Keeping Your Valuables Safe For A Lifetime
There are special memories attached to paintings and photographs. Some of them are so special that looking at them brings a smile to your face instantly. Such pictures and paintings deserve a special place in your home. Getting them framed is a great way to display as well as protect them from external factors. Frames not just protect your valuable photos and paintings but also enhance their visual value. And if you own an original painting by a famous artist, it deserves a highly protective frame that keeps it safe from all types of wear and tear.
Often, framed photographs and paintings get damaged by external factors like dust, sunlight and even air pollution. Changes in humidity levels and temperature can also cause major damage to pictures, such as mould growth, twisting and splitting.
Conservation Framing Techniques for Exclusive Paintings and Photos
Conservation framing refers to high-end picture framing techniques that protect exclusive artworks on paper. Some professional picture framers also call it museum framing or preservation framing as it is done to preserve pictures from damage that can happen over time.
Conservation picture framing has four essential qualities:
- Reversibility
- pH neutrality
- Separating glazing from the art
- And ultra-violet protection.
These qualities ensure that the artwork stays safe from any kind of damage from atmospheric conditions and most importantly, the integrity of the work is maintained even if it is separated from the framing. So if, years after framing a picture, you want it to be reframed, it should maintain its original state. The work of a picture framer should never permanently alter the artwork in any way. Let’s discuss these qualities in detail:
Reversibility
Almost everyone among us has faced this issue. We get our favourite painting framed and after several years, when the frame wears or breaks, we decide to get it reframed. But as it is removed from the frame, a part of the color or print stays back at the glass. This can be really heart-breaking. When a picture is framed, the paper should be easily reversed. Framing a picture using heat, glue or pressure makes the reversal risky. It can damage the picture while taking it out. Pressure-sensitive tape can be easily installed but it is very challenging to get off. It can leave a residue on the paper, remove color from the art and even take off paper fibers when one attempts to take it off.
On the other hand, conservation framing techniques use materials that can be easily reversed. These leave no residue when removed. Such techniques need expertise and time to employ, but the results are worth, protecting the artwork permanently.
pH Neutrality
pH-neutral materials are the ones that won’t harm the artwork. Regular paper and cardboard contain acids that can destroy photographs and art over the years. As a result, it can turn yellow and fragile. Conservation framing techniques use special acid-free materials that keep artwork safe and looking fresh for a lifetime. Have you ever noticed how old newspapers turn yellow and crumble? This happens due to acid damage. pH-neutral framing materials are acid-free, so you don’t have to worry about this happening to your precious artwork or photographs.
Separating the Glazing from the Art
Basic framing involves a wooden border, a base and a glass in the front. Under preservation framing, separating the glazing or glass from the art is a crucial step. No protective glazing should directly touch the artwork. Glazing resting directly on the art can cause serious damage to the artwork by sticking to it and making it impossible to remove. Over time, direct pressure makes the inks or paints transfer to the glazing. Preservation framing uses an aperture mat or a window mat that separates the glazing from the artwork. To separate the glazing, the glazing is set on spacers which fit under the lip of the frame. These spacers don’t harm the artwork and make the frame even more aesthetically pleasing.
Ultra-Violet Protection
UV rays falling directly on an artwork can result into fading of color and paper cracking. Basic picture framing techniques don’t include using UV-protective glass. As a result, the ink and the paper get affected by atmospheric pollution, heat, humidity, chemical damage and mnay other external factors. Generally, framers use a protective glazing during framing. However, even with protective glazing, paper is subject to fading if it is protected from UV radiations. The effect of light UV radiation and direct light on art can be very gradual and sneaky. It may not be immediately evident. It only becomes evident when an irreversible damage has been done. Conservation picture framing includes using a UV protective glass when designing a picture frame. Thus, even after constant exposure to light, your artwork or photo will retain its colors.
Who Needs Conservation Picture Framing?
Conservation picture framing is an expensive service as compared to basic framing services. Generally, paintings and pictures displayed in museums and galleries need high-level protection and thus, opt for such protective framing. If you have a valuable painting or want to preserve your achievements or memories for generations, it is essential to get them framed using high-end preservation techniques. In the following cases, conservation-grade framing becomes essential:
1. For Art Collectors and Fine Art Owners
If you own an original piece of artwork, limited edition prints or valuable fine art photography, conservation framing is recommended. Investing in a preservation frame will keep your investment in the artwork safe and even appreciate its value over time. With standard framing, materials can cause irreversible damage to the artwork. It may look fine now, but it will be evident in some time or when it is separated from the frame for reframing. With its condition intact, you can sell it even after years or pass it down to a museum or art gallery. It will be a legacy for your coming generations.
2. For Family Heirlooms
There are certain photographs, certificates, documents and paintings with priceless, sentimental value attached to them. These documents need to be passed to generations. For your vintage family photographs with deceased relatives, handwritten letters, documents from ancestors, military medals and service certificates, antique textiles, needlework or any such heirloom passed on to you, you can opt for conservation picture framing. Such items have no replacement; thus, these are special and deserve special treatment.
3. Professional Artists and Photographers
Artists and photographers who sell their work can opt for conservation framing to maintain the condition and value of their work. Selling pieces in basic frames can harm their reputation while high-quality preservative framing demonstrates their professionalism and commitment to quality.
4. Certificate and Diploma Holders
Professional certifications like degrees, licenses and achievement awards represent years of hard work and accomplishments. These documents need to be kept safely to last an entire career or lifetime. By getting them framed, you can display them in your home or office. Conservation framing will ensure your documents are safe from environmental factors than can cause yellowing, fading and deterioration.
In general, it can be said that if a document, picture or painting is irreplaceable, valuable and historically significant, investing in conservation framing is worth.
