A short list of some applicable design/framing terms
A
Acid-Free
a term that describes paper materials with a pH of around 7.0. These materials are considered acid-free and are less likely to harm artwork or discolor over time. Paper materials with a pH below 6.5 or above 8.5 are not considered acid-free for the purposes of picture framing.
Acrylic
a clear, industrial plastic used as a substitute for glass in picture framing. Generally used on larger pieces, commercial applications. Comes in clear, UV protected, colored, glazed, non-glare.
the measured size of the actual image, not including borders or paper size. For example: you can have an image with an 8”x 10” artwork size printed on an 8.5”x 11” sheet of paper. The image size is still 8x10. From there mat reveals and frame widths are added for a finished size.
B
also known as a dust cover, is a liner paper adhered to the back of a frame. The back paper keeps dust and insects out of the frame package. It also helps reduce fluctuations in humidity, limits the infiltration of environmental gases, and gives your framed artwork a professional look.
Beveled Edge
when the inside edge of the mat board window is cut to a 45 degree angle. Most of Off The Wall's mat board windows are cut with a beveled edge. This allows about 1/16" of the core color to be visible. Term also denotes an angled edge of a mirror. Bevels can be 1/2" to 2" and come and go with style changes.
when the bottom border of the mat board is wider/taller than the other borders. The concept of bottom-weighting is based on the fact that the optical center (the place where a viewer's eye spends most of its time) is slightly above the true geometric center in a rectangular region.
a type of frame used to display a gallery wrap canvas. This frame allows the entire front surface of the canvas to be visible. Any color applied to the canvas wrapping the sides of the stretcher bars will be somewhat visible in the ‘float’ space.
a type of framing that keeps the artwork as unaltered as possible while using materials which minimize the artwork’s deterioration by environmental factors. Acid free tapes and mats are used to prevent aging and discoloration of the artwork.
in matboard, the central or innermost part; the material between the face paper and the backing paper. Less expensive paper mats may have a cream color core; some mats have a white, colored or black core; high end rag mats have a core the same as the top and bottom.
Cotton Rag Paper
a high-quality paper made from cotton fibers. It is primarily used for art, documents and money. Cotton rag paper holds pigments and inks better than wood-based papers.
D
consists of two (2) mat boards (top and bottom). The window (opening) of the bottom mat surrounds the image. The top mat covers the bottom mat. It has a larger window, which allows a small border of the bottom mat, called the reveal, to be shown. Reveal can be minimal to more expressive depending on the art subject.
F
also called enhancers or slips, fillets are thin, decorative pieces of picture frame moulding. Fillets are often placed inside a larger frame or in between mat boards.
a mounting technique where the edges of the artwork are left uncovered by a mat board. With this application the artwork appears to be floating within the frame or mat board window. Artwork can also be float-mounted on a piece of black or white foam core without a mat.
the board on which artwork is mounted upon inside of a picture frame. Foamcore mount board is a light but stiff material that is commonly available in white and black. Acid-free varieties are available for conservation framing.
G
a modern style of displaying art in which a canvas is stretched so that it wraps around the sides of a thick wooden frame and is secured to the back of the frame. It is suitable for displaying without a picture frame, or can be mounted in a Canvas Floater Frame.
a heavy-duty, extruded polystyrene foam board bonded between two layers of Luxcell® wood-fiber veneer. Also known as Gatorboard, Gatorfoam comes in sizes ranging from 3/16" - 2" thick.
a high-quality fine art print created with an inkjet printer. The name was originally applied to fine art prints created on a modified Iris printer in a process invented in the late 1980's.
the generic term for the glass or acrylic used to cover and protect artwork in a picture frame.
H
the hangers, brackets, screw eyes and other materials used to assemble a wood or metal picture frame.
L
an organic substance found in all vascular plants. Papers containing lignin give off acids as they deteriorate which can damage art.
M
a material that covers and protects the image. Mat boards have a window (also known as the exact mat opening) cut in the center through which the image can be viewed. In addition to protecting the image, mat boards are available in many different styles and colors for the purpose of enhancing artwork.
O
mats typically come in standard sizes. Most common is 32" x 40". Occasionally art images plus mat reveal can exceed one or both of those numbers. Many mats are available in larger sizes. Standard oversize is 40" x 60". Beyond that there are a few options and a very few suppliers offer limited colors in sizes up to 48" x 96". Note: an option to finding an oversized mat is to use a fabric mounted on a mat or foam to achieve the desired finished size.
P
pH Scale
a logarithmic scale that measures how acidic ot basic a substance is. The pH scale ranges from 0 (acid) to 14 (Alkaline); the neutral point is 7.
Ply
a ply (plural - plies) is a layer within a mat board. High quality mat boards are manufactured in plies, dyed for color and laminated together. Mat board comes in 2-ply, 4-ply, 6-ply and 8-ply. Standard mat board is 4-ply and is 1/16" thick. Some mat board is not manufactured with separate plies, but will often be referred to as 4-ply to give a relative indication of the approximate thickness.
Points
thin metal tabs used to hold the mat, mount board and/or glazing inside of wood picture frames. Some points are stiff while others are flexible to allow access into the frame.
Preservation Framing
preservation matting and framing describes materials and methods designed to limit environmental risks to the displayed object, such as light, water, humidity, airborne pollutants, dust and surrounding materials. All material used in the frame package must be chemically stable.
Profile
a term describing how picture frame moulding looks when viewed from one end. A picture frame moulding’s profile includes its height, width, contour and rabbet.
R
Rabbet
the inner lip or groove of the picture frame, which holds the frame’s components, including the glazing, mat(s), artwork and backing.
Reveal
a term used to describe the small bottom or middle mat border left visible in a single, double or triple mat application.
Reverse Bevel
a reverse-bevel cut positions the bevel inside of the mat window so that it is not visible. It gives a straight edge to the mat window.
S
Shadow Box Frame
a deep frame with glass or acrylic in front traditionally used to display personal mementos such as military medals, antique jewelry, old coins, sports memorabilia and children’s toys.
Single Mat
one (1) mat whose window (opening) surrounds the image.
Spacer
holds the artwork away from the surface of the glazing. Spacers can be made of plastic, wood, mat board or foam core.
Stacking
mixing more than one frame/liner/fillet together to create a variety of different presentations.
Stretched Canvas
a canvas that has been mounted onto a stretcher bar support framework in preparation for framing or hanging.
Stretcher Bars
the four (4) pieces of wood material that make up a stretcher bar frame. Typical stretcher bar has a slightly raised/rounded outer lip to prevent cracking of the canvas on a sharp edge.
Stretched Canvas
a canvas that has been mounted onto a stretcher bar support framework in preparation for framing or hanging.
U
UV-Filter Acrylic
acrylic with a UV-filter that will block most ultraviolet radiation. It has a slight yellow tint, which may create a warming effect on the artwork. Frame Destination sells 1/10" (.098) conservation grade UV-Filter with 98% UV protection.
UV/Non-Glare Acrylic
acrylic that blocks ultraviolet radiation and has a matte finish etched on one side to reduce glare from lighting. Frame Destination sells 1/10" (.098) conservation grade UV/Non-Glare with 98% UV protection and non-glare matte surface. When framing with non-glare acrylic remember that the matte side goes away from the artwork
V
V-Groove
a type of matboard cut where a thin line is cut around the top mat’s window opening. The v-groove exposes the matboard’s inner core color. It’s a purely decorative cut done for the sole purpose of generating extra focus on the artwork.