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Making Memories Last Forever

Conservation Framing
As consumers, we bring our valuables in to be framed for a number of reasons. Sometimes we frame an item to create an attractive decoration for our home. On the other hand, sometimes we frame the very things that we value most – whether that be commercial or sentimental value – in order to protect them from damage. When the subject you are framing is something you treasure, you need to be sure you are getting Conservation Framing. Put simply, conservation framing employs the use of materials that have been designed to protect and maintain the art in as close to its original condition as possible. It includes:

Conservation quality matboard. Ordinary pulp-based matboard contains acids and lignin which, over a period of time, damage the artwork they come in contact with. Conservation quality matboard is free if all acids, lignins, and other impurities found in ordinary “pulp” board. The result is an inert or pH neutral board which will cause no damage to the artwork it encases as time goes by.

Conservation Series Glass. Ultra-violet light is one of the most dangerous elements that your artwork can encounter. It will not only cause you colors to fade to a mere shadow of their former glory, but it will cause the materials themselves to begin to break down right in the frame. Conservation quality picture framing glass is specially formulated to protect framed works of art from the damaging effects of ultra-violet light. Regular glass filters out less than 40% of these damaging rays, UV Conservation glass filters over 97%!

Proper Conservation techniques for mounting the artwork. The framer must utilize proper techniques and materials to attach your artwork in the frame (often called “hinging”), as well as the proper techniques for backing the art and sealing the frame.

Light and your artwork
Without light there would be no art, as light is what allows us to see and appreciate to color. It is one of the great ironies that the very thing that lets us enjoy the color also works to destroy it. Have you ever seen a faded gum wrapper or newspaper bleached or darkened to a mere fragment of its original color? Perhaps the paper had become brittle as well – ready to break apart at the touch of a finger. The damage you saw was caused by the sun…specifically, the sun’s damaging UV, or ultra-violet, rays. These are the same UV rays your doctor warns you about. They cause breakdown whenever they come in contact with organic materials, burning noses, bleaching gum wrappers, and ruining your daughter’s first finger-painting. The damaging effects of UV light on artwork are cumulative and irreversible. Unfortunately, the sun is not the only source of harmful UV light. All light sources, whether natural or artificial, have some of their components in the ultraviolet range.

All this talk about UV damage would seem to spell certain doom for your artwork, but thankfully, there is a fairly recent development in glass technology, known as Conservation Series Glass, which effectively blocks out 97% of all harmful UV rays. The cost is marginal, and the benefits are great. This glass is available in both clear and reflection control.

Imagine It Framed
544 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, Connecticut
860-651-3770
www.ImagineItFramed.com