pleases you and what works for the picture. The framed artwork will become part of your everyday environment, so be sure to choose a frame and mount that you will enjoy. If you don’t know what you want ask for guidance; your framer probably has seen many different types of art, and knows what works well, and what doesn’t.
- One piece of advice: Don’t frame the art to match a room in your house. Choose picture frames and mounts that will enhance the work of art itself, so that if you move, redecorate, or decide to hang the piece in another location, it will always look appropriate. Avoid framing that overwhelms the artwork. Remember: the art work is the star – the mounting and framing are supporting players
The Mount
- The mount provides a rigid support for the work of art, to prevent bending and folding and other damage that might occur to paper when being handled and touched. It separates the work of art from the glazed surface, creating a “breathing space”, without which foxing can occur leaving permanent brown marks on the artwork.
- In addition, mounts are used for their aesthetic properties, often strengthening features already present in the piece of art.
- We use Nielsen Bainbridge Artcare Mount boards which contain Zoelites; these are microscopic particles which scavenge all the harmful chemicals contained in the atmosphere of a home or office, trapping and locking them up. Other mount boards which are not acid free can discolour over time and leave a permanent mark on your artwork.
- Whichever way you decide to mount your piece, the bottom margin is generally slightly wider than the top and the sides to give the entire image a visual weight, however the size of the mount will increase or decrease proportionally according to the size of the work of art.
- All materials used in the mounting and framing should be archival. This basically means that mounting boards are acid-free. Any reputable framing store will use archival materials. The paper should be “hinged” to its support with archival hinging tape. Hinging is like taping, but the acid-free materials used in the process ensure no damage will be caused to the artwork. (Masking tape and “Scotch” tape are harmful and should be avoided completely.) Any original work on paper or limited edition print should be hinged to guarantee the value of the work of art, and prevent it from being ruined. Never paste the sides or the entire back to a support – a process known as dry mounting. This technique is almost always irreversible and should only be considered when framing posters with no value.
Glass
- At Tweed Art we have seven different options of glass or acrylic; each has its advantages and disadvantages.
- Glass is cheaper, easier to clean, and more resistant to scratches. However, it is heavier, more breakable, and sensitive to variations in temperature. Acrylic is lighter in weight but can scratch very easily, but would be recommended for bigger pictures.
- There are also options of different types of glass. Plain glass is the cheapest but does not protect artwork from ultra violet light and you can get quite a bit of reflection from it depending upon where you hang your picture. We also stock ultra violet glass which greatly reduces the fade of the image and can also come with very low reflection, but it is slightly more expensive than plain glass.
- Reflection in glass is caused by iron impurities, which can be burnt out in a longer manufacturing process thus reducing the reflection, but this makes it more expensive. This Museum Glass also has an ultra violet filter and would be recommended for valuable pieces of artwork and those hung in a place where direct light would cause a lot of reflection.
- All artwork should be hung out of direct light!!
