Oxidation caused by acidity is the greatest threat facing any artwork on paper.

If you have seen old, yellowed brittle newspapers you have seen the results of oxidation. Cheap paper like newsprint is made from wood pulp which is naturally acidic. This acid ages the paper from within, yellowing it and, in the case of artworks, degrading and discolouring the paints or inks

Good quality art paper, made from cotton pulp or de-acidified wood pulp will not degrade. Unfortunately, acid can still be introduced by poor quality framing materials with the same disastrous results.

The main sources of acidity in framing are poor quality matts and backing boards. Acid in matts bleeds into the artwork around the cut edges leaving a nicotine-yellow outline called a "halo" .Cardboard or particle board backs are also acidic and, worse, are in contact with a greater area of the artwork. They cause a generalised aging of the paper, usually accompanied by rusty-red freckles called "foxing". Like rust in a car, once you see foxing it is all the way through the paper. Skilled conservators can treat foxing, clean the artwork and de-acidify it but prevention is better and usually much cheaper.

The best prevention is conservation framing. This simply means using only framing materials which have been tested and proven free of acid. Modern framers say "conservation" or "museum" grade rather than "acid-free" as this latter term is sometimes used to label "buffered" Ph neutral mattboards which are not up to museum standards.

The hinging techniques are equally important. Usually, a museum grade backing card and window matt are hinged together like a folder. The artwork is then hinged to the backing card at the top only using museum grade gummed paper or linen tape. Paper expands and contracts with changes in humidity and this technique lets the window matt and artwork move independently. Hinging to the window matt causes "cockling" as the heavier card distorts the lighter artwork. Finally, a minimum amount of tape is applied to the artwork which makes any later de-framing much safer.

The backing board, ideally, should be acid-free fome-cor - a core of polyurethane foam sandwiched between two layers of conservation grade paper. Because fome-cor is not puncture proof it is wise to reinforce it with a patch of matt card where the hooks will go. I also sometimes put a particle board back over it for added strength and protection.

At The Art Folio we recommend conservation framing for anything valuable, irreplaceable or of sentimental or historical significance. Original art, University degrees, professional certificates and wedding photographs are just a few examples of artworks which deserve conservation framing.

| Home | About | Services | Advice | Specials | Contact |

Site by: CyanWeb Solutions