About Mark Beach Expertise I can answer any questions about custom picture framing or any one of custom picture framing components, i.e. matting, glass, mounting and wood or metal frames. I can answer questions about proper framing techniques to preserve artwork. I can not answer questions about restoring artwork or the value of artwork.
Experience I have over eleven years experience in custom picture framing and nine years experience managing a frame shop. I have worked in every retail area of custom picture framing.
Education/Credentials I've trained under 3 indiviuals that have more than fifty years of combined expierence. I have attended several PPFA (Profestional Picture Framers Association) certified workshops.
Expert: Mark Beach Date: 10/14/2007 Subject: framing a metallic print photo
Question Mark,
I had a photo I took printed on metallic paper in size 16x20. I really liked the look and I had it framed. The framer suggested no mat because of the coloring and I took his advice. We picked a frame out and it looked great. Now several weeks later the print is wavy and looks horrible. Looking straight at the photo it looks okay but if you step to the side and look it is buckled. I took it back to the framer and he said he thought it was caused by humidity ( I live in the Panhandle of Florida but it has been in an airconditoned enviroment with small temp changes)He took the print out of the frame put the print on stick board and put it back in the frame. That did not work well (it helped but it now has some bubbles and bumps.) Could it have become wavy because of not being matted? I have always matted in the past and never had a problem but this is my first time using metallic paper. What is the proper way to frame a metallic print? What do you think is the reason it got wavy? The framer seems to have a good rep in our area but an artist I know told me the print should have been heat mounted. I am not sure what that means or how to go about it. HELP. I plan to have the picture reprinted (I used adorama.com) but want to properly frame it so it stays nice. Thank you for your time.
Answer Hi Sally,
First let me say that matting has very little to do with a print wrinkling in a frame. Your framer is probably correct. Humidity is the biggest culprit to prints becoming wavy. Even in air conditioned environments you can experience minute amounts of moisture from time to time. It could be that type of paper is more sensitive to moisture. Your artist friend is also right. The heat mounting that they are referring to is called drymounting. It permanently mounts the artwork to the backing. Why a framer in this day and age would use sticky board is hard for me to figure out. The proper way to frame a photo with out matting is to first drymount the photo to acid free foamcore. The second thing you want to do is to use something called framespace. Framespace goes between the glass and the photograph to keep the glass directly off the photo. That could also be part of your problem. If the glass was setting on top of the photo and you experienced a little humidity, the only place for the moisture to go is back into the artwork. If you use framespace there is a small airway between the glass and art allowing the trace of moisture to dissipate safely. The last thing I would make sure of is that the framer used conservation glass. On a 16 x 20 the price between regular glass and conservation glass should be very little. If you will insure that these three things are done you should have a great piece of art that will last a lifetime. Sally, I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions or if you need any clarifications of my answer. I wish you the best with your photograph.
PS If I were you I would go back to the framer and let them know you are not happy with their product. If you were my customer I would want to know. I would want a chance to make it right with you and I would do whatever it took to make you happy.
