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Frequently Asked Questions
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What difference does glass make in protecting my limited edition print?
Lets start with the obvious...glass keeps dust,debris and fingers from coming
in contact with the print, all of which are detrimental to the life
and preservation of the print.
Finger prints can affect the print in a very serious way. Everyone has acid
in their systems, some more than others. When acid comes in contact with the
inks used in producing the print it begins an etching process. This over
time leaves copies of the finger print right in the image. Collectors are
very aware of the possibility of finger prints damaging the art, and very
carefully go over the print with a magnifier before they purchase.
None Glare Glass
All of us have noticed the glare on a piece of art before. Standard
picture glass provides protection from dust and fingers, however it does not
defuse the light that strikes the surface. Thus we sometimes see reflected
images somewhat like a mirror.
None Glare glass actually breaks up the reflected light so that we do not
see the mirror image. There are several quality ranges of none glare glass
on the market, each one having unique qualities. Generally speaking the more
costly glass also has much greater clarity. The very best is almost
invisible to the viewer.
U.V. Rated Glass
Ultra Violet (U.V.) inhibiting glass is highly recommended to protect
quality limited edition and original works on paper. Ultra violet light is
very damaging to any fine art and it doesn't come only from sunlight.
Many types of incandescent bulbs and fluorescents give off ultra violet
light. U.V. rated glass actually blocks most all of these harmful rays,
keeping the prints colors intact over the years.
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Why do I need to be concerned about the type of mat I choose?
The mat is described as the extension of the art which provides a pleasing
transition between the art itself and the frame for the viewer. The
mat tone and it's texture must be carefully chosen to accomplish this task.
It has to enhance the art, tie the frame into the piece, yet at the same
time not overpower the art itself.
The type and quality of the mat material is also very important. Mats are
produced from paper, and cotton. Paper mats are extremely acidic unless the
PH has been buffered during manufacturing.. Paper mats cost less, but they
will do irreversible damage to a piece of art. Cotton or "rag"
mats are PH neutral because they are made from cotton fiber. These mats tend
to hold their color much better than the lower priced paper
mats. Take a look at some of your framed art....if you notice the cut edges
of the mat surrounding your print are pure white, chances are your mats are
cotton based or buffered. If they are brownish/gold, chances are your art
print has suffered damage.
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What difference does backing material make?
The backing material I refer to is the base that the art print rests
on. Some shops use cardboard, others use foam core and still
others use Acid Free Foam Core or it's equal.
As noted in the preceding "Mat" section, acid producing
materials will do much damage to art prints ! The only way to preserve
the quality and beauty of a print is to make certain it is framed using only
acid free materials. Acid will migrate through many other
materials. Using cotton mats in the framing package and mounting the
print on cardboard does nothing to preserve your print. A print that
has been mounted on cardboard, when disassembled, will in veritably show the
image of the art etched by acid onto the back of the glass. Be certain
you ask your framer to consider this when pricing out your job. It
could mean the difference between preserving the value of a piece or ending
up with a worthless piece later on.
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Should I be concerned about the way my print is mounted?
Mounting of the print is describing the way it is held in place. Tape,
adhesives, mounting pockets and hinges are just a few of the ways . If
preservation practices are to be considered, the field of products is
narrowed.
Most of us believe that if a piece of art is worth framing and displaying in
our homes and offices for all to see, then it's worth using preservation
practices. This means whatever form of mounting is used, it must be completely
reversible without causing any change to the print. This would then
take most tapes or adhesives out of the picture because it would be very
difficult if not impossible to remove it without leaving a mark or residue
on the print. In many cases mounting pockets of acid free material work
well. The print can be lifted out of these mounts without any marks on the
print.
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What is a Giclee' ??
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A GICLEE (pronounced
ZHEE-clay) comes form
the French term for "fine spray". A giclee print is
created with digital printers using four tiny ink jets that spray more than 4
million microscopic water-based colored ink droplets per second onto a
sheet of fine art paper or a canvas, spinning on a drum at the rate of
250 inches per second.
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Precise computer calculations control these ink jets to produce over 500
shades of dense, water-based ink. A computer directly scans an artist's
original work to control the jets - no printing film or plates or used.
The final product is a superior, lush, vibrant, near original quality,
textured art print; one that has the feel of a watercolor, and the look of an
original lithograph. A Giclee has more long-term value and is the
highest quality fine art reproduction available.
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Since the science of preservation framing and conservation framing involves
literally volumes of research information, I have only touched on the bare
minimum of information available. If you have any questions beyond
this newsletter please fill out the form below. I will answer any and
all as quickly as possible.
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