Proper Framing---Always Acid Free

One of the things that I stress from time to time, is the importance of framing with quality materials. As a framer in the past, I was surprised at how many people, artists-that is, who are unaware about the importance of acid free materials. Most work with paper that's clearly labeled "acid free" on the tablet cover, but still have no clue to what that means. When it comes to framing, which is costly, artists will almost always take the cheapest route. The phrase, "You get what you paid for." holds truth, you do get what you paid for. If your art is an investment, regular mats instead of acid free mats can actually devalue the work and ruin it. It makes no sense to preserve something if you are going to use damaging materials, this also includes regular foam board or cardboard for backing. To many of my artists friends, your collectors trust your decision when framing the art, that they are buying something meaningful and in thought of good value. If you are not using acid free materials when framing work with the notion that collectors will reframe it, there is a good chance that in the long run they are not. That work sold will be ruined within a decade.

As an example; the two pictures shown are what will happen to artwork when framed with regular mats. The watercolor painting is ruined by poor choice or lack of knowledge. The above picture shows the acid bleeding from the matboard onto the artwork. The picture below shows the damage done once the mat has been removed. This discoloration is called "mat burn" or "acid burn." The damage is permanent. Always use ACID FREE.