There are many different ways that fine art photography can be damaged, even when it is located inside a picture frame. Sunlight and electric light can cause discoloration to the surface of the photo. Air pollution and dust can also mar the image through oxidation. When you combine all of these harmful elements together, which can easily occur, you can see that taking the precaution of using conservation-quality materials can go a long way toward making sure you can enjoy your photographs for many years to come. Frame Destination is a top online source for preservation-quality picture framing supplies.
Each framing component that we offer at Frame Destination is clearly labeled as to its ability to help preserve your fine artwork. Many products are listed as ‘acid free,’ and this is helpful in regards to preserving the artwork because acids can build up and will fade or yellow a photograph, so using acid-free products is safer for the long life of your artwork.
Many of the mat and mount boards that we make available at Frame Destination are of conservation quality. Alpha Mat is a mat board that has color on the visible top portion and a white core, while Alpha Rag is matboard that has the surface color as the core color as well, and both offer museum-quality protection for your fine art photographs. Foamboard and foamcore are types of acid-free mount board, and they come in a range of thicknesses.
The glazing that you select to insert into the front of your frame plays a large role in the preservation of the artwork inside. There are two basic types of glazing: glass and acrylic. Glass works well for smaller prints, while acrylic is the better choice for larger ones. Acrylic comes with an optional ultraviolet light filter and a non-glare feature, both of which are optically pure, lightweight, resistant to breakage and can help to prevent yellowing and fading of the photographs in the frames.
All of our conservation-quality picture framing supplies can be seen at our website at www.framedestination.com.