AboutSara Tro Expertise I am a professional custom picture framer and designer. I have experience in all areas of
picture framing, and own my own custom framing shop. I can answer questions relating
to the design of a piece, the preservation of the artwork, color theory, photograph
restoration, decor, art placement, room balancing and installation questions.
Experience I have owned my own retail custom frame shop for 5 years, and managed a high-end shop before that for 5.5 years. I worked for a professional restorer and archivist for 8 months prior to the management position. I am also a fine artist myself, with a BFA in Photography and Printmaking, and have been framing my own work for years and years.
Education/Credentials BFA Fine Arts, NYSCC at Alfred University, NY
Question Hi, I want to frame something, and want the frame to be just glass (no board back). Let's say I want to frame leaves... I want to have the glass & frame, then the leaf in the centre as if it's just suspended, and you would see the wall through the glass when mounted. (Not sure if I explained it well enough??) If you do understand what I mean, how do I do it? I want to do it myself. If I just remove the back, the glass would fall out. Any ideas?
Thanks!
Answer hi Melissa!
thanks for the question !
thats a good one!
So, I do understand exactly what you mean, and you explained it very well! Thus is a pretty advanced type of framing style, so bravo to you for challenging yourself!
In order to do this type of framing, you'll need access to some framers tools... Can you go to a "do it yourself" framing place so you have access to their tools?
Basically, since the piece doesn't need to be reversible, (ie; able to display either side), you have it a little easier. What you'd probably want to do is make a "plexi-sandwhich"- two pieces of plexi glass cut to fit in the frame, then you sandwhich your art in between the two sheets of plexi. You'll need a very small mat, like 3/8" all around. This hides the framers points that hold the glass in. If you really don't want to see any mat in there, you can choose a wide frame enhancer, (called a fillet), that fits inside the lip of the frame and will hide the mat by extending the frame lip. You'll probably need at least a do It Yourself frame shop to help you with that, so you may want to just get that little bit of help. If you're framing a more 3d object this way, you'll need to attach the piece to the back piece of glass, and forget the sandwhich idea. If its plexi, you can use an epoxy that bonds to plastic and be fine. If the object is very heavy, I may consider resting it on a clesr plexi pedestal inside the plexi/frame "box".
So, of you don't want to go with the method I discribed above, you can make shims of wood that either match the inside of your frame or your wall color, (sometimes I paint the inside of the frame with the wall color before fitting in the object). Cut two sets of shims, maybe 1/4" tall by 1/8" or so. Set 1 group in place right up against the lip of the frame. Fit your glass sandwhich in, then glue and set the other set of shims in place on the other side, holding the glass in tightly. Once the glue is dry, you can unclamp the shims and add a hanger or two to the top rail.
You may want to use a small drop of archival glue, or tape, or an epoxy (if the piece us replaceable or not valuable), to hold the object in place, with any method.
I hope these options make sense.. Its always harder to write these procesess down than to do them :)
write again if you need more info, (or a better explaination), and I'll be happy to help further.
best of luck!
sara
