Framing

Framing your art

One thing we are extremely proud of at the gallery is our custom framing service. Our Guild Commended Framer has over 15 year's experience of dealing with not only animation art but a whole host of unusual requests. Assisted by her hand picked apprentice Tracey continues to astound and excite us with her innovative and intuitive approach to framing your art. But then it's not only your pieces she takes care of. I for one have entrusted most of my collection to Tracey and every time I see it I can't wait to get it up on my wall, when you see the results I'm sure you'll feel the same way.

Just what does framing entail though? To some it's no more than tacking a piece into a ready made frame and getting it up. To us it's the antithesis of what we do. For a start all our art is conservation framed, meaning that all materials are acid free, the art is mounted correctly and each piece is sealed dust and dirt free. But not just that, every frame is tailored to the piece - it enhances the piece without overshadowing it. In short: Your art is framed to last and it looks great!

What do we frame?

The question here should be what don't we frame? We have framed everything from vintage Disney production art, to wedding dresses, chocolate bars, movie props and even the football shirts for a whole team!

Some great examples have included:

Elvis' tailors scissors
A wedding bouquet
A cricket bat
A beetle
A boxer's belt
An extremely fragile leaf skeleton
A sword
Mel Gibson's tabard from Braveheart

It just goes to show almost anything can be framed

It doesn't matter what you have, we will be happy to advise you on the best way to present your piece and ensure you and your art are taken care of in the best possible way. Please give us a call or come to the gallery for an appraisal.

How to care for your framed art.

This is one of the most frequently asked questions at the gallery, so here are some guidelines:

Never store a picture on its side - Art is hinged at the top of the mount with small tabs of gum tape the strain could cause the tabs to come unstuck and the art slip.

Do not pick the piece up by the top of the frame. This can cause the sides to bow inwards and put stress on the glass. Use the hanging string or the sides of the frame

Beware of the damp  Although the frame is sealed it still "breathes" and in the presence of excess moisture it can "suck" it in causing mould, which is very expensive and very difficult to treat.

Avoid excess heat or changes of temperature - Too high a temperature can cause the piece to dry out, and in the case of cels can cause the paint o crack and flake off. Extreme changes of temperature can cause both the cel and frame to warp. Basically bathrooms and saunas are a no-no.

Keep out of direct sunlight It's a vampire thing. Art doesn't react well to UV rays which can cause it to fade causing irreparable damage. So either hang it away from windows or ask us to fit Anti-UV glass

A final word of warning  If you have a piece and you notice it turning brown, have it reframed immediately. Your framer did not use acid free mounts and the vapour is slowly eating away at your art. We only ever use acid free materials.

Always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.