Glazing

Someone recently asked me about the hidden costs when buying art.  One of the most significant costs that is often forgotten is the frame.  A cheap frame can make the most fabulous art look insignificant and a terrific frame can make an old scrap of paper appear valuable. 

One of the most important parts of the frame is the glass, or glazing. There are basically 6 options when glazing art:

1. Acrylic or Styrene - This is lightweight, hard to break, and protects from dust, but offers no UV protection.

2. Regular Glass - Protects from dust, but in larger sizes can be heavy, easily breakable and provides no UV protection.

3. Art Glass, also called Conservation Glass - This is a midway option that provides @80% UV protection and with the reflection control is non-glare.

4. Museum Glass - This is the highest level of glass available. It blocks 99% of UV rays and is virtually invisible. 

5. Museum Opti Plexi - This is a plexiglass option providing all of the benefits of Museum Glass, but it is lighter in weight and in general is used for works that are too large to employ the Museum Glass without risk of breaking. Warning, though — Opti Plexi is notoriously expensive. However, when affordable, it is worth it.

6. Non-Glare Glass - Without further clarification, a request for simple non-glare glass can result in a product that is actually acrylic and has been coated or etched with acid to reduce light reflection. This option also tends to have a hazy or fuzzy look that does reduce glare but also clouds the work of art. I strongly advise against using this product. When ordering non-glare glass, it is very important to confirm that you are getting one of the non-glare products listed above.

Contact me for help with framing and glazing your art.