Easy Guide to Protecting Your Art with Archival Framing
Artwork is a precious possession for both artists and collectors. Its beauty and worth multiply with time. However, an artwork can degrade, fade, and die if we don’t care for it the way it needs.
So, how will you keep your artwork in a spotless condition?
The answer lies in using the best archival framing techniques. And Framous Picture Framing is here to guide you about effective archival methods. We will provide you with important tips to keep your artwork in mint condition for ages.
At Framous Picture Framing, we have been offering custom framing services since 1985. Our award-winning team will assist you in preserving and displaying the art pieces. So, your little treasures don’t get lost in a store room.
Let’s move toward the basics of archival framing.
What is Archival Art Framing?
Archival framing is a conservation method designed to protect and preserve the artworks. High-quality, acid-free framing materials are used in it that don’t allow any damage of time.
Manufacturing and methods of archival framing are not like any regular art frame. All the components from matting to glass frame are chosen for long-term protection.
How Archival Framing Helps in Preserving Your Art?
Archival framing is the only way to keep prestigious art and antique prints to live through long period of time. This specialised frame acts as a barrier against dust, moisture, light, and pollutants. It also provides structural support to prevent warping, bending or tearing.
It is specifically important for preservation of:
- Investment Pieces: Reselling of valuable works
- Sentimental Art: Family photos, heirlooms, and memories
- Fragile Art: Water colours or prints on paper
One-time investment in custom framing saves the monetary value of your art piece. It helps in retaining the original aesthetics and making the art eternal for generations to come.
Before moving towards archival techniques in detail. You must know the common risk factors that needs to be targeted while framing.
5 Common Factors that Damage Your Artworks
Simple environmental factors that seem harmless but have the potential to cause huge damage to your delicate piece of art. Here is the list of such elements and damages caused by them.
1. Light – Colour Fading
Even with a slight knowledge of art or framing, you must have heard about the hazards of UV light.
All the types of light, natural or artificial, contain ultraviolet rays in them. Glass framing help in reflection of these rays but can’t block them completely. Some of the rays still get to the art. They react with the ink or painting material and fade the color of it.
Advanced printing inks are made with UV resistance but they don’t guarantee the complete protection.
2. Darkness – Discolouration
You must have thought about packing your art pieces in dark rooms in order to protect them. But unfortunately, light is not the only problem.
There are several chemicals present in atmosphere even in darkness which have the potential to same reaction. They will fade out the pieces covered in packaging or forgotten in storage rooms.
3. Humidity – Warping
Humidity is the major cause of damage specially in case of photographs, fine art prints and albums.
It causes the dampness of package and softening of layers or pages. So, they will easily adhere to covering material or any surface in contact. This damage can’t be reversed by any mean.
Humidity also promotes the growth of mold in old art pieces and risk the health of workers dealing with them. Blurring of digital artworks is another harm of humidity.
4. Acidic Materials – Yellowing & Tearing
Low-quality packaging and framing products contains acidic chemicals which degrade the quality of artworks.
Mats and mounting boards are commonly made with non-purified paper products. They contain lignin, a wood chemical, which causes the covered pieces to fade.
The same acidic components can turn the art paper brown and brittle. Such paper easily crumbles and tears into pieces even with a light touch.
5. Self-Destruction
The chemicals used to create the image in photographs can damage their own print. This process of self-destruction is called “autocatalysis”. Development liquids of photographs or prints react with environmental chemicals and lead to several harmful reactions.
All these damages highlight the severe need of proper preservation method. Archival framing use number of effective techniques to protect your beloved piece of art.
Methods & Techniques Used in Archival Framing
Archival framing is done according to the standards of Professional Picture Framers Association (PPFA).
PPFA outlines the six essential steps involved in archival procedure for artworks. These steps are given as:
1. Matting
Matting of a page or any art material protects it from the external factors. It creates a shield to minimize any reaction caused by air, moisture, and light.
But make sure to use advance methods as regular matting can seep acids into your artwork, causing it to discolour and damage.
2. Backing
It involves applying a neutral-pH backing board or paper to the artwork. Backing allows additional protection and support from acidic elements of atmosphere.
For proper protection, acid-free mat board and foam core should be used.
3. Glazing:
Glazing involves the use of UV-protective glass or acrylic shield. It blocks harmful ultraviolet rays that cause fading of artwork. This step is essential for protection of sensitive prints and manuscripts.
4. Mounting:
Mounting involves the adherence procedure of your artwork to a backing board or paper. It also protects the piece from humidity related damage and warping.
5. Hinging:
Hinging provides an additional sheath necessary for the display of artwork. It attaches the artwork to backing board with archival hinging linen or paper tape. This tape does not leave any residue and avoids any damage caused during installation, removal or cleaning.
6. Sealing:
It is the last step of archival framing. In the sealing process, artwork is enclosed in an inert sealant as outermost covering. It gives protection from dust and moisture.
Spacers should be used to create a gap and avoid direct contact of art piece with sealant.
Proper archival framing with these Standards is the best way to preserve your artwork in its original condition. Just make sure to do every step with great care and keep expert guidelines in mind.
5 Expert Framing Tips for Protection of Your Art
Archival framing techniques require great care and attention at each step. Here are some tips to consider while framing your artwork.
- Choose the Right Glass: Always use a specific UV-protective glass to shield your artwork from harms of the light.
- Handle Artwork with Care: Wear proper gloves while handling your artwork to avoid direct contact and transfer of bodily heat or moisture.
- Use Acid-Free Materials: All materials used from backing board to hinging tape should be acid free to protect the art from chemical reactions.
- Consider Environmental Factors: Hang your framed pieces away from direct light and keep them inside glass doors for additional protection.
- Consult a Professional: Don’t hesitate to seek advice from an expert in field like Framous Picture Framing in case of any confusion or questions.
Conclusion
Protecting your artwork with archival framing is one of the best investments you can make to avoid various long-term losses. It involves the specific framing materials, methods and techniques to keep your artwork in its original condition. It saves your piece from environmental and chemical damage. If you want to preserve a valuable piece of art or a family photograph, archival framing will do it for you.
After going through the processes like matting, glazing, mounting, hinging and sealing. Your artwork will remain vibrant and undamaged for years to come.
Need Help with Custom Archival Framing?
Contact Framous Picture Framing to Preserve Your Valued Art Pieces
At Framous Picture Framing, we provide you a trusted picture framing shop for all your designing and artistic needs. The extensive selection of archival framing products and materials is available here to suit and protect every piece of art.
Our experienced Perth picture framers will guide you in choosing suitable methods, decorative frames and relevant aesthetics. We also provide custom framing for your photographs, limited-edition prints, collection of tickets, favourite memories or treasured autographs.
Get in touch to get an artistic advice.
Visit our website to get details of services and areas of expertise.
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