| acid free |
Paper or board that has been treated
to maintain a neutral pH. Acid and lignin and other harmful factors are
removed which could cause staining to artwork over time. |
| archival,
conservation,
gallery, museum, preservation |
All of there terms are more or less
interchangeable. They refer to a method of framing in which all processes
are completely reversible and the visible and chemical deterioration of the
artwork is minimized. This type of framing may include acid-free materials
and UV glazing. Also known as "C/P."
To quote Hippocrates, "Do no harm." |
| alphabet mats |
I invented this type of matting in 1980. Letters
of the alphabet are cut into matboard and pictures are positioned behind the
letters. Great for cats and dogs and kids. |
| AR |
A very special type of glass with a micro-thin coating that disrupts
the energy contained in light waves causing them to flow out of synch.
This technique called "destructive wave interference" virtually eliminates
reflections off the glass surface. |
| art |
I have always been a firm believer
that art is indeed in the eye of the beholder. If you call it art - it's
art! |
| bevel |
The bevel is the slanted edging on the
inner opening of a mat. The bevel can be plain white (exposing a white
matboard core) or it can be gold leafed, painted or colored in many ways.
Mats are traditionally cut with beveled edges to prevent unsightly shadows
from falling onto the artwork. |
| block |
Blocking refers to the straightening
of needlepoint which has been worked without a frame support and is slanted
in appearance. Sometimes crewel stitchery needs blocking, but this is
rare. |
| dry mount |
Dry mounting is a process, considered
irreversible, by which a piece of paper, most frequently a poster, is
bonded to a backing board so that it will stay flat after it is framed. |
| dust cover |
The dustcover is the piece of paper
glued to the back of a wooden frame package. This covering keeps not only
dust but also insects out of your frame. |
| encapsulate |
Encapsulation seals a fragile or
two-sided item inside a "sandwich" with inert Mylar film. It is a completely
reversible process. |
| fillet |
A fillet is a narrow strip of wood,
with a shape and a finish that looks like a miniature frame. This fits
inside a mat or the lip of a frame to add an extra special touch of class. |
| fitting |
Fitting refers to the completion of
the framing package and the final insertion of the glazing, art and backing
into the frame, the application of the dustcover and the installation of
the hardware.
You'll notice the term retrofitting includes
the term fitting. |
| float |
When a piece of paper artwork has
interesting edges or the artwork goes all the way to the edges of the paper,
the piece can be floated on top of a mat instead of positioned under a mat
opening. |
| glazing |
Glazing is the glass
or acrylic that protects your framed artwork from both physical harm (dust,
pollutants) and the effects of light. Glazing is available with many different features, such as UV
filtration or reflection control. |
| hanger |
The hanger is what goes onto your wall
to support the frame. There are many types of hanging devices. |
| hardware |
The hardware is what goes onto the back
of your frame to hang it on the wall. Hardware includes screw eyes,
D-rings, strap-hangers, and wire. |
| hinge |
A hinge is an attachment device made
from Japanese paper and adhered with a neutral paste in Conservation
framing. |
| laminate |
Laminating seals an item in plastic.
Like your driver's license. Framers don't do a lot of laminating
because it is in no way reversible. |
| liner |
A liner is a plain, flat or slightly
beveled wooden frame, usually covered with linen fabric, which goes inside a
more ornate outer frame and acts as a visual "rest area" between an unglazed
painting or photograph (both presumably protected with a varnish or coating
of some sort). Liners can also be painted in a variety of colors and
methods, or covered with velvet. |
| mat |
A mat is a piece of board which has
one or more windows cut into it to display underlying images (ie, your
art!). |
| matte |
Matte is a type of finish, it means
"Not glossy or shiny but flat or dull." This is a term familiar to anyone who has
tried to buy interior housepaint. |
| Matt |
Matt is short for Matthew. Matt
Ward is my
nephew and he is a talented percussionist. This is his website.
www.timetablepercussion.com |
| mount |
Mounting means to fix or position
artwork into a mat or onto backing material. |
| pH |
This is a chemical scale which describes acidity
or alkalinity. |
| profile |
The shape or style of a frame. Frames
come in millions of profiles. |
| rag |
Rag is a short term for 100% cotton
rag, ie, rag matboard. |
| shadow box |
A shadowbox is a deep frame made to
accommodate three dimensional objects. |
| sink mat |
A sink mat is created with a "well"
underneath it to hold the framed item in place without damage. This is
an ideal approach to the framing of an entire magazine - you will see the
page or cover you desire, but the rest will be tucked safely in its sink
mat. Also great for framing LPs. Remember LPs? |
| spandrel |
A spandrel is a style of frame which
is square or rectangular on the outside and round or oval on the inside.
This type of frame is especially perfect for rectangular photos which you do
not wish to trim into an oval shape. |
| stretch |
Paintings on canvas or works of art on
fabric are stretched over a rigid support (usually a wooden stretcher frame)
so that they may stay square and flat for framing and viewing. |
| substrate |
The substrate is the board or material
which goes under your artwork in a frame package. |
| UV |
Ultra violet light. This type of
light is found in both sunlight and artificial lighting. UV
wavelengths cause fading, embrittlement and discoloration in unprotected frame
packages. |
| UV Glazing |
A coated glass or an engineered
acrylic which filters UV wavelengths. Also available in AR. UV glazing is
like sunscreen for your artwork. Just as an application of sunscreen won't
protect you forever, UV glazing can only slow down the damaging effects of
light for your artwork. |
