FAQ
Q: What is archival framing:
A: The Fine Art Trade Gild describes five levels of framing standards, the highest of which is described as “Museum” level. At this level the best quality materials and methods are applied as would be expected to protect artwork for perpetuity. There are various levels below this which offers degrees of protection and cost accordingly. The key elements of Archival framing are the use of archival acid free materials (link), UV glass, and ensuring the artwork is not in direct contact with the glass.
You can read more about the standards on the Fine Art Trade Guild site:
Q: What are archival materials?
A: Archival materials for framing are papers and boards which will not create an acidic environment around the artwork over time. Acidity and UV light are the two biggest enemies of framed artwork (although moisture would be a close third). Traditionally archival materials for framing were made from 100% cotton fibre (“rag” or “cotton rag mat”) which unlike fibre from wood pulp does not contain lignin. Lignin gives trees their strength but it is not helpful when manufacturing paper and boards and contributes to increasing levels of acidity over time. However there are other substrates in the market which offer similar (or some argue better) levels of protection than cotton rag mat such as Bainbridge’s Artcare (nielsenbainbridgegroup.com) range. At El Framo we use this product routinely although we do use rag mat as well.
Q: Does my painting need glass?
A: Any painting, print or photo on paper will suffer the effects of dust, dirt, moisture and light if not protected by glass or acrylic (Perspex). Oil paintings on paper should be glazed to protect the paper. Oil paintings on canvas can be framed without glass – they are pretty robust, aren’t prone to fading and have a protective layer of varnish which can be cleaned or replaced over time. Oil on board can be framed either with or without glass. Any painting can become fragile over time especially if painted on board; and glass does help protect them and keep them clean.
Q: What type of glass should I use?
A: There a quite a few options but let’s try and keep it relatively simple.
Standard Clear (“float”) Glass: commonly used in framing on work that is not valuable or required to last indefinitely; or not prone to fading; or can be easily replaced. Clear glass is the cheapest option.
UV Glass (or more correctly, UV filtering glass): Unsurprisingly, UV glass protects the framed article from the damaging effects of UV light. UV not only fades pigments and dyes, but also ages paper causing it discolour and become brittle. UV Glass is an affordable solution for many framing projects and is highly recommended by El Framo. Typical application would be paintings on paper, especially delicate watercolours; limited edition prints; offset prints if required to last more than a few years (this covers a wide range of printed material – see below)
Acrylic (“Perspex”): Offers two key advantages over glass in being significantly lighter (which is useful for larger works) and much less brittle (in a framing environment is practically indestructible) which is a useful safety feature. It is also useful for works that are to be freighted or items that are frequently transported to shows and displays. It is available with UV filtering characteristics although UV glass and Museum glass offer higher levels of protection.
Museum glass: A wonderful product, although unsurprisingly not without cost. Museum Glass offers unsurpassed levels of clarity, virtually no reflection, and the highest levels UV filtering. Most of the great art collections of the world’s galleries today are protected with Museum glass or similar products. It is so clear you may not have realised the Van Gogh you were looking at had glass at all.
Q: Will my artwork fade?
A: In short: yes. Clearly a framed item exposed to direct sun in a bright room is more challenged than one hanging in the stairwell or hallway. Pretty much all inks, paint, pigments and dyes will deteriorate over time if exposed to daylight (specifically UV light). Work that is valuable or collectable, or high personal value should be protected with UV Glass (link).
Paintings: Oil paintings are generally quite resistant to fading. Watercolour paintings are typically quite delicate and prone to light damage. Acrylics are often a bit more stable although as with anything it depends on the quality of the paint and also how thickly it is applied.
Photos: The longevity of colour photos is quite variable but they certainly prone to fading which will become noticeable after some few years.
Prints:
Screen prints are a quite traditional method of reproducing artwork and provide good levels of fade resistance in part due to the thick application of the inks.
Giclee printing is high-end inkjet; with appropriately archival papers and fade resistant inks. The trouble comes when one can’t be sure if the artwork is truly archival or simply printed on a standard large format graphics printer. Artists and publishers of quality product should include a certificate of authenticity or notes about the printing method. Artwork or photos printed on home user inkjet machines can fade within months.
Offset printing is the high volume low cost commercial printing process used for books, magazines, advertising circulars and posters. While print quality can be very good, even specially formulated fade resistant inks are not as light stable as with (say) screen printing due to the inherently thin film of ink applied in this process. Most printers don’t use these fade resistant inks. Prints and posters produced this way should be treated with suspicion in regards their resistance to fading and framed accordingly (ie with UV filtering glass) if they are expected to maintain their integrity in the long term. Of course people often take the view “it’s just a cheap poster. If it fades I’ll get another…or I’ll be bored with it by then anyway” which makes perfect sense.
Q: What are “spacers” and do I need them?
A: Yes you do, at least if the framed item has any monetary or personal value. They provide an air gap between the work and the glass which reduces the risk of growth of mould growth and the opportunity for the artwork to adhere to the glass which normally has fatal outcomes for the artwork. The use of a mat board around the framed item provides a natural separation due to the thickness of the board itself (typically a little over 1.0mm; and sometimes more). Items framed without matboard should have spacers installed under the frame rebate (which are relatively invisible) to ensure this gap is established. Costs can be reduced by eliminating spacers but should only be applied to works of low value, that can be easily replaced and in budget framing situations.
Q: What are those brown marks on my old print or painting?
A: More often than not it is due to acidity and is called foxing. Typically it is caused by the materials surrounding the print in the frame; with pasteboard backings being the most common offender; although old-school mat boards can contribute too. Removing the artwork from this acidic environment is generally enough to arrest the deterioration although the marks won’t go away without professional treatment by a conservator. If the artwork is actually glued to the backing board then we have a problem as separating them can be difficult and expensive. It was not uncommon for this to occur 30 or 40 years ago and the legacy is easy to see.
Reframing with Archival materials will then prevent recurrence. Sometimes the acidity is inherent in the substrate that the print or painting is on. Cheap papers are often favoured by hard-up artists. Sometimes it is not possible to satisfactorily resolve this and one can spend a lot of money in the attempt.
Q: Why is the paper discolouring?
A: It may be due to acid damage – see Foxing above (Q: What are those brown marks on my old print or painting?). However paper is also susceptible to yellowing from exposure to daylight. The speed of deterioration will depend on where the work is hung and the quality of the paper stock. Newsprint, as we all know, goes yellow in a matter of hours if you leave your daily newspaper outside in the sun. Over time deterioration leads to the paper becoming brittle. The best protection is to frame with UV glass which filters out the harmful UV spectrum of light.
Q: Should my artwork be glued down to a board?
A: Attaching a work to a board provides a cost effective framing solution and ensures the work stays flat over a long period of time but it is not an acceptable practice for Archival or Conservation framing.
(http://www.fineart.co.uk/standards/Five_Levels_of_Framing.aspx). Gluing may allow framing without a matboard which further helps to keep costs down; and can often resolve those annoying creases that posters and prints seem to pick up so easily. There are risks in the mounting process too, including human error, and these are generally impossible to resolve if things go wrong. Mounting work in this way should be considered permanent; and the work is changed forever. The quality of the board to which it is adhered now becomes an inherent part of the equation as to how long it lasts. Also if the work becomes valuable or collectable over time, being glued will decrease its value.
The El Framo rule-of-thumb would be to only glue down items that are easily replaced (eg photos, posters, open edition prints) and items that are not valuable or collectible.
Items we would not recommend gluing down would be any original art (although you might make exceptions for children’s work and inexpensive paintings from tourist destinations if cost is a factor), limited edition prints, needlework, rare and collectable posters and open-edition prints (especially if signed by the artist / band / team / celebrity / famous person). The compromise is between protecting the item for posterity and keeping it perfectly flat. Work on paper that is not glued to a board will be hinged with archival tape; and will expand and contract according to environmental conditions which can create waves and wrinkles. This is part of the organic nature of works on paper and the technique is applied by galleries and museums.
Q: What does acid-free mean?
A: This is a term which can be quite misleading with many framing materials claiming to be acid free. Most papers and boards are acid free when they are manufactured; or fairly close to pH neutral. However the nature of the raw materials and manufacturing process will determine how long they stay this way. Some products are “buffered”, that is to say they have additives to combat acidity as it develops over time. A distinction should be made between materials which are acid free at the time of manufacture; and truly Archival materials which maintain their neutrality for the long haul (eg Artcare matboards )
Q: What is offset printing and does it fade?
A: Pretty much all volume commercial printing on paper in New Zealand is printed offset (also known as lithographic offset). This includes newspapers, magazines, directories, packaging (including CD slicks and 12” vinyl sleeves) and posters. The four-colour printing process offers very little resistance to fading when exposed to daylight for a long period of time. Ink manufacturers offer “light fast inks” which are relatively expensive and therefore not used widely. They are intended for use on prints and posters that are expected to be displayed for a long period. However the manufacturers hedge their bets as to the integrity of colour over time and quote “months” of protection rather than years. There is no practical way of telling what type of ink has been used on a finished print so one should assume a low-level of fade-resistance with offset prints.
Q: What is inkjet printing and does it fade?
Inkjet is a common, highly flexible and inexpensive technology which has blossomed in the last 10 years or so. It comes in various flavours. The key issue to be aware of is light stability. High-end inkjet utilises light stable inks and the printed result is often called a Giclee print. This printing method has largely replaced offset printing for fine-art reproduction as it is cheaper (for modest quantities at least), more light stable, has a superior colour range (“gamut”), is more flexible with sizes; and gives better results on a wider range of substrates. Generally the unit cost for one or two prints will be much the same as the unit cost for ten or fifty. This is very significant for artists and publishers as they can print according to demand and come back for more if they sell out (“print on demand”).
At the other end of the spectrum, photos printed on home-user inkjet printers are often very attractive prints but will not last if exposed to light. Of course they are cheap and easy to reprint!
Q: What is screen printing and does it fade?
The screen printing process works by combining many different layers on ink to create the dimension in the artwork. Screen printed work then is often quite light-resistant as the layer of ink on the final piece is relatively thick. They do however benefit from using UV Glass as it will protect the paper from yellowing overtime from sun damage. A lot of the time, screen prints are limited edition and can end up being relatively valuable, so keeping it properly protected will help maintain the best resale price possible and protecting your investment.
Q: What’s the best way to clean the glass on my frame?
Firstly check the glass type you have. When framed by us, this will be indicated on the back of the frame if it is anything other than Standard Clear Glass.
No matter your glass, do not spray cleaning products directly onto the glass, as the cleaning solution may seep in through the edges and damage the mat, frame or artwork. Instead spray a soft cloth or paper towel with your cleaning solution before applying it.
For dusting of all types, a clean microfibre cloth is the most gentle way to clean the frame. Ensure there is no other gunk will ensure no scratches on the more delicate glass types.
For Standard Clear Glass or UV Glass, domestic glass cleaners are ok. They will permanently damage Museum Glass or UV70 (the non reflective clarity glass options) as well as perspex, both the clear and UV versions. A damp cloth with a spot of methylated sprits works well also.
For Acrylic (“Plexiglass” or “Perspex”) use only Acrylic cleaner or a small amount of mild detergent mixed with water and a soft non-abrasive cloth.
For Museum Glass or UV70, warm water with a clean microfibre cloth, or Isopropanol on a cotton bud for spot cleaning.
If at all unsure, bring the frame to us and we can do it for you, or give us a call with any questions you have.
Q: Can my oil painting that does not have glass be cleaned?
Over time, dirt, dust, stains and a general darkening of the varnish can take a wonderful painting and make it appear dark and gloomy. Other than the occasional delicate dusting, paintings should be cleaned professionally. We would be happy to make a recommendation.
Q: Is there a recommended way to handle the framed work in transit before it is hung?
A: Yes – keeping it clear of hard objects prevents damage to the frame from knocks.
Leave it in the bubble wrap we packed it in until ready to hang.
Transport frames back-to-back or face-to-face in the car so the hanging hardware doesn’t bruise the frame adjacent.
When carrying the work pick it up by the sides with one hand either side (or two people with big work). They can be lifted by the wire but it tends to dig in to your hands!
Don’t lift by the top edge especially on thinner frames as they can bow under the weight and all sorts of problems can result.
Don’t rest it on the corners in order to rotate it (especially with big works).
Try to avoid touching the glazing as finger prints can be pesky to remove.
Q: What’s the best method for hanging my frame on the wall?
There’s no single answer to this. It depends on the wall structure (concrete or gib plaster board for example) and the weight and size of the piece to be hung. We routinely give hooks to our customers – just ask the staff if you require hooks. They are generally stronger than the hardware store items. Save yourself the expense of replacing glass and often frames as well as result of a frame falling from the wall. The artwork commonly suffers damage in a fall too; especially with bits of broken glass skidding around inside the frame.
The use of a pair of hooks is often useful both to spread the weight and also to improve stability rather than having the work hanging form a single pivot point whereby they are prone to moving out of square. Position the hooks roughly 25% of the width of the frame in from the edges. Specialist hanging systems are available for heavy items such as big mirrors. They are more complicated to install however. Professional installers are available for a reasonable fee if you are unsure – ask us for a referral.
We are often asked about the effectiveness of self-adhesive hanging systems. Our advice is to follow the instructions and weight specifications carefully. We only see the results of when they fail in the form of broken glass and frames. This may be due to flakey paint surfaces, dampness and surfaces that have not been prepared according to the manufacturers instructions.
Re-stringing: don’t use kitchen string. Buy the correct braid or wire from the hardware store or better still come and see us. Restringing can generally be done on the spot and free of charge.
Q: Any tips as to how to hang my frame?
A: The simple answer is below. However large and heavy pieces and work hanging in commercial spaces need special consideration for safety and security. Please discuss with the staff or give us a call for advice.
1/ Working with another person allows you both to see how the work looks on the wall before hanging; each taking a turn at holding it in situ. Generally eye level is about the right height but lighting, placement of furniture and so on can influence this. Also if you have lots of things to hang you may end up stacking things on the wall.
2/ Make a small pencil mark on the wall at the top centre of the frame or use a piece of masking tape which doesn’t leave a mark. If the position needs to be very accurate then use a tape measure to get the exact mid-point.
3/ Put the picture face down on a flat, soft surface. Measure the distance from the top of the frame to the hanging wire when taut.
4/ Measure the same distance down from the mark you made on the wall. When you make this measurement, keep the line as vertical as possible. If your picture requires a single hook now you know where it will sit. If more than one hook is desired the proceed as follows.
Measure the distance that your wall hooks should be apart (position the hooks about 25% of the width of the frame in from the edge of the frame). Once you know the distance your fixing implements should be apart divide this by 2. Now measure this distance to the left and then to the right of the mark you just made. Use a spirit level to make sure your fixing implements will be level The tricky bit is that with two wall hooks, the wire will be more taut and the frame will sit higher on the wall. Someone better at mathematics than us can give you a formula for this. Otherwise just make an informed guess.
5/ If you are using nails, hammer these into the correct position, or drill a hole and screw in the screw(s) and associated wall hooks.
6/ Carefully position the artwork on the hooks.
7. You can paint out the pencil marks however they often scrub off with a damp, coarse cloth or paper towel or a clean pencil eraser.
