Printing, Matting and Framing

Earlier this year one of my photos was selected to be part of a juried exhibition. I was very excited as it was the first time I had ever submitted artwork to a photo competition, so, naturally, it was also the first time my work had been exhibited anywhere. Once my work was accepted, however, I had to figure out the logistics of having my work printed, matted and framed.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I alternate between AdoramaPix and ProDPI as my printers. Due to size limitations at the venue, I planned to print the photo as an 8x10" and then frame so that the maximum size was 11x14". However, when I submitted my photo, I did not crop the image to 8x10 so when I printed my photo, it printed at around 6.6x10 inches. Needless to say, this made finding a mat for my work a tad bit more difficult. 

When determining how to mat a piece of artwork, you want to ensure that the mat compliments the photo that you will be displaying. I tend to prefer off-white, white or black mats so that the viewer's eye is immediately drawn directly to the photo. Occasionally, I opt for a double mat, however, I tend to prefer single mats. You also want to be certain the mat will not degrade the print over time. There are various qualities of matboard, including museum board, museum mat or rag mat, conservation or archival mat board, and acid-free or acid free lined.

• Museum Board is the highest quality material available, it is constructed of 100% cotton fiber and is archival.
• Museum Mat or Rag Mat is less expensive raw material but is sufficient for most works.
• Conservation or archival mat board is the highest quality paper matboard available and is treated to be inert for up to 300 years.
• Acid-free or Acid free lined has been treated to prevent short term acid burn, but eventually the acid in the core will leach out to the surface which can harm the artwork.

Since my print was not a standard size, I went to a local custom framing shop and purchased a custom cut off-white, museum quality matboard. While I was very pleased by the quality of the cuts, the price was a little too steep (in my opinion). It cost $30.00 for the mat, but the framer was kind enough to include a foam core backing board. In retrospect, it likely would have been cheaper to pay for custom framing at Michaels Arts and Crafts, however, I was on a short deadline and I prefer to support local businesses when possible. Now you may wonder why I did not just decide to purchase matboard from an art store and cut it myself, which would have been substantially cheaper. While I do know how to cut my own matboard and I used to do just that, this was a piece I was exhibiting at a gallery and, hopefully, would sell. Therefore, I wanted to ensure my artwork was presented in a professional manner in light of all the time and energy I devoted to creating my work.

I requested that the mat be cut to 11x14" so that it would fit an 11x14 inch frame. When selecting a frame for a piece of art you want to choose a frame that will complement the artwork and you want to ensure you are choosing quality glass. There are a variety of different types of glass that you can choose from, including:

• Museum Glass protects against 99% of indoor and outdoor UV light rays and has the highest clarity and the lowest reflection rating.
• Conservation Clear Glass is similar to Museum Glass in that it offers 99% UV protection and helps protect art from fading by blocking harmful light rays. The main difference between Conservation Clear and Museum is the reflection; Conservation Clear glass has virtually the same appearance as regular glass.
• Conservation Reflection Control Glass is great for artwork hung opposite a light source as it provides 99% UV protection.
• Acrylic (Plexiglas) is recommended for artwork that is very large or heavy as it reduces the weight of the finished piece. It is also twenty times resistant to breakage as glass and will not shatter if broken. This also protects works from 98% of indoor and outdoor UV light rays.

No matter the type of glass you choose, you need to ensure your work is protected against UV light rays and, if desired, you might opt for glass with anti-reflective and/or anti-glare properties. I chose a simple frame that matched the color of the mat with glass that protected against UV rays and had anti-glare properties. I also purchased picture hanging hooks, which I attached to the frame, as the exhibition required the work be delivered to the gallery "ready to hang."

As I previously stated, in light of the cost of the mat + frame, I believe it would have been more cost effective to purchase custom framing at Michaels or another local framing shop. However, once completed, the framed work looked amazing and it looked even better in the exhibition.