Art behind glass: Show off your framed art! 11 11

[PixelPusher]

On 1/28/2023 at 12:00 PM, Dr. Balls said:

I've come across artboards that are 1/4" over 11x17 and I trim them to 11x17. Some people take issue with that, and that's okay. To me, I'm not altering the image area and these aren't Picassos, so taking off 1/8" paper on either side isn't going to make any difference at all when it comes to the historical provenance of the artwork.

I have a Steve Mannion piece that is odd-sized, and I considered trimming it slightly to fit until I turned it over. He had some loose sketches and thoughts written down that really added to the uniqueness of it - and in that case, trimming would have cut off some of his writing, and I didn't want to do that, so I went up to a 12x18" frame.

And yes, I use photo corners to mount smaller pages to an 11x17 page in the frame, or I leave a gap at the top or bottom. Mainstays also makes a 12x18" frame of the same design, so if you have larger boards and don't/can't trim them, you can always step up a size, too.

The Mainstays have white and black paper in the package, which could be used as a 'spacer' of sorts if you have a smaller image. I would recommend getting some acid free paper and throwing out the paper in the Mainstays packaging, just to avoid any long-term yellowing from the board touching cheaply manufacturer packaging materials that may have higher acid/ph concentrations in them.

And also with that, the Mainstays frames are super cheap and have inexpensive glass. My office does not get any daylight, and the lights are on for maybe an hour every day (and they are all LED bulbs that emit very little UV) - I don't worry too much about light exposure to the art. I maintain the humidity level in my basement (with de-humidifiers) to 40-50% relative humidity (as recommended by LOC) since that is where my paper collectibles are all stored.

My biggest goal was to have nearly all of my art as "wall art", and buying custom framing for 40 pieces of art was not going to happen - so these mainstays were a perfect solution.

Thanks again for the thoughtful responses. My frames arrive today and I can't wait to try them out. The 12x18 size might be perfect for my slightly larger than 11x17 boards. Everything you said about the backing paper makes sense. I did invest in a quality Rototrim paper cutter so I can trim some acid free paper to size. 

[Dr. Balls]

On 1/29/2023 at 11:35 AM, PixelPusher said:

Thanks again for the thoughtful responses. My frames arrive today and I can't wait to try them out. The 12x18 size might be perfect for my slightly larger than 11x17 boards. Everything you said about the backing paper makes sense. I did invest in a quality Rototrim paper cutter so I can trim some acid free paper to size. 

Nice! Looking forward to pictures of "The Wall"!

[GawkHawk]

I've had the color Cerebus since the late 80s, I think.  The page from issue 156 was bought from Dave Sim at an appearance in Atlanta in 1992.

 

[Phill the Governor]

On 1/28/2023 at 3:00 PM, Dr. Balls said:

I've come across artboards that are 1/4" over 11x17 and I trim them to 11x17. Some people take issue with that, and that's okay. To me, I'm not altering the image area and these aren't Picassos, so taking off 1/8" paper on either side isn't going to make any difference at all when it comes to the historical provenance of the artwork.

I have a Steve Mannion piece that is odd-sized, and I considered trimming it slightly to fit until I turned it over. He had some loose sketches and thoughts written down that really added to the uniqueness of it - and in that case, trimming would have cut off some of his writing, and I didn't want to do that, so I went up to a 12x18" frame.

And yes, I use photo corners to mount smaller pages to an 11x17 page in the frame, or I leave a gap at the top or bottom. Mainstays also makes a 12x18" frame of the same design, so if you have larger boards and don't/can't trim them, you can always step up a size, too.

The Mainstays have white and black paper in the package, which could be used as a 'spacer' of sorts if you have a smaller image. I would recommend getting some acid free paper and throwing out the paper in the Mainstays packaging, just to avoid any long-term yellowing from the board touching cheaply manufacturer packaging materials that may have higher acid/ph concentrations in them.

And also with that, the Mainstays frames are super cheap and have inexpensive glass. My office does not get any daylight, and the lights are on for maybe an hour every day (and they are all LED bulbs that emit very little UV) - I don't worry too much about light exposure to the art. I maintain the humidity level in my basement (with de-humidifiers) to 40-50% relative humidity (as recommended by LOC) since that is where my paper collectibles are all stored.

My biggest goal was to have nearly all of my art as "wall art", and buying custom framing for 40 pieces of art was not going to happen - so these mainstays were a perfect solution.

Forgive me if you explained it, but re-reading your responses about the Mainstays frames I didn't seem to see a specification about the art touching the glass or not. I have a few of these types of frames I use for inexpensive prints, but (at least in my own use) they don't provide space to put a mat, so the paper objects inside touch the glass. Is that how your pieces are?

[Dr. Balls]

On 1/31/2023 at 5:45 PM, Phill the Governor said:

Forgive me if you explained it, but re-reading your responses about the Mainstays frames I didn't seem to see a specification about the art touching the glass or not. I have a few of these types of frames I use for inexpensive prints, but (at least in my own use) they don't provide space to put a mat, so the paper objects inside touch the glass. Is that how your pieces are?

Yes, the art is touching the glass, and I don't believe these Mainstays would have enough room to include a matboard in there. I know there is a school of thought that the art should not touch the glass, and perhaps it's because I live in a low-humidity area, but in all my years of dealing with artwork in these frames I have never seen any problems with transferring or damaging the image.

But, you're question made me wonder a bit about that - I have several pieces in my office that have been in those frames and pressed against the glass for 10+ years, so I decided to pull down my cover recreation from Artboy99 and take a look - here's the video:

 

In the video, I misspoke - I said there was "not much" damage or discoloration, when I should have said there was "no" damage or discoloration. And, unfortunately, it's only 240p - not sure why, I don't use the Youtubes so it is what it is.

 

Edited February 1, 2023 by Dr. Balls

[Dr. Balls]

On 1/28/2023 at 5:44 PM, rube11 said:

Its been years since I updated my office walls and took some pics..soo for your viewing enjoyment, my walls.

 

 

 

Giving that artwork 3" of black mat around it looks really good.

[Phill the Governor]

On 1/31/2023 at 9:42 PM, Dr. Balls said:

Yes, the art is touching the glass, and I don't believe these Mainstays would have enough room to include a matboard in there. I know there is a school of thought that the art should not touch the glass, and perhaps it's because I live in a low-humidity area, but in all my years of dealing with artwork in these frames I have never seen any problems with transferring or damaging the image.

But, you're question made me wonder a bit about that - I have several pieces in my office that have been in those frames and pressed against the glass for 10+ years, so I decided to pull down my cover recreation from Artboy99 and take a look - here's the video:

 

In the video, I misspoke - I said there was "not much" damage or discoloration, when I should have said there was "no" damage or discoloration. And, unfortunately, it's only 240p - not sure why, I don't use the Youtubes so it is what it is.

 

Gotcha.

I also think that many (including myself) go by their own anecdotal evidence in situations like this, and because of that the "looks fine after 10 years" scenario is all we need to feel comfortable that no damage or problems are occurring.

On 1/29/2023 at 1:35 PM, PixelPusher said:

Thanks again for the thoughtful responses. My frames arrive today and I can't wait to try them out. The 12x18 size might be perfect for my slightly larger than 11x17 boards. Everything you said about the backing paper makes sense. I did invest in a quality Rototrim paper cutter so I can trim some acid free paper to size. 

While there is definitely situations where art can be framed touching the glass with no issue, I'd personally advise against any original art being framed this way; ever. Aside from the fact the glass on the Mainstay's doesn't seem to be UV glazed (which is in itself an issue), everyone lives in a variety of climate conditions and what is okay for one person probably won't be fine for another. Not to mention changes outside our control that can and will happen in an undetermined amount of time.

The consensus in the art community is that there should be an air space between the art and glass for several reasons: it reduces the chance for condensation and fungal growth, scraping or scuffing, and in some cases having it stick to the glass . There's also a much higher chance of the paper warping. All it takes is one or two incidents over time to cause an effect that likely wouldn't even be noticed until the damage already occurred - and we have 0 control over these types of incidents happening. Having a print or piece of art actually touching the glass is really only okay with inexpensive and replaceable poster art- but in there lies the spectrum of standards everyone has. To some a $100 piece is worth enough to justify extra framing costs, but to other's it's cheap enough to say "this way is okay". I personally think of a higher quality frame as added "insurance" in case the conditions for display change.

https://www.amazon.com/Artcare-Bainbridge-Archival-Collection-WD19A41/dp/B002E54BUY/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

The above link is the type of frame I've been using for the last (almost!) 15 years. The Nielsen Bainbridge line has the best, most affordable options for OA in my experience. They are cheap enough to do by yourself and be able to switch out pieces if you so choose, but expensive enough to be in a frame that, with outside forces, won't be susceptible to damage occurring easily. You can still find them in stock on other websites, but I don't want to give my main source away since I still buy new ones from time to time. You can usually get them for anywhere between 40-70 dollars for the 16x20 frames that will fit most pieces and you can buy mats and have them cut to size for a fairly modest price. Not only does it protect the art with the acid-free mat and UV acrylic/glass, the mat gives each piece an established, elevated aesthetic; it's more protected and it looks better.

I think that it ultimately comes down to cost for many, which is understandable. In a hobby where pieces are generally worth $100-$200 minimum, I personally don't feel comfortable being cheap when it comes to frames. I'd rather drop $$ on one nice frame that conforms to high-quality standards than 3 cheaper frames that can and will eventually lead to problems occurring, even if everything seems fine with a piece after 10 years.

Just my .

 

 

[Dr. Balls]

On 2/1/2023 at 11:38 AM, Phill the Governor said:

Gotcha.

I also think that many (including myself) go by their own anecdotal evidence in situations like this, and because of that the "looks fine after 10 years" scenario is all we need to feel comfortable that no damage or problems are occurring.

While there is definitely situations where art can be framed touching the glass with no issue, I'd personally advise against any original art being framed this way; ever. Aside from the fact the glass on the Mainstay's doesn't seem to be UV glazed (which is in itself an issue), everyone lives in a variety of climate conditions and what is okay for one person probably won't be fine for another. Not to mention changes outside our control that can and will happen in an undetermined amount of time.

The consensus in the art community is that there should be an air space between the art and glass for several reasons: it reduces the chance for condensation and fungal growth, scraping or scuffing, and in some cases having it stick to the glass . There's also a much higher chance of the paper warping. All it takes is one or two incidents over time to cause an effect that likely wouldn't even be noticed until the damage already occurred - and we have 0 control over these types of incidents happening. Having a print or piece of art actually touching the glass is really only okay with inexpensive and replaceable poster art- but in there lies the spectrum of standards everyone has. To some a $100 piece is worth enough to justify extra framing costs, but to other's it's cheap enough to say "this way is okay". I personally think of a higher quality frame as added "insurance" in case the conditions for display change.

https://www.amazon.com/Artcare-Bainbridge-Archival-Collection-WD19A41/dp/B002E54BUY/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

The above link is the type of frame I've been using for the last (almost!) 15 years. The Nielsen Bainbridge line has the best, most affordable options for OA in my experience. They are cheap enough to do by yourself and be able to switch out pieces if you so choose, but expensive enough to be in a frame that, with outside forces, won't be susceptible to damage occurring easily. You can still find them in stock on other websites, but I don't want to give my main source away since I still buy new ones from time to time. You can usually get them for anywhere between 40-70 dollars for the 16x20 frames that will fit most pieces and you can buy mats and have them cut to size for a fairly modest price. Not only does it protect the art with the acid-free mat and UV acrylic/glass, the mat gives each piece an established, elevated aesthetic; it's more protected and it looks better.

I think that it ultimately comes down to cost for many, which is understandable. In a hobby where pieces are generally worth $100-$200 minimum, I personally don't feel comfortable being cheap when it comes to frames. I'd rather drop $$ on one nice frame that conforms to high-quality standards than 3 cheaper frames that can and will eventually lead to problems occurring, even if everything seems fine with a piece after 10 years.

Just my .

 

 

That's great info - and with a 16x20" frame - if someone were to get that size and you wanted to use matboards place your artwork under (giving it the airspace that Phill was talking about above), and you're a little crafty, you can also get an inexpensive mat cutter. Cutting matboard with the right tool is very easy, and once you get the hang of it, will look just as nice as if a framer had done it for you (the corner overcuts can be tricky, as you'll find out). A 32"x40" parent sheet of matboard will yield you 4 16x20 mats, and generally a frame shop will sell you full sheets.

[Dirtcheap31]

Just got this beauty framed up. Mike Harris Pizza Hut Special Edition X-Men Cover.

[Phill the Governor]

On 2/1/2023 at 2:26 PM, Dirtcheap31 said:

Just got this beauty framed up. Mike Harris Pizza Hut Special Edition X-Men Cover.

That's one big, beautiful, and nostalgic cover!

[MrBedrock]

[darrion11]

On 2/1/2023 at 12:10 AM, GawkHawk said:

I've had the color Cerebus since the late 80s, I think.  The page from issue 156 was bought from Dave Sim at an appearance in Atlanta in 1992.

 

Ohh, It seems look like simple but attractive and so cute

 

 

[Dr. Balls]

On 2/2/2023 at 11:12 AM, MrBedrock said:

That frame is wonderfully appropriate.

[jayhawker]

Bought this cover back in 1995.

[Hawkgirl]

I’m looking for advice. I have a one-bedroom apartment which is east-facing so gets morning light. It’s a small apartment, so there isn’t really anywhere that I can hang my pieces that will avoid direct sunlight, which makes me worried about displaying my collection. I have some inked pages and some pencils-only. They haven’t been framed yet. Should I go ahead and get them framed to hang them up? Or should I keep them in a portfolio for now? 

[Rick2you2]

On 2/11/2023 at 11:40 PM, Hawkgirl said:

I’m looking for advice. I have a one-bedroom apartment which is east-facing so gets morning light. It’s a small apartment, so there isn’t really anywhere that I can hang my pieces that will avoid direct sunlight, which makes me worried about displaying my collection. I have some inked pages and some pencils-only. They haven’t been framed yet. Should I go ahead and get them framed to hang them up? Or should I keep them in a portfolio for now? 

Pencils shouldn’t fade; inks will fade. I wrote “shouldn’t” because it depends on the pencils’ lightfast rating. To my knowledge, artists involved with OA production use high lightfast rated pencils, so they should not be a problem.

[Andahaion]

On 2/11/2023 at 11:40 PM, Hawkgirl said:

I’m looking for advice. I have a one-bedroom apartment which is east-facing so gets morning light. It’s a small apartment, so there isn’t really anywhere that I can hang my pieces that will avoid direct sunlight, which makes me worried about displaying my collection. I have some inked pages and some pencils-only. They haven’t been framed yet. Should I go ahead and get them framed to hang them up? Or should I keep them in a portfolio for now? 

You likely thought of this, but you could make copies of the art to frame and then not have to worry about it.  I do not believe I would place any art (pencil, ink, or otherwise) in direct sunlight.  But I'm sure there are differing opinions out here in internet land.

[skrilla1212]

I don’t have any rooms in my house I’d want to hang comic art, just my designated comic closet which has a row of book cases on one side. Everything had previously been in portfolios, but @GreatEscape’s post on this thread made me look into the matboard and bag option. I went with a mat size that came with show bags using his method. I can rotate pieces onto the ledges, so I can see different art when I go peruse books.

It’s no museum, but I really like how they turned out, especially the double page spreads which I couldn’t see without taking out of the Itoyas before.

 

 

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by skrilla1212
Duplicate photo

[Stefanomjr]

On 3/10/2021 at 8:56 AM, Matches_Malone said:

I've been toying and testing out different frames for my not so pricey pieces.  Im really digging the float frames. 

Remember seeing this piece and being so envious. Great Dani piece and the floating frame really works best. Great art and great framing choices

[DJones]

Finally got this framed... Now where to hang it?