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Archival Framing
Artizom offers museum quality archival framing. Our knowledgeable staff can
help you choose materials that will best protect your valuable artwork. For
original works of art, we recommend:
- 100% Cotton Rag Mat board. Cotton rag board serves two functions.
First, the thickness of the board ensures that the glass will not touch the
face of the art. Second, the cotton is pH neutral, allowing for any acid
migration to be retained in the matting rather than the artwork.
- Conservation Hinging Techniques. The goal of the framer is to have as
little impact on the piece of art as possible. Archival quality linen or rice
paper tapes, photo corners, or sink mats are the most highly
recommended form of hinging or mounting.
- Ultraviolet Coated Glazing. UV glass not only protects the art from dust
and debris, but also harmful UV rays that cause color fading.
Our knowledgeable staff can help you choose materials that will best
protect your valuable artwork.
Caring for your artwork at home
Most avoidable causes of damage in Charleston are usually associated with
high humidity and temperature level. Humidity levels exceeding 65% RH
promote the growth of mold and speed up the general deterioration of paper.
Framed or unframed, do not store your artwork in the following places:
-Attic (heat, humidity, leaks)
-Basement (humidity, moisture, flooding)
-Exterior Walls or Porches (moisture, external temperature, humidity)
-Fireplaces (temperature)
-Bathrooms (humidity, moisture)
Light is another major cause of damage to works of art. You can protect your
artwork by :
- Having it framed with UV filtering glass
- Hanging your art where it will not be exposed to direct natural or
flourescent lighting
- Rotating your artwork so that it gets a break from strong direct light
Damage from light is cumulative and irreversible. For valuable artwork, you
should use a combination of the precautions listed above in order to protect
your investment.
Many pieces of art that were framed several decades ago were framed with non-
archival materials. Many of these works have suffered from deterioration caused
by acids in matboards, adhesives and backings. You can prevent further
damage to such works by having these materials replaced with acid-free
versions. If the artwork is valuable it may also be a good idea to see if a
conservator can repair or minimize any damage.
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