Glazing

The Frame Package for paper art is made up of the frame, glazing, matting, the art and a Backer Board, protected by a Dust Cover. There are many manufacturers offering a wide verity of products for the picture framing industry. Art on paper requires special consideration, as additional protection from fading due to ultraviolet light is required.

Lets look at the basic categories of glazing available today and their pros and cons.

Clear Glass is the glass used most often and is made of normal thin glass that affords no protection other than as a protective cover over the art.

Non-Glare Glass is like clear glass but an acid is used on the surface of the glass to etch lines into it causing light to be diffused off the surface. After the acid id totally removed it is as safe as the clear glass but has no glare to it. This glass may cause distortions of the art if used with thick or multiple mats.

Anit-Reflective Glassis the same as the clear glass but with a chemical coating to the surface of the glass that actually increases light transmission and reduces reflections. This glass is sometimes called “invisible glass” and can be used as glazing with mats to any depth.

Ultraviolet-Filtering Glass is what’s is needed to protect artwork on paper. This glass has been coated with a UV filter and filters from 97-99 percent of the harmful UV rays that will damage art on paper. This glass comes in low iron, clear, non-glare and anti-reflective. Keep in mind that this glass does not filter all UV light--some excessive light will still damage your art; but over a longer period of time.

Musuem-Grade Glass has both anti-reflective and UV filtering applied to its surface. This glass is called museum grade glass because it offers the ultimate combination of glazing protection against UV light, yet gives you clarity, which shows the art faithfully to the viewer.

Low-Iron Glass is a picture framing glass made with low iron in its content. This eliminates the green tint found in all other picture framing glass. This glass is also available in clear, non-glare, anti-reflective and with or without a UV-filter. This is the glass I use because it makes the colors in my art more vibrant; it highlights details in my art well and this glass doesn’t change the colors in my art. I can get this glass in the archival form to protect my art so it’s a win-win for my collectors and for me.

Acrylic This form of glass is half the weight of glass. Acrylic is a very practical glazing option when the weight of the finished frame package is a consideration. Another consideration is the break resistance of acrylic that makes it useful for framing that will hang in a vulnerable area. For those who ship art it’s a great choice because of its overall lightweight and resistance to breakage. A good quality acrylic is at least 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Acrylic is also available in clear, non-glare, anti-reflective and UV-filtered.The use of Styrene is not a suitable plastic for framing art.

Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages with both acrylic and glass.

Acrylic-Plexiglas will carry a static charge and it will scratch easily unless you buy a scratch resistant type. Don’t use an acrylic/plexiglass on charcoals, pastels or any powdery media. This is due to the fact that acrylic/plexiglas sheets develop a static charge that can lift the powdery media off the paper. I would recommend glass for that type of media.

It is lighter than glass and will not break. You can buy an acrylic glass with a UV filter, non-glare, anti-reflective filter, but it will cost more. This is recommended, as it will help keep the artwork safe from the sun or fluorescent lighting within a home or office.

Natural Framing Glass or Float or Sheet Glass is thinner than window glass at about 2.0mm or 5/64th of an inch thick, and is safe to use on pastels, charcoals and other powdery media. It is, for the most part, scratch resistant but heavier than acrylic, and it is breakable. You can buy framing glass with a UV filter, non-glare, anti-reflective filter or low iron in it and it is recommended for archival framing.

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For additional information on Framing, visit Matting and Mat Boards, Mounting Art, Backer boards and Dust covers, Conservation and Restoration, or Framing Design--Form and Function.

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