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Framing

Framing Prints and Art on Paper

A constant environment is best for all your art on paper, antique maps and prints – no extremes or sudden changes in temperature, no dampness or excessive humidity and no direct sunlight or bright fluorescent light. MapsAndArt suggests you use a frame that you like and appeals to you.

Now let's have fun choosing a beautiful frame for your antique print.

You have two choices: Regular framing and Archival framing which is more expensive, but better.

Archival Framing

Have your framer mat your antique print with 100% cotton rag mat board. The mat leaves a space between the print and the glass, so that the condensation will not build up and damage the print. Your print should be either attached to the mat board using hinges made of Japanese paper, with natural wheat or rice paste used as an adhesive, or archival photo corners can also be used.

We recommend the use of conservation quality glass, manufactured to filter out 97 to 99% of ultraviolet rays.

A paper dustcover stretched across the back of the frame will help stop dust and insects from damaging your print.

Regular Framing

Materials are not acid-free or archival and may damge the print, map or artwork in the long run. Depending on temperature, humidity, light or the frame used your print may start showing some deterioration within the first 5 years, but if kept out of the sun, fluorescent light, humid environment and very cold or hot temperatures then you can expect it to be stable and show little change over the next 20 years.

You can use the mat we have matted your print with to frame your print yourself or you can have it rematted and framed by your local or internet frame shop.

Suggested Framers

Use the information above to interview your local framer with your framing jobs or click www.pictureframes.com below to order your frames on the web.

Here are our special tips for framing with Pictureframes.com

1. Measure your print, map or artwork and then go to the link below

2. Select a frame. We like their Outletshop under their Custom Frames section. They have good deals there.

3. Use the dimensions of your print, map or artwork to order a custom matboard cut for you. Select the color, the style and the measurements that fit your frame. We suggest you choose the rag mats as they are acid-free and will preserve your art. It cost just a few extra dollars but makes a big difference in the long term. You will find the rag mats under their selection for colors at the very bottom of the list.

4. Choose the glass you want for your art. We suggest their Premium Archival: UV Protective Acrylic & Acid–Free Foamcore Backing. It costs more but it will protect the colors and paper form the effects of fading and acid.

Framing Vocabulary

Acid-free foam board: A board often used to back artwork being framed. It consists of foam polystyrene core which has paper whose acid has been removed on either side of the core to have a pH level of 7.

Acid-free: A material whose pH has been balanced to 7 and is suitable for most framing. The term is sometimes employed incorrectly to refer to buffered surfaces that are not acid-free in the long term. Archival is safer. See Archival.

Archival: A material used in framing that is acid-free in the long term and that offers greater protection for your artwork.

Archival Framing: Method of picture framing that uses materials which are free of harmful acids. It is the safer way to frame your favorite works of art and is recommended by www.mapsandart.com

Backing: This is last protective element to protect the back of the art in the frame. It is usually a sheet of craft paper which keeps dust and insects from entering the frame.

Bevel: When cutting a mat board the inner edge which allows a for a window to present your art is cut at an angle to give a nicer appearance than a right angle. The majority of mats have windows cut at a bevel's edge.

Bottom Mat: This is the last mat board. It is the one on which rest your artwork. We suggest using archival materials for anything that touches the art.

Brass Plaque: Metal tag on which a title can be engraved to and then applied to the bottom of the frame for decoration and information. We have a suggested supplier of these on our supplies page.

Chipboard: Inexpensive board made of recycled paper which is generally unsuitable for antique works of art.

Conservation Framing: A higher quality of framing that insures that your art is never in contact with any materials that could adversely affect your art over time. This is often similar to archival framing.

CPF: Stands for Certified Picture Framer, who are those who have been certified by the Professional Picture Framer's Association.

Fabric Mat: A mat board which has fabric affixed to it.

Fillet (aka Slip): Very thin molding used to embellish the main molding of the frame or of the mat.

Fitting (aka Package): The complete assembly of framing elements from the glazing, mat boards, art, back board all into a frame that is backed with a dust cover and hangers.

Floating: A special method of framing where all the edges of the artwork are visible. Great for antique documents and artwork which is painted all the way to the edge.

Floater: A special molding which offers the appearance of the artwork floating in the frame. Very nice.

Frame: A structure which protects the art and allows it to be displayed.

Glazing or Glass: A see through sheet of either glass or acrylic that protects the art from the elements and can be seen through. MAPSandART.com suggests UV protect glass to avoid the colors of the artwork from fading over time from UV light exposure.

Hinge: Tape or small strip of paper used to attach artwork to the mounting board.

Japan Paper: Chemically untreated natural fiber paper often used for hinging.

Mat (Matting): Board surrounding the artwork which serves to distance the print, map, photograph or work of art on paper from the glazing for protection and decoration. It is an important choice for the customer who decides which color, texture and thickness they desire for esthetic reasons.

Mat Cutter: Is the tool used in cutting out an opening in the mat board to create a window from which the art can be viewed and protected.

Miter: Action of cutting the frame's molding into angled sticks that can be pieced together to form a rigid rectangle, the frame.

Molding: Metal, plastic or wood sticks in a multitude of textures, colors and shapes that are cut to make a picture frame.

Non Glare Glass: Speciality glass which significantly reduces the amount of reflection one typically sees on regular glass. However it does give the image beneath it a relatively dull appearance.

Picture Frame: What we usually think of as a frame in which artwork is in.

Picture Hanger: Hardware used to attach the picture frame from the molding to the wall.

Picture Wire: Metal wire either solid or braided strand which is stretched on the back of the frame from the molding in order to hang a frame.

PPFA: Professional Picture Framers Association, important framing trade association.

Rag Board: Naturally acid-free mat board which is very well suited for conservation framing.

Refit: Action of taking artwork out of an old frame and reframing it.

Sawtooth Hanger: Specialty hanger that has a bar with indentations on it to allow to level your pricture frame on the wall.

Screw Eye: Specialty screw that has a loop on the end fitted to the molding of the frame in which the hanging wire can be attached.

Shadow Box: A deep frame in which 3D objects can be framed.

UV Protective Glass: Specialty glazing which filters out most of the UV light protecting your artwork from fading.

Window Mat: Cut out from the mat board that allows the artwork to be seen and also protects from the glass.