Frames are individually handmade when you place your order. The ones shown in the gallery are computer-generated illustrations. They are good guides to the final appearance, but illustrations nonetheless.

Conservation framing

Frames are carefully handmade to protect and preserve your artwork for many years. They are classed as 'conservation grade' unless you choose glass without UV protection.

Conservation framing avoids techniques and materials that can damage the artwork or make it difficult or impossible to conserve.

Professional framing is not always done to conservation standards and if not, may degrade and ultimately destroy the artwork it is supposed to protect. This is only acceptable when you understand the risks and the work is not original, has little financial or emotional value, or it can easily be replaced.

To learn more about this, perhaps because you have other artwork framed to an unknown standard or you are considering having work framed, we recommend that you read our detailed information page

Choosing glass

Ultraviolet (UV) rays present in natural sunlight and some artificial light sources will damage many art materials. Over time, colours can fade and materials become weak and disintegrate.

All art should be kept away from direct sunlight. There will, however, be some UV in the ambient light.

Standard glass blocks some UV, but not parts of the spectrum that do most damage.

Conservation-grade framing requires that when glass is fitted, it should incorporate UV protection. We offer standard glass as an option for cost-conscious buyers. However, a frame with standard glass cannot be described as conservation grade, no matter how good it is in other respects.

Reflection control

A picture framed behind glass is often hard to see due to reflections

The strength of the effect depends on the brightness, size and location of light sources, but it is rarely absent.

Some specialist glasses are treated to reduce the amount of reflected light, greatly enhancing clarity and the viewer's enjoyment of the art within.

Reflection control is not the same as UV protection.

There are two ways the glass manufacturer can reduce reflections. The cheap method is to lightly etch the glass. This helps disperse reflected light, but also blurs the image.

Sometimes this doesn't matter – the soft focus effect may even enhance some works. Blurring is more apparent when there is a gap between artwork and glass, as there is in our frames. For this reason we do not use etched glass.

Instead, our reflection-control glass has a high-tech coating. This does not produce blurring and together with UV screening, it is state-of-the-art framing glass.

The anti-reflection (A/R) coating reduces reflections to the point where the viewer may think there there is no glass fitted.

An alternative to glass

Sometimes, glass is inherently unsuitable. For example, a work hung in a public place or within reach of pets or young children may be accidentally knocked to the ground producing shards of glass.

Safety, legal and insurance considerations may dictate that an alternative is used. For this reason, we offer acrylic as an option.

Quality acrylic is of high optical purity, shatter-proof and light. The main disadvantage is that when cleaned, particular care needs to be taken to avoid scratches and unsuitable cleaning materials such as solvents.

Mounts and mats

Framed pictures often sit within an inner window cut through what looks like thick card. This makes a clear border between artwork and the frame moulding.

Here in the UK and some other countries, this is called the 'mount'. In the USA, it is known as a 'mat'.

Mounts perform several functions:

• Enhance appearance;
• Produce an air gap betwwen glass and artwork;
• Keep the edges of the artwork away from potentially acidic moulding.

The choice of mount material is important, particularly in respect of acidity. We only use acid-free mounts. The signifance of acidity is explained on our conservation framing information page.

Frame mouldings

The options presented for each artwork are ones that we think work well. If you prefer something different, please ask.

The mouldings used in our standard options are described on a page of their own.