How do you all frame your art?

[pkveronese]

Hey guys,

I was just wondering about your technique(s), etc. How are you all going about affixing the art? I do a lot of my stuff myself, and I want to see if I am anywhere on track before I embarass myself with my technique/damage a nice piece of art.

[*paull*]

This is my suggestion, even though other people don't think this is a problem.

 

DON'T LEAVE YOUR ORIGINAL ARTWORK AT A FRAMER'S SHOP.

 

In fact, I'd frame my own. No one touches the art.

[Thomas]

As mentioned before, I've used Costco/Price Club with great success.

[Sharkey]

I must be fortunate, there is a high-end frame shop about a mile from where I live in the north burbs of Chicago. The guy there frames a lot of big ticket items, and in fact has another customer who "collects those same comic type pages like you do" although I don't know who it is.

 

The bottom line is, if you can do it yourself, that's great, just make sure you use archival (100% acid free) materials and UV blocking glass and mounting techniques that won't damage the paper.

 

If you take it to a frame shop, make sure they know how to mount art like this without damaging it, ie, places that routinely frame high end pieces of fine art. If you take it to a cut-rate place that mostly does frame jobs on $25 posters and frequently puts 50% off coupons in the local savers circular, you are probably putting your art at risk.

[*paull*]

If I did go to a framing shop, I'd give them the measurements of the art, or give them something the exact same size as the art so that they can cut the mat, but I'll mount it myself.

[Sharkey]

That's cool, and it sure must save you some $$$. Framing large art is expensive!

 

I'm not confident enough in my own abilities to frame it straight. I'd end up with neck cramps from looking at my sideways art!

[TLC55555]

I purchased I piece of art from Ebay that was described as "Matted". The frame wasn't included in the auction. When I received the artwork, I found that the previous owner had wet mounted (basically glued) it to a rigid backing board. Basically, the OA version of binding a series of comic books into a hard cover book. Ouch! Make sure it's dry mounted, not wet. I was surprised to hear that the previous owner wet mounted most of his art pages. His logic was that he never was going to sell them, so wet mounting was okay. Of course, he sold me one, so go figure.

[Jagull]

in the hobby store, you'll find some Assemble-it-yourself frames. Head to a framing store and get some mat's cut to size. Then head to a glass shop to pick up the glass; Home Depot & Lowes also sells and cuts glass but dont know if they're UV blocking or not.

 

What's it mean by dry mounting? just affixing the art to the mount board using tape or something?

[Robert Plunkett-migration]

I've never spent over $19.99 plus tax on the frame on any of my art. If I can't get a ready-made frame at Target, Michaels or some such, I have a local glass shop cut a suitable piece, back it with various things, (lately I've been using foam board). I put acid free paper behind the picture and usually bind the whole thing together with binder clips. If it's a painting or something else that might stick to the glass I use other techniques, which I don't have time to explain right now, to keep it from pressing against the glass.

[micmack]

Graphik Dimensions

 

I use these guys for nice frames at very affordable prices.

[chrisco37]

If you do take it to a framer, make sure you tell them you want "museum mounting". This will let them know to use archivally safe material.

 

Yep, it will cost you more, but you will preserve your pages better that way.

[comicartfan]

I went to Corners, which is a frame chain. I bought the frame for 20 bucks, add in the acid free backing, uv glass and they framed it...only it's not considered "custome framing", yet all i had to do was hang it on the wall. They did about 5 pieces for me and each cost about 80 bucks each. - Otherwise, it would have been about $140.00 each for the custom framing.