| Introduction | | | | mature wood. The stretchers must be of the |
| I often visit friends, relatives and customers and | | | | right length to fit the canvas and follow the style |
| see out of the corner of my eye un-mounted | | | | of presentation required by the customer. |
| photographs laying on the sideboard or propped | | | | For example, it is a modern style to stretch the |
| up against the kitchen cabinets. | | | | canvas such that the visible image continues |
| And often they are very good shots. | | | | around the edge of the canvas stretchers. These |
| What a shame that they are not presented more | | | | paintings do not require a frame; they are hung |
| thoughtfully - making a memorable photograph a | | | | flat on the wall. |
| visual masterpiece which will be passed down the | | | | More conventionally the image covers only the |
| generations. | | | | front surface of the stretched canvas and the |
| Framing and Mounting is a specialist but significant | | | | complete stretched assembly is framed using |
| part of our business. | | | | conventional framing techniques. |
| Mounting a Photograph or Watercolour | | | | The canvas image is stretched over the |
| Many schools photographs come presented in | | | | assembled stretchers and then small wedges |
| cardboard mounts. These are the minimum in | | | | tapped into carefully cut slots at the rear of the |
| transforming a piece of paper into a memorable | | | | frame to stretch the canvas a little further and |
| keepsake. | | | | tension it up. |
| That photograph can then be put into a frame - | | | | Oil and acrylic paintings never have glass in front |
| with or without the mount and placed on the | | | | of the image! In a hot environment the paint will |
| sideboard in the lounge - or hung on the wall. | | | | melt into the glass with disastrous results! |
| In general a mount enhances the photo. | | | | Framing Fabrics |
| We stock a range of mount boards which can be | | | | We are often asked to frame thin silk or cotton |
| cut using a special machine to fit around a | | | | souvenirs brought back from Asian or African |
| photograph - or indeed a watercolour - to | | | | holidays. |
| enhance its appearance. It is conventional to | | | | Such fabrics are a challenge because of their |
| mount a watercolour in cream card, but we have | | | | fragility. Using stretchers is generally unwise as the |
| a whole variety of colours, which can be selected | | | | force of stretching might rip the material - to the |
| to bring out a particular colour in the image or to | | | | dismay of the customer. Best to stretch the |
| match the décor of the hanging | | | | fabric gently over a board or stretcher assembly |
| environment. | | | | using glue to keep the material in place. |
| Framing the Photograph or Watercolour | | | | Specialist Framing |
| A frame is cut to fit around the mount and either | | | | We have been asked to frame all sorts of things |
| clear or non-reflective glass cut to size and the | | | | from a military hat to porcelain fragments. |
| whole assembly fitted together and sealed. | | | | These items often require a Box Frame, one that |
| We stock in excess of 50 frame moulding that | | | | contains a lot of space! |
| we use to make frames. But we have access to | | | | We insert small specialist mouldings - called slips - |
| over 2000 different mouldings, which come in all | | | | behind the glass and the backing board to give |
| colours and textures. | | | | the framing depth. Thus objects of considerable |
| An antique canvas must be treated quite | | | | size can be placed within the 'box'. |
| separately from a black and white photo or a | | | | Framing for Antiquity |
| group photograph taken at an evening event. | | | | The materials that we use for mounting and |
| Framing Canvasses | | | | framing are selected to be acid and alkaline free |
| Oil or Acrylic paintings which are canvas based | | | | and the glues we use are chemically stable. While |
| require a quite different treatment. | | | | we would not claim that our framing will last for |
| The canvas must be 'stretched' before framing. | | | | centuries, it should be durable and avoid long term |
| This is done by cutting stretcher bars from | | | | discolouration. |