FRAMING

Framing is the most important deciding factor affecting the presentation of a work of art and its exhibition value. The frame intentionally alludes to the work of art and thus they complement each other and shape the final visual impression of a given photograph. Carefully thought through combinations of appropriate materials make the work of art have its own life. Collector’s photographs taken in order to be auctioned or exhibited, i.e. those which are supposed to not only have artistic quality but also collector’s quality, have to be of certain standards. The wood used for making frames has between 8% and 12% moisture content and comes from deciduous trees such as: beech, ash, alder, maple and oak, fruit and exotic trees. It is always of the best quality, without knots, sapstain or any other defects.

Wood which I use for framing is usually seasoned in natural conditions for several years. Before milling the boards mature for a few weeks to avoid warping. Having been given the desired shape the product is then further seasoned for a few weeks. The boards then come to me and the laborious process of shaping the frames begins, I shape each frame individually which takes a few months. Each frame is hand-made which makes it unique. I mainly use oils to preserve the wood. The photograph does not come into direct contact with either the frame or the glass.

The mount is made out of museum board which meets the ISO 90706 standard requirements, it comes into direct contact with the print and enhances its durability. The standard defines the requirements which must be met by any paper product so that it can come into direct contact with the print. The mount is a kind of packaging which protects the print.

The standard sets out the following requirements:

– it has to be acid free, pH 7 means the material used is not acidic. The chemicals used in the production of paper as well as the contamination of the natural environment and the climate cause the paper to become acidic which leads to the breakdown of the bonds within cellulose which in turn causes yellowing and disintegration.
– in order for a given material to be less acidic magnesium carbonate or calcium carbonate is added, i.e. alkaline buffer solution, according to the standard, the buffer content should be 3-5%, it is the so-called resistance to aging.
– during the paper production it is important to choose the right materials. According to the standard, Alpha cellulose should be used, its fibres are long and durable. There is no lignin in the materials used in paper production. As a result of using high quality raw materials, no optical whiteners are used which prevent patches from forming.
-recycled materials are not used in paper production.

To attach the print to the mount only acid free tape is used which is age resistant, approx. 8.5g/m2 with alkaline buffer. The glue is neutral and doesn?t become yellow. If the mount or the back cover comes into direct contact with the print, the cardboard will acquire the acidity. In order to keep the good quality of the print only high quality museum board should be used. The print could also be framed using UV resistant glass. The glass protects the print against humidity, temperature, dirt, scratches and most importantly UV rays.

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