Framing Definitions

  • Acid Burn: Damage in the form of yellowish stains and brittle areas that appear on artwork that was not framed using preservation techniques.
  • Acid-free: Paper materials with a pH of around 7 are considered to be acid-free. These materials are less likely to harm artwork over time. Materials with a pH below 6.5 or above a pH of 8.5 are not considered acid-free.
  • Archival: Archival framing means that all the materials involved in the process are completely acid-free. Your artwork is framed to last.
  • Backing: A thin, rigid material such as foamboard, gatorboard, plywood, or masonite used to back a mirror or art.
  • Beveled Edge: The inside edge of a mat board window is usually cut to form a beveled edge. This means the cut is on a 45-degree angle; exposing the mat board core and helping draw the eye to the piece. It is also possible to request a 'reversed bevel', meaning that the bevel is on the underside. This gives the illusion of a clean, sharp, cut straight down.
  • Beveled Mirror:A mirror that is angled on the edges. The angle is only about 10-30 degrees, but creates an elegant look. The width of the bevel can vary, but generally is around 1.5".
  • Conservation Framing: All the materials used in conservation picture framing that could possibly come into contact with the artwork are completely acid-free. This achieves the ultimate protection for your piece.
  • Corrugated Corners: These folded bits of corrugated cardboard are perfect for protecting the edges of your picture frame while in transit. They come in small and large sizes and are easy to secure.
  • Double Mat: When mats are layered in a picture frame, the top mat forms the main border and the bottom mat is revealed slightly just around the image. Double mats are great to bring out an accent color in the piece and to give an extra sense of depth.
  • Dry Mounting: Adhering artwork onto foamboard or gatorboard via heat, pressure and a non-spray adhesive. Originals, limited edition prints, and photos are usually not drymounted. Open edition prints including posters and newspaper articles are generally dry mounted.
  • Dust Cover: A craft paper seal adhered to the back perimeter of a picture frame is called a dust cover. This protects the picture from insects, dust and dirt from entering the frame and damaging the artwork.
  • Engraved Plate: A rectangular or oval plate with identifying text engraved on it that is placed at the bottom of photos or art. The plate can be small or large depending on the amount of text needed. The text can be in a wide variety of fonts and sizes. The plate is generally gold with black lettering, but can be of different surface and substrate colors.
  • Fillet: A narrow wood moulding used in the inside of mats or frames to accent and enhance the artwork. A fillet comes in many styles and finishes just like frame mouldings.
  • Float on Frame: A stretched canvas painting that is attached on top of a moulding that has a flat back, but deep enough on the sides to contain the depth of the stretched canvas. The canvas is attached so that there is a natural gap between the art and the moulding. This gap creates a shadow between the art and moulding which gives depth to the completed piece. The gap generally ranges from 1/8" to 3/4".
  • Float between Glass: Displaying art between two pieces of glass or acrylic. The margin between the art and outside of the glazing is clear so that the color and texture around the art becomes the wall color and texture.
  • Float on Mat: Displaying art on top of a mat with the art edges showing. The artwork is sometimes elevated from 1/8" to 3/8" to create added depth. If the art has a deckled edge, showing all of the edges of the art makes the art appear like it was just completed by the artist.
  • Foam Board: The board on which artwork is mounted inside of a picture frame. This material is very light and comes commonly in white and black. Though it is quite stiff, it easily creases and dents with little effort. Foam core is available in the acid-free variety for conservation framing.
  • Gator Board: A stronger backing than foam board for framing. Used for supporting larger prints and also as a backing for larger mirrors and shadowboxes.
  • Glazing: Protecting art with some framing material such as glass or acrylic.
  • Hardware: The hangers, brackets, screw eyes and other materials used to assemble a wood picture frame or metal picture frame.
  • Hinging: The process of adhering artwork to the backing or the mounting board. Acid-free tape is attached to the top of the work and another strip is placed over the top to secure it on both surfaces. Hinge only from the top so the artwork is able to hang freely.
  • Lamination: Applying a thin film on top of an art print to provide texture and protection. The film is applied using heat and/or pressure to adhere the film onto the art. The most common textures are luster, linen, and canvas. Lamination is not done to originals or limited editions, but rather to open edition prints. Lamination is frequently used as an alternative to glazing.
  • Liner: A frame that fits inside an exterior frame, and is covered in a white or neutral colored fabric material. These are very commonly used in the picture framing of oil paintings.
  • Matting: A paper material that protects the artwork from coming in contact with the glass and provides an aesthetically pleasing border to draw the eye to the center. Mat Board is available in acid-free and also in specialty designs. Comes in a variety of densities; the thicker it is, the more the core will be exposed in the window.
  • Mat Window: The opening cut in a mat board through which the image can be viewed. The window is commonly in the exact centre of the mat, but can be positioned elsewhere (higher or lower) to achieve certain artistic techniques.
  • Moulding: Finished wood that has been cut and joined together to form a frame. Mouldings come in a wide variety of colors, finishes, textures, widths, profiles, and degree of ornamentaion.
  • Moulding Profile: The curves and design of a frame. A picture frame's profile includes the height, width and rabbet (channel on the frame's underside in which the materials sit), and come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
  • Rabbet: The inner lip of a frame in which the picture framing materials, including the glass, mats, artwork, and backing, are held.
  • Shadow Box: A frame that encloses one or more pieces of memorabilia such as jerseys, baseballs, guns, tickets, certificates, and photos. The frame has enough depth so that the memorabilia does not touch the glazing. Because of the depth, there can be natural shadows that are cast within the frame.
  • Stretching: Smoothing and attaching raw canvas or painted canvas to stretcher bar moulding.
  • Stretcher Bars: The unfinished moulding that is used when stretching canvas. The stretcher bars come in different widths and depths so they can work for small and large canvases and also for gallery or museum wraps.
  • UV Protection: Techniques for shielding art from exposure to ultraviolet light. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun or florescent lights can discolor and damage art. There are glasses, acrylics, and laminates that can be used to protect art from a high percentage of UV light.
  • V-Groove: A v-shaped incision in the surface of a mat board that reveals the core and acts as a decorative border. V-grooves should be cut approximately 5/8" away from the window.