Picture framing essentials | Reliable materials for picture framers
Picture framing can be a challenge when presented with a variety of materials. Valuable original artworks or historical documents require a different approach than photographs. Nevertheless, every project deserves reliable solutions. Discover our overview of picture framing essentials, ideal for the professional picture framer.
Framing of original artworks, reproductions, and photos
Advantages of picture framing
Decorative aspect
By framing a picture, its decorative effect is emphasized, and the picture transforms into a focal point on the wall. For best results, the material, size, and color of the frame should match the creative vision of its creator or the customer and should, therefore, be chosen carefully. When selecting a frame, the whole interior design should be taken into consideration, including the color scheme and layout of the room.
Securing the artwork’s value over the long term
The material of the frame should match the value of the picture. A high-quality picture deserves a high-quality frame. Secure the artwork’s value by professionally framing it with reliable materials.
Protecting the picture against environmental factors
To ensure that a picture is preserved over many decades, protection against natural and mechanical environmental influences should always be the main focus of picture framing. Professional framing protects the artwork from moisture, dirt, dust, and fingerprints.
Picture framing with mats
Advantages of using a mat
Enhancing the look of a framed piece
The material, color, and thickness of a mat/passe-partout give the picture an individual note. The choice of the mat’s material and color depends on personal taste, the color scheme of the picture, and the frame. Mats are available with varying degrees of thickness and thus create different visual effects and varying degrees of depth.
Visual staging
Mats underline the look of the frame and draw the eye to the framed piece even more. By incorporating a mat, an image can be staged in a whole new way.
Protecting the artwork
A passe-partout creates a space between the picture and the glass of the frame. The surface of the picture has no direct contact with the glass and is therefore better protected. In addition, a passe-partout regulates the level of moisture within the framing by absorbing it and thus minimizing its damaging impact on the picture.
Products for the picture framer
Self-adhesive tapes and the passe-partout
filmoplast® tapes are a high-quality adhesive solution that meets the high demands of museums and archives. The product range includes a variety of self-adhesive tapes that meet the most diverse requirements in picture framing. For example, the products filmoplast® P and P90, with their slightly alkaline adhesive, are ideal for mounting pictures behind the mat with a so-called t-hinge. filmoplast® SH is excellent for creating a reliable hinge to mount the passe-partout to the mount board. filmoplast® T creates a dust-proof seal in the back of the frame. To repair and restore paper, filmoplast® R is an excellent choice.
This speaks for using filmoplast tapes
- Acid-, solvent-, and phthalate-free
- resistant to aging
- Permanently elastic
- Non yellowing
- No breakthrough after bonding to the substrate
- Practical adhesive tape format in a handy dispenser box
incl. cutting knife - No water is required to activate the adhesive
T-hinge made easy with self-adhesive tapes: When choosing tapes, it is important that the products do not damage the picture. Products such as filmoplast P and filmoplast P90, therefore, have a slightly alkaline adhesive.
Gudy® films for mounting on board materials
To frame a picture professionally, there are a variety of useful products and materials available. These also include the double-sided adhesive and paper-based products gudy® 831 fine art smooth and gudy® 832 fine art textured. In addition to framing pictures, they are also suitable for mounting on a variety of board materials. Coated with a solvent-free, aging-resistant and permanently elastic acrylic adhesive, both products are excellent for mounting art prints, photos, and art reproductions of nearly all kinds. While gudy® 831 fine art textured is used for smooth, not heavily textured papers up to 300 g/m2, gudy® 832 fine art textured creates a secure bond even when working with strongly textured papers.
A decorative alternative to the frame: Pictures that are mounted on board materials create a completely different visual than framed pictures. These pictures were laminated with double-sided adhesive mounting films (e.g. gudy® 802) and mounted on Alu-Dibond boards.
This speaks for using double-sided adhesive
mounting films gudy® 831 fine art smooth and gudy® 832 fine art textured
- Suitable for many surfaces and substrates
- Water-based adhesive, acid- and solvent-free
- Does not bleed through and does not dry out
- Resistant to aging
- Photo Activity Test (PAT) certification according to ISO 18916
- Cost-effective and easy to process