Customer Request - Drymounting - Alternatives please

[Grahame Case]

Hi guys, got this email in last night,

I am just looking for an approximate cost for some photographs to be framed in a simple black frame (1-2" thick/depth and 1/2 - 1" covering the glass). They would be dry mounted without a window matt, but with spacers and regular glass.

this started ringing alarm bells with me, we really don't want to be Drymounting photographs down, even with artcare restore.

so far we have ruled out Artcare restore, sticky fome core, and D/M board . is there any conservation way we could do what the customer requests.

We will offer the lady the option of the above and explain the pit falls, but I want to know if we have any other options that we would be best recommending to our customer for the future enjoyment and protection of her artwork.

[Tim]

Are the photographs old, ie not replaceable? If they're modern, they may well be prints from a digital file, in which case there should be no problem in drymounting them. I know that's not the answer to the question you asked, but as I don't have any idea of how to do what you require, I just thought I'd ask

[Grahame Case]

Hi tim, we are not sure either.

just exploring options before we email back with a quote.

[markw]

I am very cautious when dry mounting photographs - a bad experience with one photo that reacted to relatively low temperatures in the press made me reconsider how i approached all photographic images. That being the case leaves me with the option of cold mounting and my preferred option is a self adhesive foamcore that gives a lovely flat finish to the photograph if put into a cold vacuum press. The downside - its not even remotely conservation standard.

Its one of those things I talk over with my customer. If the customer wants a presentation that compromises conservation then I would explain the potential problems.

[stcstc]

one thing to be aware of isparticularly with epson inkjet prints. particularly B&W prints, there is a very high copper content in one of the black inks, which can react badly to heat

the result is a colour shift giving a yellowish cast to the print

[LeFrisp]

I have been successfull using White cold sticky board and spacing the image away from the glass with clear 1.5mm econospace from lion. I cut the sticky 2 mm wider than the mounted image and attached the econospace strips so they covered the 2mm sticky border and just encroached onto the image.
On the downside its aint reversible... and I wouldn't do it with anything of value (cash,sentiment, original art).

[markw]

Le frisp
The problem with the sticky boards is that they often give a "orange peel" finish - the foamcore boards give a very flat finish (assuming you are applying pressure to the image - important if you don't want it to develop bubbles at some later date).

[stcstc]

if you want a very smooth surface use Diabond and double sided mount film

if cost is an issue then simons back 10 works well with double sided mount film

but like above neither of these are reversable

[huntvambo]

Hi Grahame,

I recently bought Framing Photography by Allen Lamb from Columba Publishing, in there he only recommend hinging, corner mounts and edge mounts and encapsulation for conservation framing.

Dry mounting is acceptable for unsigned black and white (modern silver gelatin), unsigned Chromogenic colour, unsigned prints where the negative is available, prints used for display advertising.

They specifically advise against dry mounting of antique, limited edition, Polaroid, anything signed, hand coated emulsions and computer generated / digital prints (unless very low heat films or tissue can be used).

Hope that helps.

[prospero]

I had a customer who brought in two 20x30 glossy photos. He wanted them close-framed in a narrow ally profile. I told him they would go wavy if not drymounted, due to the edges being effectively clamped down. I also told him that they would appear very orange-peely if they were drymounted. He opted for drymounting. When he came to pick them up he remarked that they were very orange-peely. To which I repled, "Yes. I said they would be".


I hate glossy photos.

[stcstc]

should try mounting to diabond you wont get as much orange peel. its what used to be used for cibachromes etc