Mounting tip

[taylan]

i am printing my own B&W photographs for several years. but after printing i have not done any process for keeping or presenting them. from now on i am planning to interest presentation issue. last week i bought i mat cutter and acid free mat board. now i am framing my photographs. but i could not find any proper material for front coverage. i do not want to use glass because it is heavy and hard to work on it. i am searching an alternative material for glass. Do you have any suggestion? By the way i wondered your presentation method. Can you give any hint about mounting?

 

[taylan]

Thank you JSU for your reply. i checked your suggestions and i found same problems.

Meanwhile i am looking for a source about archival framing. is anyone know any website or e-book about this topic?

 

[ederek]

taylan - how is your mat cutter working for you? Would you share the model and what capacity it can cut?

In addition to glass or plexiglass glazing...

Does anyone make their own frames?

Anyone mounting "frameless" (seems more common lately?) Have seen this with canvas material stretched over a frame, and also a foam-mount method with no frame and the image right to the edge? Any protective coating?

Do you use standard external mat sizes and frames, with different cut-outs?

Overmat or reveal matting?

Traditional mount with press and adhesive onto backing (I think this is dry mounting?) or hinge mount (conservation mount).

What do you use for a backing board?

Do you cut your own mats or purchase ready-made?

btw, I've already search the site for threads related to this, and there is some info but would appreciate the input of experts here on the forum. 🙂

 

[taylan]

Hi ederek
i am using Olfa mat cutter and u can find information below:
http://www.olfa.co.jp/en/body/detail/74.html

Actually i don't like it. it is very hard to use. it can easily slip on mat and it causes bad cuttings. but it is cheap 🙂. if you can patient and you have hand skill it can be useful. I am using asid free mat board and asid free type. Actually the man selling mat board and type said they was asid free, i do not know whether it is true or not. For backing board i am using mat, but if i can found asid free cardboard or something else cheaper than mat board, i am planning to use it.

Beside mat cutting i can't do any framing or mounting for now. Also i don't have enough information about these issues. i am in learning step and i am trying to arrange my investment for this issue.

By the way, i am planning to buy Logan 301-S mat cutter.

i will be appreciate if anyone can share his experience, too.

 

[timor]

Hey Taylan.
It is really nice to know, that someone, somewhere is still framing own pictures. I do the same. In my opinion it is the most expensive part of the hobby as presentation has to be good. So, I am using regular frames, sometimes only to spray them or white or black from a can (looks good enough) with dull or glossy finish and cover pictures with glass. Here it becomes expensive, the glass is of an anti glare type. There is also acrylic anti glare glazing and it is as good as glass, just how we said, it could be easily scratched and has to be cleaned with care.
Then question: on which paper do you do the printing ?

 

[tlitody]

Plexiglass or acrylic, but be careful as it scratches easily. The best method to see the image is glass, that's why camera filters are only glass. Years ago I used acrylic frames and they were fine until they needed cleaning, at which time they were scratched.

Archival framing and mounting is grossly over hyped. Conservation mount board is more than good enough. Museum is no better. 50 years ago everyone had fireplaces burning coal and wood giving off pollutants that damaged artwork. Today household heating is clean. With some common sense such as not putting artwork on or above heat sources, not keeping them in humid conditions and keeping them away from direct sunlight, artwork will last a very long time. Some exceptions would be in cities with pollution or contries/places with high humidity. But good care of any artwork comes down to regular checking and replacement of mountboard and overmat combined with correct sealing (not airtight) of artwork.

you can look at the following. They used to allow download of detailed requiremenets but I'm not sure if they still do. See links at bottom of page.

http://www.fineart.co.uk/Public/Standards/Framing/Framing_Info_Advice.aspx

 

[timor]

They used to allow download of detailed requiremenets but I'm not sure if they still do.

Looks like one has to be a registered with them. I think, they expect one to be in a framing business.