How to Make Ansel Adams Like Art With Glue

Source:  Past photograph by J. Malcolm Greany [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

If you take ever been to an art gallery or museum and looked at a photography showroom yous may accept noticed that the frames were much nicer than what you lot can buy off the shelf at a store like Target or Michael's.  That is office of the reason why our company exists: to provide an easy way for photographers to frame their prints similar the masters of photography.

Below are v ways you can frame your photographs like the masters.  These tips can exist used when framing small set-made frames or working with a local custom framer.

i.  Don't use tape!

At that place are two principal reasons NOT to use record to mount your photographs:

a. Information technology is non archival.  Over fourth dimension the adhesive of the tape confronting the impress will crusade the paper to suspension downwardly.  Unremarkably the first sign of this is yellowing of the paper and mat board.  Remember of an old newspaper...

b. It is not reusable.  If y'all always desire to change out the moving-picture show, you chance violent your mat and print.

Here are some cheap and easy to utilize alternatives that take intendance of both of these problems.

Mounting Corners.  Best used for smaller prints, these are triangles that can easily be used to mount your photographs.  The corners of the print fit into the triangle, and no agglutinative comes in contact with the photograph.  This leaves the photograph untouched by any adhesive and in its original condition.  Lineco makes very good mounting corners that we use with our own prints.

Mounting Strips.  All-time used for larger prints, mounting strips are most iv inches long and tin exist placed forth the edges of the photograph.  Similar to mounting corners, no agglutinative touches the print.  Lineco as well makes very good mounting strips.

Our general rule of thumb is to use mounting corners for prints less than 12" and use mounting strips for prints above 12".

2.  How to keep the photo flat.

I'm certain you've seen information technology - when you wait at a framed print in a sure light you tin see some ripples in the paper.  In addition to the mounting corners and mounting strips mentioned in a higher place, hither are some easy tips to make certain this unsightly occurrence doesn't happen to your work:

a. Impress with loftier quality paper.  This can make all the departure in the earth.  Spend a picayune actress money to get prints from a reputable vendor that uses high quality newspaper.  A couple that we use and recommend are MPIX, Richard Photo Lab, and Bay Photo.

b. Mat Overlap.  Make certain the mat overlaps your photograph.  This tin can be done in proportion to the size of the impress, merely our general rule of thumb is a quarter inch overlap for anything under 12 inches in length, and a half inch overlap for anything over 12 inches. Overlapping the mat will help ensure tension on each side of the print and aid reduce waviness of the paper.

c. Dry mounting.  This is a permanent selection where the impress is mounted to the backing lath of the frame.  This volition cost a picayune fleck extra but most local frame shops should be able to do this type of service.  The downside with this is that the print is stuck to the matting and if y'all want to replace the photo in the frame you'll have to become through the same process.

3.  For a more refined look, cull a thicker mat.

In framing lingo, the term ply refers to the thickness of the mat board.  Most store bought frames come with a 4-ply mat.  But matting also comes in various thicknesses, such equally 6-ply and viii-ply (viii-ply beingness double the thickness of 4-ply).  For a different look try out eight-ply matting.  While it seems similar a small difference, the visual weight of a thicker mat helps to highlight the photograph even further.  Endeavour it out and you'll meet the divergence.

4.  Salvage your fingers!

Don't purchase frames with brad nails!  I accept a personal vendetta confronting these little metallic things equally I've hurt my fingertips way too many times pulling these little nails up and and then pushing them back downwards.

If y'all do have a frame with brad nails, ane easy tip to avoid this badgerer is to use a (dull) kitchen knife.  To pull the nails up, slip the border of the knife under and lift up  Do the opposite when securing the mat.

As an culling to brad nails, look for frames that have a solid bankroll.  In the instance of Saw & Mitre frames, nosotros use a wooden strainer.  This is a wooden frame inside the back of the frame that securely holds the artwork and matting in identify.  It also helps disperse the weight and strain (hence the name) of the hanging wire away from the frame moulding.  Thereby allowing for a longer life of the frame.

5.  Friends don't let friends employ colored matting.

I did it once. It was a great Fine art Wolfe print I purchased and had framed at local store.  Now information technology sits in my closet.  Non that I don't honey the print.  I just don't think the mat looks good on the wall.  Don't let that happen to you :)

Stick with several varying shades of white.  My preference is polar white or just plain white.  Too, the occasional black mat volition work, depending on the artwork.

Why stick with white?  In that location are several reasons:

a. You lot'll never get tired of white.  White is consistently the most popular auto color in the world .  The reason is that when you lot brand a long term purchase such as a car (or a frame), you lot don't want to have buyers remorse so you lot stick with the classic, time tested option.

b. Information technology matches any wall color you may accept.  Motility to a new house?  Pigment the wall?  The frame will probably notwithstanding look corking on the wall. Information technology makes your photographs stand out.  In that location'southward a reason the walls of photography galleries are covered with white mats. Information technology'due south because your eyes are immediately cued to wait at the photograph and not anything around it.

c. It makes your photographs stand up out.  There's a reason the walls of photography galleries are covered with white mats.  It's considering your eyes are immediately cued to look at the photograph and non anything around information technology.

I promise these tips assist get you on your way to framing your photographs similar Ansel Adams.  Now become out and create then you have something to display! Have annihilation to add to the list?  Go out a annotate beneath.

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Source: https://www.sawandmitre.com/blogs/journal/14258897-5-easy-tips-for-framing-like-ansel-adams

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