Caring for your framed art

 

 

Basic Care of Your Framed Work

Handle with care – when carrying and transporting a picture, grasp the frame firmly at both sides.  If you have to store pictures, make sure they are stacked vertically and the right way up.  When stacking pictures, stand them glass to glass so that hangers do not damage the frame.

Eye-level display – remember most pictures are designed to be viewed at eye-level.  When hanging a group of pictures of different sizes align the top edges.  Groups of pictures need not be hung in symmetrical patterns, but they should follow some kind of overall design.  Try arranging them on the floor first. 

A gentle clean – dust frames or bush with a soft brush, rather than risk applying water or cleaning fluids.  Don’t use cleaning fluids or water on the varnished surface of oil paintings; again dust carefully.  If fluids have to be used on glass, apply them to the duster first (rather than spraying the glass directly); do not let them touch the frame.

Hang securely – use two hooks on the wall, each set about a quarter of the way in from either side of the picture.  Check that the cord, wire or other hanger you use is designed to support the weight of your artwork.  Where safety is critical, for example in children’s bedrooms ask about glazing and security fittings.  Ideally pictures should not be hung above radiators.  Extreme or rapid changes in temperature cause paper and wood to wrap and dry out and adhesives to fail.  Damp can cause pictures to ripple.  If the ripples touch the glass, the picture might stick and be hard to remove.  Damp also encourages fungal growth, likely to show as brown stains.  Conservation framing can slow these effects but it is always best to avoid hanging framed pictures in humid conditions.

Return to mender making routine checks – if you find evidence of discolouration, unsightly brown dots, small insects under the glass or that the brown paper tape sealing the back of the frame has come unstuck, return the frame to the framer.  Check for corroding picture wire and weak or loosening cord.  The varnish on oil paintings will gradually discolour, especially if the painting hangs in smoky or polluted conditions.  An expert should replace it as it dirties.  Oil paintings stretched over wooden bars may sag over time and the bars can make a slight imprint on the front of the canvas.  Take the picture back for tightening or re-stretching.  The Fine Art Trade Guild recommends inspection every five years.

Specialty picture framing glass - If you have ever left a newspaper on a windowsill for a long period of time, you’ll know the kind of damage that ultraviolet rays can cause. Works of art are just as susceptible to this damage and the effects are cumulative and lasting; but since they occur subtly and over time, they can often be difficult to notice. The symptoms include faded colours, yellowing, bleaching of paper fibres and the darkening of certain pigments. In addition, paper and other base materials can become brittle and degrade.

Since ultraviolet rays are present in both natural and artificial light, it is not enough simply to move your frame away from direct sunlight. There are however, a number of glazing options that can reduce the effects of ultraviolet rays. We recommend glazing with a UV filter of 99 per cent, particularly for watercolours, historical pieces and other delicate works.

As well as filtering harmful UV rays, glazing can also cut down on reflection. The use of inappropriate glazing materials can turn any frame into little more than a mirror. But there is no reason why you should see your own face in a frame. In rooms with natural light, or those in which reflection cannot be avoided, we suggest using modern coated glazing; which when lit properly, is so low-reflective that it is virtually invisible.

With large works, and those that are to be shipped in their frames, it is prudent to use plastic glazing with UV filtration. Not only is this lighter and therefore much easier to move around, it also protects the artwork from becoming damaged if the glazing breaks in transit. 

UV FILTRATION  - Light is made up of differing wavelengths. For example a rainbow has different colours and each colour within the rainbow will have a different wavelength and each wavelength is measured in units, these are called nanometres. How large is a nanometre?

1 nanometre = 1 billionth of a meter (OR 1/80,000th of a human hair)

The most damaging light is UV (or Ultraviolet) invisible light between the 200 and 400 nanometre range, this range of light is invisible. Despite being invisible to the naked eye it is powerful enough to induce photo chemical damage to organic material such as paper or fabric, resulting in loss of colour, yellowing, bleaching, darkening and embitterment.

Ordinary Float glass filters around 54% of the harmful range, however this is NOT sufficient to offer any degree of protection. Whilst UV protection may not be an issue in certain circumstances where UV is not considered a hazard, there are still many instances where additional UV protection is still required. 

Artwork where protection from UV as a prime consideration

Watercolours – UV light will literally kill the artwork.

Old Photos & Posters – generally these are not colour fast and will fade quickly.

Tapestries – where dyes are used to colour the threads, these will again fade when exposed.

Organic substrates (such as textiles and paper) – UV light causes organic substrates to become brittle, rendering them beyond repair.

Sentimental items – any artwork, image or item that is produced on paper or fabric that the customer deems to be of sentimental value should be protected. This includes ‘little Johnnie’s’ first school painting!

Artwork where UV is not a consideration

Oil Paintings – this due to the fact that the oils have UV protection within the base make up of the paint.

Modern Photos/Prints – manufacturers are making progress within this area, producing light fast UV inks, and as such protection is not always required, however if you are in any doubt, add UV protection.

The only truly effective way to protect valuable artwork is to block out UV light, which could be done through the control of light coming into the building (such as that undertaken by museums) or to simply lock it away in a darkened cupboard or control the light by fitting UV protection during framing.

Interestingly enough, the plastic that was used some years ago in the old red telephone boxes offered a very effective way to handle UV, this was a plastic called ‘polycarbonate’, the downside however was that it did this through ‘absorption’, which is why after a short period of time the plastic went white and could no longer be seen through.

The three most common ways to achieve UV protection are:

Flat glass - Coatings applied to the surface of the glass, usually one side, however there are a few exceptions such as SCHOTT Mirogard Plus, which is coated on both sides. Coatings vary in quality and high UV ratings don’t always mean best viewing quality.  Wildwood Gallery recommends SCHOTT Mirogard plus. Follow the the link for further details. Schott Mirograd

Laminates - in the majority of cases UV protection is achieved by using a UV filtering plastic interlayer (PVB). This provides higher UV protection than that of coatings and is invisible to the eye, furthermore laminates provide greater protection for artwork in the event the glass should be broken, which is why these are the product of choice for high end museums and galleries.

Plastics - Similar to laminates, the UV protection is generally impregnated within the plastic during production, increasing UV rating and viewing quality. These are ideal when images are to be transported or placed in public areas.

 

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Phone 07710 532735 or 07508 258244 email info@wildwoodgallery.co.uk