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
Expert: Sara Tro Date: 5/29/2008 Subject: relaxing a rolled poster, & archivally mounting it
Question Hi Sara. I Have a nice contemporary poster on quality paper that needs un
-rolling and mounting, Is using an archival dry mount tissue on acid free
foam core a way to go. I have many to do and I want to find a safe
,reasonable method so they will be enjoyed and preserved. I know that
glazing should be kept off the surface ,but the time to put fillets into this
many frames makes it disheartening. Thanks
Answer Hi Greg,
Thanks for the great question!
Unrolling tightly rolled posters for mounting is a "fun" challenge.. I don't envy you having so many to do :)
So, if you know that the medium used in the creation of the poster is not heat sensitive, I would go the route you described, but I would probably use a product called "Artcare Restore", made by Neilsen/Bainbridge. It is a low-heat, reversible mounting process, that they claim is archival, or at least totally inert. The reversibility of the product is why I like it, and the low-heat tack. I think it requires just 150 degrees, which is pretty low. I have used the archival mounting tissue to acid free foam before, and like that method too.. I find the artcare restore to be so much easier, as you just cut the product down and mount away. You can also just use full sheets and trim them later, which is nice.. you don't have the dreaded "tissue slippage" problem that can occur with the tissue type mount. i also think the restore product has an easier reversal process, which makes it more archival. Any product that leaves a residue, or changes even the back of the artwork can de-value it a little, so thats why they don't make very many actually archival mounting products. Yo could also investigate vacuum mounting possibilities.. there might be products that I'm unaware of that are made specifically for vacuum presses that are archival as well, but they probably require a spray of some kind, which always makes me nervous :)
Also, you mentioned putting fillets into the package to lift the glass off the surface.. Bravo for knowing that you need to lift the glass (applause!), but you'd use a product called a "spacer" to do that. They make self-adhesive, inert plastic strips that you can cut easily and will fit into the frame and stick to the glass. they make them in all different thicknesses, even 1/16th of an inch, which is really nice. If you're using metal mouldings, you'll have a little bit more of a challenge on your hands, but once you do one, you can fly through the rest. When people refer to fillets, they usually mean the mat or frame edge enhancers that are finished like frames, which really shouldn't be inside the package with your artwork, especially right up against the edge of the art, (if you use one in a mat there should always be a mat between the fillet and the art, and the fillet should also be sealed with metal frame-sealing tape. It'll still out-gas yuck into the package, but it'll take longer).. The acids in wood frame material will easily leach into the posters, and probably burn them over time. I would stick to the plastic spacers, (they have several products that serve that purpose.. they call them all different things.. just type in "framing spacers" into google and you'll get tons. just make sure they say that the adhesive is inert, some aren't...). Also, start by cutting the two strips that will lay on the top and then the bottom of the frame once it's hung.. Then, the two side strips actually help to hold up the top strip, so after years and years, when the pressure sensitive adhesive starts to lose it's tack, the spacer will stay in place. (just a tip).
Also, are these posters valuable? If they are, floating them so the frame goes right to the very edge of the poster is not the best idea. For one, the spacer, or whatever you use to lift the glass, can leave an impression mark on the edge of the poster, which can devalue it a little if you intend to sell them at some point. And, if you're using wood frames, they should be sealed so the edge of the poster doesn't touch the inside of the wood frame. Acids will quickly creep into the paper of the poster. If they're valuable, I'd actually float them onto a mat that matches the paper base color, and give it like 1/4" extra all around, so that the spacer rests on the mat, not the poster, and then I'd seal the frame with frame sealing tape on the inside. it'll take FOREVER to do a lot of posters like this... BUT, worth it if these will be in your family for generations..
Feel free to write again with any other questions, and best of luck!
Hope this helps..
happy mounting and framing!
Sara
