Process of Framing to Elevate Artwork
There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work in life as an artist, fitting into the category of the business of art. I have learned to give myself some grace, especially in matting and framing. I purchased razors, c-clamps, metal rulers and practiced cutting mats, but I could not perfect the slant of the cut and it did not look professional. Once, I bought a specifically designed cutter, which fit in the palm of my hand, with a slanted razor to make a beveled cut. The advertisement for its “precision cuts” did not work well for me; I often cut too far into the corners, or it looked wobbly. Learning to cut my mats caused anxiety and frustration and wasted matboard. I realized it was not worth it.
There comes a point when we must be kind to ourselves. So, I found an online framing company where I can order cut mats to a specific size or order bulk cut mats in standard sizes, 11 x 14, 8 x 10, or 5 x 7.
In my December 16th blog, I shared my experience formatting my non-fiction picture book, Quails’ Crazy Quilt, in Photoshop. For twenty years, the oil pastel drawings illustrating the life and habitat of quail have been sleeved in a portfolio. Now that Quails’ Crazy Quilt is in print, it was time for me to mat and frame them for presentation.
I ordered metal frames, precut mats, foam core for backing, and cut Plexi-glass from a family-owned business, Web Picture Frames in Oregon. They did an excellent job packing the materials and presented them to me in a huge box delivered by UPS.
In the next step, I had to prepare myself psychologically for the daunting task.
Over this past weekend, I unpacked and sorted all the materials. One by one, each drawing was mounted on the foam core with hinging tape, which was also used for sealing the seam between the mat and the backing board. Next, I framed the mat without the Plexiglass so the artwork could be photographed without reflection. It took me a long time to realize this, but doing this extra step was also an act of self-compassion. Because it eliminated the frustration of glare when photographing a work hanging on a wall, which is necessary for my shop.
After photographing the framed image, I unscrewed one side of the frame to insert the Plexi. Framing with Plexi is another beast. Its adhesive protection peels off and requires strong hands. It is not as forgiving as glass, scratches easily, and sticks to every floating dust particle or fiber! It is maddening! Even though I use a special cloth and spray to help with this, when I see a speck, it appears giant in my mind.
Plexi is more expensive than glass, but exhibitions require it for shipping and handling, which is understandable.
I finished framing 10 drawings to protect them and complete their presentation. As daunting as the framing process is, it elevates the artwork and gives it finality and closure, especially for this series of work that has waited too long to be revealed.
If you have ever worked with Plexi-glass, please share your tips and leave your comments below.
