framing digital prints

[photo_girl1]

i am aware of framing traditional prints, especially fiber prints and that all the following MUST be used:

archival mat board, must dry-mount the prints using heat-press and must not use any spray adhesivies

adhere to the prints. Also the glass used must be either conservation glass or plexi-glass

 

 

how does this apply to framing DIGITAL PRINTS? are all those an absolute must? and what happens to the

print if all those specs are not met?

[Matt Laur]

There's no such thing as a "digital print."

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There are prints made with dyes, pigments... sublimated, sprayed... on synthetic materials or cotton rag... and there are traditional optical prints made with devices that expose that paper with an image that happens to have been stored/projected from a digital source.

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The questions you need to wrestle with are:

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Is the dye/pigment used in the printing process particularly sensitive to UV, and thus likely to fade? That dictates the use of good UV-blocking glass.

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Is the paper used likely to become discolored by proximity to non-pH-neutral materials like cheap mat-board?

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If you don't use good framing materials, you run the risk of pigment/dye fade, paper discoloration, foxing... all of the usual problems that go with putting colorful paper-based items in a little greenhouse and hanging them on the wall.

[ellis_vener_photography]

Are all those an absolute must?

 

Yes. They are still works on paper.

[mendel_leisk]

I dunno: I've got darkroom prints loosely corralled in funky frames from decades back. They look fine to me.

 

Nothing is a "must", it all depends on what matters the most to you. Or claims made to a client.

[roger_smith4]

I don't think dry mounting is necessary for all prints. I've not been happy with thin Frontier prints getting wavy when just held to a matt board by photo corners.

 

For thicker inkjet papers I've so far found that printing an 8x12 print on 11x14 paper and putting in a 11x14 inch matt gives me a nice flat image that doesn't need to be adhered at all to the matt, which is not only easy but should be more archival.

[bwcombs]

Good points all.

 

If you have a love of what you create. (Stay with me here.) And want to convey your "works on paper" in the best possible way, then do your best in mounting, framing and glassing your work. All with a goal of preserving the original color and integrity of the print.

 

I stopped by a photographer's table at an open-air market recently. He had some nice images from the area, but one of them really stood out to me. A wonderful capture of a seaside town, with the light, colors, etc., all perfectly in place. Unfortunately, he had written a title and price on the backside of the print...in a bold black Sharpie. It bled through to the front. And the print was taped to a crude black paper mat.

 

Had he spent a little time and a few Euros to properly mat this print and then either frame it or place in a plastic sleeve, he would have preserved his work, and sold me.

[kory gunnarsen]

Just use photo corners or archival tape instead of adhesive. I would not use adhesive at all

on any prints, then it is no longer archival. If you want, use a cold mount on the digital

prints, the heat-press needs to be a much lower temp or melting may occur. If you have any

questions call these guys, they know it all:

 

City Frame

585.244.2460

[bruce levy]

I've been a conservator for over 25 years. What the hell is conservation glass? It's new to me. There's UV glass, non-glare glass, plexiglas (UV and non) , glass glass. That's all about it as far as I know. Keeping the glass slightly away from the face of the print is usually prudent, and hinging instead of dry mounting is also a worthy of consideration as it's more readily removable for re-treatment in the future.

[bruce levy]

One more suggestion: regardless of what you're told by framers, do not allow the edges of the "package" to be sealed or taped before framing. "Real time" has shown that trapping any acidity or other degradation products in a sealed package accelerates any deterioration. While it's useful to shield framed prints from environmental pollutants, it's also good to allow the print, support and matting to breath.

[patrick_mchugh]

I imagine you are talking about inkjet from an Epson or HP. I would mount the picture

between a PH neutral(7) Matt and backing board. Use hinging tape that is archival rated and

water based. Hinge the picture from the top only. Don't Dry mount. Don't use spray

adhesives, conservation glass or plexi-glass is a waste of time. Use regular picture glass and

put a warning on the back to keep in a 'dry place' and not in 'direct sunlight'.

[bruce levy]

Patrick, that's pretty much how I would go also.

[jeff_z.]

Bruce, How about the "dust seal", often consisting of a brown paper (the correct term for

this paper name escapes me right now) that is so often put on the back? I agree with what

you mention, but am about to do some framing, and wonder if putting this on the back is

necessary, or even advisable?

[bruce levy]

Jeff, you must be talking about paper on the back of wooden or composite frames. I would think the amount of space between the glass and the frame (though you can't see it), as well as relative porosity of lining paper and typical frame irregularities would allow enough circulation. But it's a good question. Assuming one is using good materials I would guess the potential harm would be negligible.

[bruce levy]

They call the typical paper butcher paper. Though it doesn't come in contact with the print "package", it's highly acidic lignin paper. When I line I use an alpha cellulose paper. One can use any paper theoretically as long as it expands and contracts. When I was a framer many moons ago we would dampen the butcher paper and adhere it to the frame. When it was dry it would be drum tight. I suppose one could leave small un-adhered spaces when you glue the paper on. Sort of like vents. But I'm still not sure if it would be over-kill. Maybe Lex has a thought.

[bruce levy]

Or craft paper.

[bruce levy]

Sorry, that's kraft paper.

[Brad_]

For prints I care about, I use:<P>

 

<a href= "http://www.nielsen-bainbridge.com/bainbridge/NB-SysAlphamat.html">Bainbridge Alphamat </a>4 ply mat board,

acid-free backing board, <a href= "http://www.misterart.com/store/view/001/group_id/3241/LINECO-Infinity-Archival-Mylar-

Framers-Corners.htm">Lineco archival mylar corners</a> to secure the print to the backing board, <a href=

"http://www.misterart.com/store/view/001/group_id/7399/Lineco-Self-Adhesive-Linen-Hinging-Tape.htm">Lineco linen hinging

tape </a>to hinge the window mat to the backing board at the top (or side if it's a vertical print), And <a href= "http://www.tru-

vue.com/content.asp?pn=consumer/products/notcreatedequal">Tru Vue Conservation Clear</a> glass for UV protection.