Digital BW, The Print

> Recently I had some prints matted and framed by a profesional framer.  At a later date (three days later) I noticed that the prints were starting to "pucker" away from the back mat.  Can this be prevented?  Is there some archival adhesive that can be used?  Is this a normal occurance?  Any help will be appreciated as this is unsightly.
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> Joseph Chandler
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Not sure I understand you issue mats will sometimes ripple and warp with changing moisture and temperature. Also 4 ply mats on very large images can do that. Or is it foamcore backing that is pulling away from the image. Also if a large mat is fitted to a frame without the 'standard allowance' the differing rates of expansion and contraction of the involved materials can cause mat or mounting substrate buckling issues. 

Give some details on how it was mounted, size and type of mounting and matting materials used and I can give some good suggestions. I tend to spot glue my mats to the backing or mounting substrate for precise alignment on the image and to eliminate the chance of mat buckling. With 6 or 8 ply this is much less necessary. 

Just a guy who hung a shingle after 30 years of mounting and matting my own work. FWIW I have doing framing full time for the last 8 years and taken about 120 hours of classes in that time as well as read every professional manual, magazine and video I could get my hands on. 

Not all framers put in the research and work to become proficient. There are lots of ways to do it 'wrong',  and usually only a few ways to do it right. The very first thing you should do is return the piece to the framer. I offer a satisfaction guarantee on every piece of work I put out and ask my clients to Please do me the favor of returning any work to me that is not acceptable or shows any issues at all. I even offer to go pick it up and return it to them.

There are only three things I can think of in that time and those were limited edition photos that were hinged and the clients decided to dry mount them. After seeing the slight inevitable rippling that a large hinged print will show. 

Ok back to work for me. Good luck and get them fixed. It is hard to have confidence in your work being displayed when you don't like some aspect of the way they look. 

Jerry

http://www.saddletreegallery.com/

>Sounds like your "professional framer" wasn't so professional after all.
>Remember, you don't need to pass a test or get a license to hang a shingle
>as a framer, and that's exactly the qualifications most of them have.

>David Kachel

David - there are many reasons that could cause this issue and a few, at least, that may not be the framers 'fault'. At least completely. No need to disparage a whole profession from one marginal result.