Matting & Framing for Display

[Fred L]

I frame my black and white prints with white boards and black (or subtly brown toned, but mostly black) wooden frames. Currently using Artique Conservation boards from Larson-Juhl. Frames and glazing also from Larson-Juhl. 4 ply for everything unless it's a large print, where I like the look of 8.

[Willie]

On matting. Might check out this older article by Photographer Michael A. Smith.

https://www.lodima.org/advances-in-a...ng-and-storage

Bainbridge Artcare mat board is a good choice for conservation framing.

Any type of wood will need the rabbet sealed with aluminized mylar tape for protection of the artwork. A good reason to use metal frames of good quality. Some really cheap metal frames are painted with material that can outgas and may be harmful to the print. Finishing with the dust cover on the back of the frame can help a lot with protection down the road.

Visit a few high end custom frame shops even if you are not going to have them do the work. Look at the quality and what they produce. Might help in the future in making decisions on how you want images displayed.

[Drew Wiley]

Willie - you and I might have eaten cottontail rabbits, but the typical American spelling is "rabbet". The British spelling is "rebate", like buying a "rebate plane" for a wood rebate, then expecting a refund-style rebate which never arrives! Dang Brits and their incorrect English! But for awhile I sold sets of tiny specially shaped rabbet planes, custom-ordered, which the maker cutely labeled as "bunny planes" because they were so small.

[Carl J]

Slight variation on the OP's question, and mindful of the concept of 'space for the image to breathe', what matte size might one recommend for 12x20 prints?

Thanks.

[Vaughn]

Slight variation on the OP's question, and mindful of the concept of 'space for the image to breathe', what matte size might one recommend for 12x20 prints? Thanks.

Without drawing it out, I would say about 20x28. That 4 inches all around the image. Another possibility is keeping to standard sizes and try 22x28.

[Carl J]

Hmmm, and I'd want to bottom weight the images slightly (perhaps 1" offset between top and bottom margins?). I will probably overmat (the prints are stamped on the back). At any rate, this gives me some idea and I can play around with the dimensions before heading over to a local framer, although In the long(er) run I'd like to either cut matt's myself or perhaps order online.

Thanks.

[Drew Wiley]

For convenience doing less cutting, I often order pre-cut 22X28 board, then standardize it to 22X26 with just one cut, which is my personal size for nominal 16X20 prints. I always bottom weight (about 50% more space at the bottom than top, depending). This is not only for sake of psychological balance (the Greeks figured that out long ago), but due to the fact that gravity settles a print down into the rabbet slightly more at the bottom; and if you don't allow a little bit of slack in a frame, humidity changes might cause things to buckle. Museum board is quite hydroscopic, and acrylic glazing changes dimension with temperature as well as, somewhat less, with humidity. So for 12X20, if you like distinctly wide margins, full 22X28 might be reasonable. That way you'd have both a standard size board cut and matching box sizing available.