How to frame large prints

[Jamie123]

I'm having a few digital C-prints done at varying sizes up to 100x80cm and I'm a bit unsure about the framing. If I want to frame a picture of that size with no mat, do I just press it between the back of the frame and the glass? Won't there be any Newton rings? Do I have to mount the frame on a harder surface first?

 

[Bob Michaels]

Always use a mat. Prints do very poorly pressed up against glass over time.

Now a frame with a proper size mat for that print size will be huge. I hope you know what you are going to do with them.

 

[Rob-F]

Always use a mat. Prints do very poorly pressed up against glass over time.

I will second that. If the picture is worth blowing up to 100CM (39.37 inches), it must surely be worth matting. The width of the mat margins could even be minimal; it will still look good!

 

[RichC]

Ditto the other replies. I regularly frame large photographic prints, and the print surface should NEVER touch the glass. If you don't want a window mount (we don't use the word "mat" in this sense in Britain!), the print should be bonded to a mount as a backing. I suggest you don't use the cheapest option - card - as it's surface is too rough, and this makes the print surface uneven: go for PVC or foamboard, though neither is archival.

Do talk to your framer about mount options.

 

[Chris101]

If you are not going to use a mat, then why not dispense with the frame and glass as well.

 

[Ansel]

Up against the glass can be fine actually. In fact you can get very nice results if you actually stick the picture to the glass.

 

[Sparrow]

... I have 15 framed gloss c-type prints in my 'studio' all are in ikea frames without mats ... they've been OK for eight years now, just make sure everything is really dry (I spoiled one by sticking it to the glass with Windolene

... with big frames it needs a really thick mat and the print gluing to the backboard otherwise the sag will still leave the print touching the glass in the centre

I just checked its twelve prints ... three do have mats

 

[RichC]

Up against the glass can be fine actually. In fact you can get very nice results if you actually stick the picture to the glass.

No professional framer would do this! There should always be an air gap between the artwork (photograph, painting, whatever) to prevent damage to the arwork - the print could stick, be damaged by condensation, mould, etc. - not to mention unwanted visual effects.

If you want to avoid an air gap, bond the print to a clear Perspex facing. Not especially cheap, and gives the print a unique look (the way the Perspex spreads the light makes the print almost glow) - which may or may not be a good thing.

C-types are pretty robust - much tougher than inkjet prints - and you can even clean fingerprints etc. by wiping them gently with cotton wool and lighter fluid. So, how about a box or shadow frame without any glass? Again, this may or may not suit a particular print.

Large prints are expensive: frame them properly.

 

[Jamie123]

Thanks everyone for the replies so far. It's important that the large prints are borderless and I want to put them in 'regular' wooden frames with glass, so face-mounting on plexiglass or similar display methods are out of the question. I regularly see large prints framed without border in galleries and museums so I'm wondering how that's usually done.
I'd rather not spend too much money, though. The prints are actually ridiculously cheap (less than $10 for the largest ones) as I have a friend who has access to a digital C-printer at his school, so it's not like I'm losing much money if something goes wrong. Nonetheless I would still like to frame them nicely!

 

[Ansel]

No professional framer would do this! There should always be an air gap between the artwork (photograph, painting, whatever) to prevent damage to the arwork - the print could stick, be damaged by condensation, mould, etc. - not to mention unwanted visual effects..

Nonsense. I saw an exhibition just this weekend with massive prints stuck against the glass. All the pro labs I am aware of offer this as an option.

 

[daveleo]

Look at FineArtAmerica. You can have images printed directly on the back of 1/8" acrylic (no frame or border). I did this recently - have no long term experience on how it holds up over time.
I have had bad experiences with prints against glass (no matte) and I would never do that again.

Here is a relevant thread. Somewhere there is a link to Chris Crawford's discourse on matting ....

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129001

 

[daveleo]

Nonsense. I saw an exhibition just this weekend with massive prints stuck against the glass. All the pro labs I am aware of offer this as an option.

This is okay for an exhibit, but over the long haul, changes in moisture (even due to condensation) can destroy the print if it touches the glass. Short term - probably okay.

 

[RichC]

Thanks everyone for the replies so far. It's important that the large prints are borderless and I want to put them in 'regular' wooden frames with glass [...] I regularly see large prints framed without border in galleries and museums so I'm wondering how that's usually done.
I'd rather not spend too much money, though.

The print must be supported to avoid rippling and sagging - as Sparrow says - so, it needs to be bonded to a rigid mount backing the print. If you want to do it on the cheap, use cardboard, but this won't produce a perfectly flat surface (PVC and foamboard are cheapest backings that will give you a perfectly flat surface - wood-based and aluminium backings (expensive) are the best).

If you wanted to do it really cheap, you could DIY using spray adhesive, but be warned that this may fail and/or discolour the print after a few years. I strongly recommend getting a printer to professionally bond your print to a backing, and consider DIY to be very temporary.

This is okay for an exhibit, but over the long haul, changes in moisture (even due to condensation) can destroy the print if it touches the glass. Short term - probably okay.

Precisely!

 

[Dwig]

... If I want to frame a picture of that size with no mat, do I just press it between the back of the frame and the glass? Won't there be any Newton rings? Do I have to mount the frame on a harder surface first?

As others have said, letting the face of the print touch the glass will have some serious negative effects.

If you want the look of a no-matt frame there are alternatives to a visible matt. The are aluminum frame mouldings made that have dual channels, one for the glass and one for the art. These space the glass about 1/8" above the surface of the art. Alternately, you can place strips of this matt board around the edge of the rear face of the glass that are narrow enough to hide under the lip of the frame.

 

[Ansel]

As others have said, letting the face of the print touch the glass will have some serious negative effects..

Not necessarily.

See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diasec

http://www.aiccm.org.au/sites/default/files/SMITHPaper.pdf

 

[RichC]

Not necessarily.

See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diasec

http://www.aiccm.org.au/sites/default/files/SMITHPaper.pdf

I've mentioned this as an alternative already. Also, it's not "touching" in the sense we're all talking about!

 

[Ansel]

I'm having a few digital C-prints done at varying sizes up to 100x80cm and I'm a bit unsure about the framing. If I want to frame a picture of that size with no mat, do I just press it between the back of the frame and the glass? Won't there be any Newton rings? Do I have to mount the frame on a harder surface first?

If you are framing large with no matt then up against the glass is best, as indicated above.

 

[Jamie123]

The print must be supported to avoid rippling and sagging - as Sparrow says - so, it needs to be bonded to a rigid mount backing the print. If you want to do it on the cheap, use cardboard, but this won't produce a perfectly flat surface (PVC and foamboard are cheapest backings that will give you a perfectly flat surface - wood-based and aluminium backings (expensive) are the best).

Thanks! I've already started looking into different mounting services in my city and it seems like I could get it done at a reasonable price. What's the main advantage of aluminium or wood as opposed to foamboard? Does it make any perceivable difference once it's in the frame? If not, I'd probably go for the foamboard just to keep the weight down.

I definitely want to

 

[Jamie123]

Alternately, you can place strips of this matt board around the edge of the rear face of the glass that are narrow enough to hide under the lip of the frame.

Thanks, that does sound like a good idea. I will also try to get more information at the frame store as I'm sure they know how one usually goes about this.
I definitely do not want to face-mount the pictures on plexiglass as that just isn't the right look for the prints in question.

 

[Jamie123]

Now a frame with a proper size mat for that print size will be huge. I hope you know what you are going to do with them.

Haha, yeah, I know. I printed some images large because it's important that they are close to life-size. Whether they will fit on the walls of my one-bedroom apartment is another question...