Digital BW, The Print

I have recently taken a week long class in framing for professional framers and I currently 
work at a frameshop and gallery and I am considering opening my own gallery and 
frameshop; take that for whatever it's worth.

Without a doubt the best way to keep a print flat is is by dry mounting it to any stiff board, 
i.e. foamcore, Rag board, gatorboard, etc....  I believe that dry mounting to a high quality 
Rag board should be considered archival if that is something you are concerned with; it 
was good enough for Edward Weston, Ansel Adams and the like and is accepted by 
Museums.  However I prefer not to drymount prints 13 x 19 and smaller because they 
shouldn't need it as long as they are printed on some good heavy "Fine Art" papers.

For a print 24 x 36 the only practical method to keep a print this size flat is going to be to 
either dry mount it, for the most archival solution, or mount it using some kind of 
adhesive or glue.

For those interested in archival mounting I will briefly discribe the most commonly used 
methods below in order of highest level of permanence or what is considered the most 
archival method first:

1. Print attached to museum rag board using T-hinge made of Mulberry Paper and glued 
with a special starch paste.  It holds very well and is easily reversible. (this method is for 
Masterpieces and the parinoid}

2. Print attached using T-hinge of "gummed" linen or paper tape which must be moisted 
with water.  Very strong and also reversible. (I am comfortable with this method)

3.  T-hinge or simple hinge using acid free framers tape, which can be made of linen or 
plastic (probably a type of mylar).  Even though this method uses "Acid-Free" materials 
isn't really considered by most experts to be "Archival" since the adhesives are not water soluble and contain sticky tackifiers (yes this is really a word) which even though they are 
acid free can be difficult to remove and can leave a residue.  Just because something is 
"Acide_Free" doesn't always make it Archival.

4. While dry mounting should never be used on an original work of art unless done so by 
the artist himself; which then, like all of the well preserved Weston and  Adams prints, is 
considered to be apart of the original artwork.  I feel this ranks up with the first two 
methods if done properly and is mounted on a high quality Acid-Free and Lignin-Free Rag 
or Alpha Cellulose board.  Rag is always considered best and buffered boards are 
considered somewhat better than non-buffered ones.

Lignin is a substance in wood and is in all paper that is made from wood unless it has 
gone through a special process that removes it.  Alpha cellulose papers that are lignin free 
have gone through this process.  Lignin will eventually turn paper yellow or brown.  Acid 
and Lignin can migrate through air spaces (airborne) and other materials

Mats should always be used on artwork of value.  Mats of the same material as what the 
print is mounted to would be best and as a minimum should be Acid/lignin free if permanence is a concern.

If wooden frames are used in order for it to be considered "Archival the insides of the 
frames must be sealed; lignin remember!.  First choice in sealers would be framers 
shellac, second a metal framers tape, third would be regular framers tape.

Glass, often refered to as "Glazing" should be a UV filtered glass or acrylic, also referred to 
as "Conservation Glass or Acrylic" which filters out about 98% of UV rays; unless 
permanance or fading is not a concern.  This is especially important if the image is 
displayed near a window or floresent lights are used near the image.  Glass should never 
come into direct contact with artwork of value, thus the use of a mat.  I especially prefer 
acrylic because it is much lighter on larger pieces and the concern of damaging the print if 
the glass get broken.  Prints should never be shipped if framed with glass, a disaster 
waiting to happen, and it happens all the time.  Museum glass and acrylic have the same 
UV filtering properties as UV or Conservation Glass

It is always better to use some type of moisture barrier material behind the mount board, 
which Tyvek is considered to be the best material since it is acid/lignin free.  This should 
only be used if all of the materials used in framing are Acid/Lignin free materials and 
wooden frames have been seal properly.  Otherwise, you will be sealing in these chemicals 
and will eventually degrade the print.  I feel this is especially important if you are using 
metal frames since backing paper isn't typically used on metal frames.  Acid-Free backing 
paper which is usually black in color should be used on wooden frames if permanence is a 
concern.

My preferences are to use one of the first two mounting methods with 13 x 19 and smaller 
prints. Dry mount larger prints on buffered Rag (8 ply) board; it won't stay flat 
permanently otherwise. Mat using the (8 ply) Rag boards. Use tyvek behind the mount 
board.  I consider metal frames to be more "Archival" than wood frames, but certain prints 
in the right wood frame can be stunning, so don't rule wooden frames out if framed 
properly.

I have omitted some of the finer points but that is basically Framing 101 in a nutshell


Randy