Mounts and backing should be important elements in
the framing process. Visually, mountboards can look wonderful
when carefully underplayed beside the work on display, whilst also giving
emphasis from fabulous to subtle when required. Mounts
are also vital to protect and preserve artwork at the same time
as showing it off.
Mounts
come in a wide range of quality, colours and
thicknesses. The super-thick 4.1 mm gives a superbly architectural and
modern feel with a deep, sharp wide bevel. Alternatively, mounts can be
wash-lined to order, hand painted in watercolour with specific colours mixed
for individual artworks. Fabric mounts add texture, and often depth for box
framing.Conservation framing
requires that a mount meets a minimum standard, backs the artwork as well as faces it, and that any
tapes used in the process also meet a minimum standard
and are applied correctly. The chances
are high that many items framed over ten years
ago, or that are bought ready framed will have acidic mounting materials,
which will burn into any artwork leaving visible damage. Any standard
quality board will do this within approximately two years.
Mountboard with molecular traps, to prevent the deterioration caused by
airborne pollutants is an option for protecting artwork more
comprehensively, and is the type of board we use by
default.
There are
several kinds of acceptable mountboard; depending on requirements:
1. Standard (base level white or light brown core) board
2. Alpha-cellulose board
(often incorrectly referred to as 'Acid Free Board')
3. Virgin Alpha-cellulose board with MicroChamber®
technology (our default minimum)
4. 100% Cotton Rag boards
Grade 1
is
the cheapest board, and is perhaps unsurprisingly, the board of
choice for an embarrasing percentage of 'framers' in the UK today.
This board is not acceptable for lasting, conservation standard
work, and therefore, we do not use, or stock it.
Grade 2 is acceptable for conservation
framing, but only offers passive protection.
We don't use
or stock this either.
Grade 3 is our preferred choice, because it offers pro-active protection for any artwork.
We stock this board, and use it by default.
To
find out more, check the Artcare link opposite.
Grade 4 100% Cotton Rag board is the
traditionally accepted Museum standard. The
Cotton Rag board we use and stock has the added advantage of patented
Artcare MicroChamber® technology.
Differing border sizes, colour combinations and textures create
infinitely variable,
unique expressions of individual taste, and
multiple mountboards can be combined to excellent effect.
Experimenting with colour and design shows how
the look of an image can be changed; we can
'spruce up' an old picture with a fresh clean mount or colour option to suit
new decor, or we can go for a timeless, classic mount.
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the sign of a
quality
framer
More information
Fine Art Trade Guild
Commended Framer
Work Standards
glazing options
Mount Solutions
Alphamat Artcare Mount Board
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