Huntington Art Center FAQ

 

Is my piece worth framing?

We hear this query quite often. Some people are curious about value or the condition of their piece. My answer is go with your gut feeling. If there is an emotional or spiritual connection, all the better. Framing lasts forever.

What is conservation framing?

Conservation framing pertains to the treatment of your art. Generally speaking, if your art has financial or emotional worth, there are methods framers can use to preserve and protect the art. Paper and wood give off gases and acids. We counteract that with acid-free mat boards and related products. Conservation glass blocks the negative effects of UV rays. Spacers can be used to keep the glass off your piece, when deemed necessary to protect your art. See types of glass

Are there differences in types of glass?

The glass industry has changed and is now very responsive to the needs of the framing industry. Improvements in the manufacturing of non-reflective glass used to block reflections are tremendous. Conservation glass, which is 98% UV proof, is readily available. Demiglass gives good UV protection and is a clear reflective-free protectent. Clear UV Plexiglas and acrylic are also available for conservation use.

How should I frame my needlework?

There are many varieties of needlework. Lacework, cross stitch, embroidery, quilting, rugs, etc., all have their own unique qualities. Our highly skilled staff will advise you regarding the proper approach for blocking, stretching, padding, spacers, and whether a mat is needed.

What is a limited edition print?

A limited edition print is one in which a limit is placed on the number of impressions pulled in order to create a scarcity of the print. Limited editions are usually numbered and are often signed. Limited editions are a relatively recent development, dating from the late nineteenth century. 

A signed print is one signed, in pencil or ink, by the artist and/or engraver of the print. A print is said to be signed in the plate if the artist's signature is incorporated into the matrix and so appears as part of the printed image.

Proof prints were originally signed as "proof" that the impression met the artist's expectation. Later proof prints were signed in order to add commercial value to these impressions. In the late nineteenth century, in response to the development of photomechanical reproduction techniques, fine arts prints were signed by the artists in order to distinguish between original prints and reproductions.

 

What is the difference between a print, a lithograph, an etching, etc.?

Aquatint - Printing Technique capable of producing unlimited tonal gradations to re-create the broad flat tints of ink wash or watercolor drawings by etching microscopic crackles and pits into the image on a master plate, typically made of copper and zinc. 

Engraving - Printing technique in which an intaglio image is produced by cutting a metal plate or box directly with a sharp engraving tool. The incised lines are linked and printed with the heavy pressure.

Etching - Printing technique in which a metal plate is first covered with an acid-resistant Material, then worked with an etching needle to create an intaglio image. The exposed metal is eaten away in an acid bath, creating depressed lines that are later inked for printing. 

Iris or Giclee - A computerized reproduction technique in which the image and topology are generated from a digital file and printed by a special ink jet printer, using ink, acrylic or oil paints. Giclee printing offers one of the highest degree of accuracy and richness of color available in any reproduction techniques.

Lithography - Printing technique using a planographic process in which prints are pulled on a special press from a flat stone or metal surface that has been chemically sensitized so that ink sticks only to the design areas, and is repelled by the non-image areas. 

Mezzotint - A reverse engraving process used on a copper or steel plate to produce illustrations in relief with effects of light and shadow. The surface of a master plate is roughened with a tool called a rocker so that if inked, it will print solid black. The areas to be white or gray in the print are rubbed down so as not to take ink.

Monotype - One-of-a-kind print made by painting on a sheet of metal or glass and transferring the still-wet-painting to a sheet of paper by hand or with an etching press. If enough paint remains on the master plate, additional prints can be made, however, the reprint will have substantial variations from the original image. Monotype printing is not a multiple-replica process since each print is unique.

Offset Lithography - A special photomechanical technique in which the image to be printed is transferred to the negative plates and printed onto papers. Offset lithography is very well adapted to color printing.

Remarque - An original hand drawing by the artist painted or drawn onto the limited edition.

Serigraph (silk-screen) - A printing technique that makes use of a squeegee to force ink directly onto a piece of paper or canvas through a stencil creating an image on a screen of silk or other fine fabric with an impermeable substance. Serigraphy differs from most other printing in that its color areas are paint films rather than printing - ink stains.

Silk-screen (see Serigraph) 

Stone Lithography - Art produced from drawing an image on a stone by using a greasy black lithographic pencil. The process involves the adhesion of ink to the drawn-upon-surface and the repellence of ink from the undrawn portion of a planographic (flat) surface.