Mat & Glass Return M a t You choose any corner of matting shown on the figure below. Attractive as well as functional, the matting is a key element in your frame design. - It creates space-clearance between the photograph and the glass. If a photograph touches the glass, it will stick to the glass and a photograph is permanently damaged. The larger a photograph the bigger space-clearance should be. This is where double and triple mat comes. - It provides structural support for the artwork. - It separates the photograph from its surroundings, and gives to the photograph its own unique space and presence. - It provides beautiful immediate environment which enhance appearance of the art. - It emphasize depth of the art. Multiple mats add even more depth, giving the image a three-dimensional look. - It creates breathing space between the art and frame, keeping the frame from overpowering the art. The mat margin size comes here. While neutral mats (like white and gray) are adequate in many instances, mats come in a large array of colors and textures, all of which will help the art to fit into its surroundings. - It connects the art and frame into one uninterrupted beautiful harmonious assembly. Mat margin size and colour are very important. - Matting a photograph is further more important if one wish to sell photographs either framed or unframed. Today, we have three choices, each in many colours: - paper mat (or regular mat), - archival mat (or Conservation mat, or Alpha Cellulose mat) - cotton rag mat Paper mats contain harmful impurities, as Acid and lignin, which potentially will cause yellowing of art permanently damaging the same. The second and third mats are free from the harmful Acid and lignin. Archival mat does not harm art but will not protect it from harmful pollutants. These boards are suitable for non-conservation framing of: amateur photographs, professional photographs, posters, fine art prints, craft projects. Coton Rug mats, the most expensive, are used for extremely valuable original works of art, rare and antique documents and items of historical importance. The best is 100% cotton rag. ... In our Gallery there are many hundreds of different mat colours and texture styles to choose from ... From out mat cutting room The Glass Glass protects work of art from UV rays, pollutants, finger-prints, flies and in some cases from infra-red rays. - Regular glass (45% UV protecftion). Comes as: clear or non-glare - Conservation glass (97% UV protection). Comes as: clear, non-glare, or gallery.   The same frame but different place in the room, and the same four pictures. The only difference is glass above each picture. From left:    non-glare, gallery, conservation-clear, regular-clear. We use only the best glass Backing The purpose of backing is to - protect back of a photograph from environment attack, - to hold the art flat, - to provide structural unity of mats and the art, and - to provide physical unity of mat and art with a frame. Mounting of Photographs and Posters We offer no mounting, because we are committed only to excellence. See below for technical reasons. Mounting is a permanent bonding of a photograph or poster to the mounting board (mat). Some art galleries requires no mounting, so a photograph can be separated from the board. Mounting decreases the value of original artwork for it prevents re-framing which is an issue for very long periods of time. Some other problems with mountings are: DRY MOUNTING is use of a dry tissue (placed between a photograph and the board) that is activated (liquefy) by heat at 110-135 degC. It produces flat and clean work and is easier than wet mounting. However it is not reversible in some cases, and the high temperature may cause bubbling and prematurely age a photograph. Generally it is not considered as archival mounting. WET MOUNTING is the use of a water-based adhesive to bond a photograph to the board. The moisture can affect artwork in unpredictable ways (e.g mold may set). Using spray adhesives is not considered as a professional form of mounting. VACUUM MOUNTING utilizes an adhesive applied to the back of a photograph combined with high pressure between the board and a photograph which forces adhesive to penetrate into both, the board and a photograph. This is the best, and the most expensive, but also can cause some fibers from photo paper to tear and a photograph cannot be removed any more. Glare from glass is viewing of artwork problem. Glassless framing is the best and in oil-painting case we offer black or blue velvet to protect your artwork when not exposed for viewing.