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I work in an art gallery, where daily people bring in art that has some value, but the value has been negated due to how it was framed. Just because you buy it in an art gallery (or hobby lobby, joannes or michaels) does not mean it’s been framed to Keep It’s Value
Is the art behind UV glass? If not the art has faded, once it has faded, you can’t bring it back and the value is diminished.
How is the art mounted? Any permanent glue (such as dry mounting) means the art has lost it’s value. This of course, also applies to lamination. Any conservation technique must be reversable. Art can be mounted or hinged but the materials must be acid-free and the backing must be acid-free
Does the art have a mat? If so, it must be acid free, or there must be spacers under the artwork to keep the glass from touching it.
If you want to save money on framing art, the best place is in the frame, that is the highest cost for the entire package, down the road you can always upgrade a frame, or even stack another ontop to make a grander presentation, but it won’t mean anything if the work has acid-burn and fading.
When buying art, ask how it was framed before buying, and have the opportunity to return it if you take it into a shop and discover it’s not conservation or archival material.
When purchasing framing, ask how it will be mounted, for example, many hobby shops and big box stores will pin a piece of clothing to a mat - this will leave holes in the fabric, if you are framing a jersey or texile, it must be sewn with monofilament. Don’t assume when something is framed it’s ‘for good’ because I see items every day that need to be reframed due to damage in shipping or accidents.
There’s no point in saving a few dollars if it’s not preserving the art, which I assume is why you want to frame something in the first place!
Is the art behind UV glass? If not the art has faded, once it has faded, you can’t bring it back and the value is diminished.
How is the art mounted? Any permanent glue (such as dry mounting) means the art has lost it’s value. This of course, also applies to lamination. Any conservation technique must be reversable. Art can be mounted or hinged but the materials must be acid-free and the backing must be acid-free
Does the art have a mat? If so, it must be acid free, or there must be spacers under the artwork to keep the glass from touching it.
If you want to save money on framing art, the best place is in the frame, that is the highest cost for the entire package, down the road you can always upgrade a frame, or even stack another ontop to make a grander presentation, but it won’t mean anything if the work has acid-burn and fading.
When buying art, ask how it was framed before buying, and have the opportunity to return it if you take it into a shop and discover it’s not conservation or archival material.
When purchasing framing, ask how it will be mounted, for example, many hobby shops and big box stores will pin a piece of clothing to a mat - this will leave holes in the fabric, if you are framing a jersey or texile, it must be sewn with monofilament. Don’t assume when something is framed it’s ‘for good’ because I see items every day that need to be reframed due to damage in shipping or accidents.
There’s no point in saving a few dollars if it’s not preserving the art, which I assume is why you want to frame something in the first place!
