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Matting and Framing |
David Berger PhotographyMatting and Framing I have thought about whether or not I should sell my prints already framed, and I have concluded that it doesn't make much sense for me to do this. Frame design is very much a matter of personal taste, and the choices of frame and mat styles and materials are bewilderingly varied. Perhaps to avoid this difficulty, some photographers offer a few basic frame options, and expect their customers to be satisfied with that severely limited selection. I suspect that many of these frames are replaced very soon after receipt. Another alternative would be for me to list links to the sites of suppliers of framing materials, provide voluminous instructions, and give you a tedious and complicated order form to fill out. I'm sure that a few people would love this, but I'm equally sure that most would find it very frustrating and tiresome. Also, without being able to see and touch the actual framing materials, I'm afraid many would find that what they actually end up with is not at all what they had expected. Because I do not wish to create a system fraught with such opportunity for disappointment, I will provide only the prints, and recommend that you work with a good quality professional framer near you, or an interior designer who will in turn work with the framer, to be sure that you get exactly what you want. I can, however, provide some general information and guidelines that should help you, in working with these experts, to achieve a very satisfactory result. Keep in mind that many of the following design points are only guidelines. To achieve a particular aesthetic effect, most of these "rules" may be stretched, bent or broken altogether. Matting Matting is used for prints on art paper and some other media, but not for canvas. Matting is not strictly required, but it is used almost universally nonetheless. The mechanical purpose of the mat is to prevent the surface of the print from touching the glass, and to hold the print flat within the frame. Its aesthetic purpose is to emphasize the image by separating it visually from the frame, and often by echoing key colors in the image. A very basic and important criterion in selecting the matting material for displaying fine art, is that it should last as long as the art itself, and not cause any damage to the print. Paper made from wood pulp contains acid residue and lignin, both of which will cause the paper to turn brown with age. You may have seen old newspapers and inexpensive paperback books that have darkened over time. The paper that I use for my prints consists of 100% cotton fiber, which is naturally acid-free. However, if this paper is framed along with mat board that is not acid-free, both will darken after a while. To prevent this, the best choice is acid-free matting materials, also made from 100% cotton fiber. Most mat board is made from wood pulp, however, so be sure you know exactly what you are getting. Several grades are available, which may be identified variously as bleached, buffered, acid-free, lignin-free, or numerous combinations of all the above. If you want your framed print to last for more years than you may care to imagine, you should select the best archival quality materials. For this type of mat board, that means 100% "Alpha Cellulose," which is wood pulp from which all acids, lignin, and other impurities have been removed. Matting is made of heavy paper stock, with several layers or "plies" bonded together; the thicker the mat board, the more plies it will have, up to a total of eight. Mat board is available in a wide variety of colors, textures, and finishes, although most have a matte finish, and colors tend toward pastels. Every color image tends to have a dominant color as well as one or two secondary colors that will influence the selection of the mat color. More about this later. Almost all mat boards have color on just the surface, while the inside is natural white. When the mat board is cut to form the "window," a bright white line is revealed. This may: 1) create a pleasing artistic effect; 2) go unnoticed by all but a very few irritating purists; or 3) stand out as a maddening distraction. In the latter case, a mat board that is colored all the way through should be used, although it will be a bit more expensive and, perhaps, require a special order. The mat is a frame within a frame. As mentioned above, the mat board is cut to produce a window through which the art is seen. The dimensions of the window should be just slightly smaller than the dimensions of the image although this "rule" may be broken if the presentation is enhanced by revealing some of the border around the image. The cut is made at 45°, which minimizes shadows and makes a pleasing transition between the image and the surface of the mat. To enhance the feeling of physical depth, and to add visual appeal, multiple mats can be used. A double mat is fairly common, and a triple mat can be used to good effect on occasion, but more than three surely is overkill. The width of the matting between the window and the frame will depend upon the size of the image and the width of the frame "profile" (see below for what that means). I prefer a mat to be a bit wider than the frame, with the top and sides of equal width and the bottom a bit wider than these. Some people like a mat that is extremely wide, so that the image more or less floats in space. This works well for smaller prints, and it can be quite dramatic for larger prints, but keep in mind that framing prices go up very rapidly with size, so it is better to approach an oversize mat with caution, if price will not be "no object" at some point. When using a double or triple mat, the amount of "reveal" of the lower mats becomes a design choice. With multiple mats, the bottom one should be cut just slightly smaller than the size of the image (as above). The one above it should be trimmed so that, in general, at least 1/4" (~ 6 mm) of the bottom mat can be seen on all four sides. If a third mat is used, the reveal of the second mat should be, again, at least 1/4". If for no other reason, this minimum reveal should be observed because it is difficult to trim to very exact sizes, even with the computer controlled cutters used by most framers these days, and then it is difficult to align the mats exactly within the frame. If the reveal is too small, these errors can become distractingly obvious. Color selection for mats is always important, but it is even more so when multiple mats are used. Often I will use an off-white ("Antique White" or "Ivory" for example) for the top mat, as a large neutral border between the frame and the image. For the other mat or mats, I tend to try to match certain colors in the image. For the bottom one, I will try to find and match a color in the image that, while not predominant, is nonetheless an important part of the composition. If I have three mats, the middle one generally will pick up a more predominant color. Again, these are my preferences, and may be used as a guideline, but someone else might have an altogether different idea that will produce a marvelous result. With mats for black & white prints, simplest is best. In most cases, I use a plain white top mat and a black bottom mat. For the latter, in a few instances, I have tried board that is black all the way through, but I have decided that I do not like this very much. Instead, I find that the white core of the bottom mat creates a nice crisp inner border around the image. In addition to the one or more mat boards that go in front of the print, another one (also acid-free, lignin-free, etc.) must go behind it. The print is attached to this "back mat" by one of several methods, but permanent attachment should be strictly avoided. (If the framer mentions "dry mount," pretend that you didn't hear.) Two popular methods for attaching the print to the back mat are to use either "T-hinges" or "framing corners." The former are made of a fine, strong paper called kozo, derived from mulberry bark. The hinges are glued to both the print and the backer board, but the adhesive is water soluble and thus is easily removed if necessary. Framing corners are thin, flat, triangular plastic pockets that are permanently attached to the backer board, but no adhesive is applied to the print, which is a distinct advantage. The corners of the print are slipped into the framing corners, ensuring that it (the print) remains where it belongs within the frame, especially in relationship to the matting. I leave plenty of blank margin around the image specifically for this purpose. When the frame is assembled, the print will be held gently but firmly between the matting and the backer board. If for any reason you decide to re-do the framing, the print can be removed very easily from the framing corners. The use of either of these methods, or any of several others, prevents the print from sliding about within the frame. The other functions of the backer board are: 1) to keep the print as flat as possible; and 2) to protect the back of the print from mechanical damage. To shield the back even further, a second mat board may be used. Many framers will recommend a foam-core board (often called "gator board"), but this should be avoided because the plastic foam will out-gas and deteriorate with age. The entire back of the frame should be covered with a single piece of "kraft" paper, attached with double-sided tape. This will keep dust, dirt, inquisitive fingers, spiders, and most insects out of the frame. The ultimate would be to apply a moisture barrier under the kraft paper...but I digress. Finally, to prevent the front and back mats from shifting relative to one another (e.g. during the framing process itself, shipping, earthquakes, etc.) these should be taped together, but only along the top edge, using an acid-free framing tape. Again, if you work with a good framer, who knows all of these things already, you will get a very satisfactory result that will look good for years (decades!). Best, however, to be well informed before you buy. Framing The variety of frame styles undoubtedly is even more diverse than that of matting materials. The most common material is wood, and naturally many different types of wood are available. Finishes can be natural or painted; just as often they can be stained, lacquered or gilded; or a combination of several of these. The basic cross-sectional shape of the frame, called the "profile," can be simple or complex, wide or narrow, deep or shallow, straight or curved, plain or fancy. Just one supplier of frame materials has 90 different styles, each with up to several dozens of variations of size, color, etc., for well over 1000 products (one supplier!). Aluminum extrusions may be the second most popular framing material. Here again you will find a wide selection of shapes and colors, although perhaps not as many as for wood. After all, there are only a very few aluminum alloys that are suitable for extrusion, and probably only one of these is used for this type of application. The basic finishes for aluminum are anodizing (dyed aluminum oxide), and painting, mainly with enamel. The colors that are available with anodizing are pretty much limited to clear (the natural color of the metal), black, gold, red, and green. Enamel colors tend to be limited as well, a bit like colors for automobiles. You will find white, black, shiny gold and a mirror-like silver (both maybe acrylic over anodize?), as well as several shades of each of the primary and secondary colors, but not nearly the seemingly infinite shadings available with wood. Shapes for aluminum framing tend to be much simpler, probably due to the nature of the extrusion process, and the relatively high cost of making and maintaining extrusion dies compared with grinding cutters to shape wood. I have used aluminum frames, but I do not prefer them. Once again, this is a very personal choice, and I do not recommend against metal frames. I will say that of all the pictures displayed at my house, only three have metal frames, and none of them are my work. With wood frames at least, the width of the profile should be roughly proportional to the size of the print. Widths range from maybe 1/2" (1.2 - 1.3 cm) to at least 4" (10 cm). Use the smallest size if you want a very understated frame or if the art is quite small. The smallest print I offer is 8 x 16" (~ 20 x 41 cm), still fairly good size. Probably the narrowest frame I would use for that is 3/4" (2 cm), matting width somewhere between 1 and 1.5" (2.5 - 4 cm). My largest print is 40 x 40" (~ 1 m²), and for that I certainly would go up to a 3 or 4" (7.5 - 10 cm) wide profile, with commensurately wide matting. Aluminum frames tend to be much narrower, generally adding more of an accent to the display at most, but confined principally to the mechanical function of holding the print, glass, matting, and backer board together. Some people prefer to do away with the frame altogether, and simply mount the print to a rigid backing, often standing it off from the wall by an inch or two so that it "floats" in space. This can be very dramatic, but it affords no protection to the art from the elements, the worst of these being heat, humidity, ultraviolet light, ozone, cigarette smoke, insects, and curious human fingers! This brings us to the glass, the last but not the least of the essential frame components. As with just about everything else, glass for framing comes in a range of quality, with a corresponding range of price. The most basic function of the glass is to protect the art. Even the least expensive "window" glass will do this, but the unfortunate consequence of using the cheap stuff is that you will seldom see the image. This is because it reflects about as much light as it transmits (OK, I exaggerate, it reflects only about 1/10 as much as it transmits, but that is a LOT of reflection), so mostly you will see either the glare of lights bouncing off of the surface, or you will see your own face looking back at you, as in a dark mirror. The simplest and least expensive way to reduce reflection is to etch the glass very slightly on one side. The etching produces microscopic pits in the surface of the glass, which scatter the reflected light in many different directions. Because much of the reflected light goes somewhere other than directly into your eyes, glare is reduced considerably, although it is not eliminated completely. Typically, this type of glass is called "non-glare" or something similar. Since the etched glass is not perfectly smooth, it will appear slightly "frosted" and the image underneath will appear very slightly fuzzy or "softened." This can be a good thing, but it would be wise to see how it looks under different lighting conditions, to make sure that the effect is not distracting or displeasing before committing to this option. The trickiest and most expensive, but by far the most effective way to reduce glare is to apply two or three super-thin coatings of various metal oxides, which allows a gradual transition between the refractive index of the air and the glass. This same technique is used in high quality photographic lenses and eyeglasses. If done correctly, reflection and glare can be reduced so much that they are essentially undetectable. This type of glass is called "anti-reflective." Unlike the "non-glare" type, it will not detract from the appearance of the image. Aside from serving as a physical barrier against many bad things, the glass can protect the image from Ultraviolet radiation IF it incorporates a material that absorbs the "UV." UV radiation will damage most organic materials over time. Protection against it is very important if, for example, the print will be exposed to direct sunlight during parts of the day. The ink and paper that I use will last for decades under "normal room lighting" without UV protection. If UV protection is used, however, the lifetime can be doubled, reportedly to more than 100 years. (This could be very important if I become world famous, and these prints become "priceless heirlooms.") Some manufacturers apply this material to the surface of the glass, while others sandwich it between two pieces of glass. Applying it to the outer surface exposes it to damage; bonding it between two pieces of glass protects it, but this approach adds two more surfaces that will reflect light (yes, light will bounce off of every surface it hits). The very best solution for both glare and UV is what is called "Museum Glass"® (this is a registered trade-mark, but people do use it generically, sort of like "Kleenex"®). As you might imagine, it combines the anti-reflective materials with the UV-absorbing material. The result is a protective barrier that is darned near invisible, as long as it is clean. Of course, the choices don't stop there. The final option is...plastic. The main advantages of plastic, specifically acrylic, are relatively low cost and low weight. And it doesn't break as easily or as dramatically as glass, so it is all-around better for shipping, and it can be a good choice for large prints or those that will be displayed in a public place where safety is a concern. And it is available in anti-UV and "non-glare" varieties. The biggest drawback is that it is almost never quite flat, which I find very distracting. Framing For Canvas The decorative outer frame used for artwork on canvas is essentially the same as that for any other medium. Historically, glass has not been used in frames for canvas, and typically this is still the case. For traditional oil paintings, glass probably is not needed, although it is certain that this type of art would age better with that kind of protection. For inkjet prints on canvas, do consider using glass, especially if there is any chance that the surface could get wet or dirty or...sticky (those awful fingers!). However, if glass will simply ruin the effect that you desire, you may want to try a UV-blocking spray coating, which I have mentioned in "About the Prints." As of this writing, I have not tried this product, but many recommend it. In any event, I would be less hesitant to use it on canvas than on art paper. The biggest difference between framing for canvas and for paper is that the canvas must be literally stretched, but only slightly, over a plain wooden inner frame, made with "stretcher bars." The tension applied during stretching should be sufficient to keep the canvas taut and flat, but not so great that the image is distorted. Taut like a military bed-sheet, but not so taut as a drum-head, if that imagery helps at all. I provide plenty of plain border around the image, so that the framer will have enough material to grip with pliers, and enough to staple as well. For any type of frame, the back surface of the inner edge of the decorative profile is cut to form what is called a "rabbet" (No, not like the cute, furry, but vicious animal with long ears and a fluffy tail; instead, this is an English corruption of the Old French word rabat..."a beating down," according to my copy of "Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary," 1960. It goes on to state: "A groove cut out of the edge...of any body; esp., such a groove intended to receive another member, as a panel."). In this case, "another member" is the canvas stapled to the inner frame. This assembly fits into and rests up against the surfaces formed by the rabbet, which goes all around the inside edges of the frame. One result of this is that up to about 1/4" (~ 6 mm) of the edges of the front surface of the canvas will be hidden by the outer frame. Both the inner and the outer frame should be sized so that the least possible amount of the image is covered, without revealing any of the white border. In addition to the regular decorative frame profile, several types of accent pieces can be used. The most common is the "liner," which serves much the same aesthetic purpose as a window mat, as described above for art paper. Typically, the liner is made of wood, cut to a relatively simple shallow profile, often beveled on the front surface of the inner edge, and covered with linen cloth. The liner is rabbeted like any other profile. Another frame, sized to fit into the decorative outer frame, is constructed using the liner material. The stretched canvas assembly then fits into the rabbet of the liner frame, while the liner frame fits into the rabbet of the decorative frame. For an even classier touch, a "lip" can go between the liner and the canvas. This lip is yet another frame, with a rabbet (actually, two of them - the other is on the outer front edge), made from a relatively narrow profile, generally with a very simple shape, but often silvered or gilded. The lip is not recessed; its outer rabbet allows it to sit level with or above the front surface of the liner. Some liners come with lips, but in most cases they come without, which is good, because that way there is more opportunity to "mix and match." Of course, it means more work for the framer, which means more cost. It also means a much more exacting job, since the frame will then have 12 mitered corners, all of which must match perfectly to look good. Therefore, only the most skilled framers should be sought out for something of this complexity. I could go on, but this is quite extensive already, and I would prefer that you spend more time looking at the images than reading this stuff. Of course, if you have made it this far, I thank you for your kind attention, and I hope that these words have helped you. If you want to read even more, you might do a web search using the phrase "archival matting and framing" or "conservation matting and framing." This will get you information applicable mostly to framing for paper. I have found very little of any real use specifically about framing for canvas, however. |