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Please respect Copyright. The artists retain copyright on all of their images. If you are interested in reuse of any image, please contact us in order to obtain permission or license.
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Glass in Picture Framing 101The glass in picture framing protects the artwork and matting in four ways: 1. Soil. Glass creates a barrier to prevent people from touching the art, thereby preventing the deposit of skin oil and fingerprints. Combined with the paper dust cover on the back of the frame, it also seals the artwork inside the frame and hinders penetration by dirt, insects, mold, etc. 2. Physical Damage. Glass creates a barrier to prevent puncture or tearing.. It also exerts pressure within the frame to help to hold the artwork securely in place, along with the adhesives. True, glass can break if a piece is dropped or falls from the wall and the broken glass can scratch the artwork inside. It usually takes quite a force for this to happen, and glass is actually strong enough to protect against ordinary bumps. 3. Environmental Agents. In combination with the dust cover that seals the frame, glass reduces penetration by harmful indoor air pollutants such as smoke, soot, dust, cooking oils, pollen and chemical fumes. 4. Light. UV rays cause pigments to fade. Florescent light causes more fading than sunlight. Everything fades: textiles, paint, wood, paper. Regular Picture Glass is by far the most popular and lowest cost option. It protects the art fairly effectively, even giving a small amount of UV protection. Regular glass is easy to clean and costs relatively little to replace if broken. Conservation Glass provides improved protection against harmful light by means of a coating applied to one side. The framer places the coated side of the glass facing the artwork, so that it will not be scratched or damaged by washing over time. Clear Conservation Glass costs just a few dollars more than regular glass, and looks the same on the finished item as regular picture glass. It is well worth the minimal additional cost, especially when you are framing old documents or art that may already show signs of deterioration, in order to slow down further deterioration and preserve the value of the item. Regular acrylic that is 1/8 thick provides more UV protection than regular picture glass, but less than Conservation Glass. Enhanced acrylics are available that provide more protection. Picture frame quality regular acrylic costs a little more than regular picture glass, but there can be additional labor costs because acrylic attracts static and dust, which entails more time and labor (not to mention frustration) in working with it. However, it is a good choice when framing larger pieces that will be shipped. Beware, though...use ONLY non-alcohol cleaners especially for plastic. Windex and the like will cause a dulling film and this will ruin the appearance of the framed piece. Avoid using glass over any fabric art including canvas such as for oil paintings or needlework. Fabric has to breathe. The yellowing that occurs on pure cotton sheets that have been stored in closed drawers is the same type of deterioration you can expect if you frame fabric sealed under glass. However, sometimes there is no choice, as when fabric art has already been framed under glass and deterioration has begun. In that case, an older piece of fabric art may already be too fragile to resume contact with the air. If you must cover fabric art with glass, be sure to use matting or spacers inside the frame so that the glass does not press on the fabric. Of course, for fabric art that is purely decorative and has no monetary value, then do whatever it takes to make it look good...it's up to you. Non-Glare and Reflection Control Glass reduce the clarity of reflection THEY DO NOT REMOVE LIGHT. If you have ANY light source opposite framed artwork...it will block the view of the art in some way from some angles. It does not matter how advanced the glass is, whether you spend $10 for it or $200 for it...I repeat these specialty glasses CANNOT REMOVE LIGHT. At one time, there was a difference between the terms Non-Glare Glass and Reflection Control Glass. But today most people use these terms interchangeably. In either case, the reflection control properties of specialty glass is most effective when viewing the framed artwork from directly in front of it. Specialty glass distorts the view of artwork somehow when viewed from any angle, particularly in terms of reflected light. Specialty glass works to reduce reflected images by changing the way light interacts with the surface of the glass, typically by spreading or diffusing it...sort of lessening the "bounce". This is done by changing the surface of the exposed side of the glass, either by ETCHING or COATING. Etched glass in picture framing is available in varying quality, the finer the etch, the clearer the view, the higher the cost. But with even the most expensive etched glass, the art will look hazy behind it whenever there is a light source opposite, if viewed at an angle, or if there is too much distance between the glass and the surface of the art. Therefore, NEVER use etched specialty glass in deep shadow box frames and whenever there are added spacers inside as are used to protect pastels. If you use two or three mats, it should be okay to use all but the cheapest etched glass. Coated glass can be very effective in reducing reflections. Referred to as "museum glass" by some manufacturers, this glass can be pricey, especially for the "water white" version. Most coated reflection control glass results in some distortion of color due to the coating so that if there is a source of light opposite the art such as from a chandelier, track light, or window, the light source will appear green or yellow. The coating on this glass can be scratched or can be defective. In some cases the coating can be damaged by finger oils, someone's sneeze, or by improper cleaning. Use of the better quality, more costly specialty glass is warranted on your more valuable works of art, especially if they can be viewed straight-on, without interference from a source of light directly opposite. From the best angle, it will seem as if there were no glass on them at all. It is very interesting to note that most of the time regular picture glass or basic Conservation Clear glass will be just fine, despite reflection. We are used to viewing art under glass, and our minds compensate as needed. So the higher cost of better quality specialty glass can be avoided, especially in corporate installations when a large number of pieces are needed and there is limited or no budget flexibility. A few suggestions to cope with light sources opposite art under glass:
Art does not grow roots into the wall. In fact, relocating artwork is a great way to refresh your environment and rediscover the art you love. But that is a topic for another page. Hope this helps. Please call me or email me if you need more info. 928 474 0400 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. If you leave a message please speak clearly, especially the number, and tell me the best time to reach you)
© Emmie Derise 2007
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emmie@estrellafineart.com with questions or comments about this web site.
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