What you should know about light and your artwork
What are you really buying when you use the services of a custom framer?
Talent … yes, and the knowledge and ability to select the proper framing materials for your particular project. This means helping you choose the right colors, the right frame style, and most importantly, the right materials to protect your art, photo or memorabilia. There’s the matboard, the frame, the backing board and the mounting materials to consider. And of course, the glass. And glass is glass, right? Wrong. All glass is not created equal. In order to preserve, protect and get the most out of your artwork, you have some choices to make. And with a little knowledge, those choices will be very easy. Without light there would be no art, as light is what allows us to see and appreciate color. It is one of the greatest ironies that the very thing that lets us enjoy color also works to destroy it. Have you ever seen a faded gum wrapper, lying in the sun, bleached to a mere fragment of it’s original color? Perhaps the paper had become brittle as well, ready to break apart at the touch of a finger. The damage you saw was caused by the sun. Specifically, the sun’s damaging UV, or ultraviolet light rays. Unfortunately, the sun is not the only source of harmful UV light rays. All light sources, whether natural or artificial, have some of their components in the ultraviolet range. The most drastic visual effect of exposure to UV light is the dramatic fading of colors, especially those that contain red. Other effects include the yellowing and/or bleaching of paper fibers and dyes. Some pigments may experience the opposite effect and actually darken to black when exposed to UV light. The materials that make up your artwork – the paper or fabric on which the image is displayed, may become brittle. Photos may appear yellow or stained with ghostly silver deposits rising to the surface. Once damage from UV light has occurred, it can never be reversed. That’s why it is important for you to understand what you can do to prevent this type of damage in the first place.
Proper Lighting Techniques.
