DIY simple short/mid-term archival framing?

[torger]

A matted framed print behind glass is the best for archival framing, however it's also quite expensive. For a beginning printer like myslef I'd like to have a simple low cost DIY non-permanent framing/mounting method.

I know borderless foam core "competition prints" is the method for economical mounting, but I'd like something where the print can de-mounted unharmed (except for dust from not being behind glass and that badass photon bombardment from being at display) and put in high end framing at a later time, or just taken down and put in the archive for storage.

I'm thinking along the lines of photo corners / strips on foam core, and the print put in there without adhesives. That is all naked, photo corners visible without a mat on top. 13x19" prints to start with.

Someone that has any ideas and/or examples to show?

[bill t.]

As recently posted on another thread, for relatively little money you can give your prints a drop-dead gorgeous treatment like this.  Glass or plex is optional.  Build up a small fleet of standard size sheets of glazing, standard sized mattes, standardize your print sizes to fit, and simply hinge-mount or corner mount your photos a few at a time for a few days or weeks or months.  Would be a very good exercise for those wishing to sell art.  Your first learned lesson should be: the prints you are making are too small.

Borderless, drymounted, "competition" prints are the ugliest group-think atrocities on Earth and the only thing they they will buy you is a secure place in the photo club.  Just say no.

[torger]

Thanks for the tip, very valuable.

Yes I know I print too small :-). My intention is to learn print technique in a smaller format with a smaller printer. I'd love to have a 44" printer but it's too early for me to invest in that. The smaller printer have the same ink system as the larger though so it should be relatively easy to move up to a larger format.

[mjrichardson]

Anders, what do you mean by cheap? I buy frames and mounts from the standard range by Nielsen, the standard sizes are reasonably cheap, around 350kr ish for mounting 24"x36" prints, I buy black aluminium frames and they clip together very easily making changing prints simple. A reasonable investment of 5 decent sized frames and you can have really beautifully presented prints that look extremely professional. I decided that good quality frames will always be worth it and I have displayed them in lots of places and they always look great. I haven't bothered with cheaper options as I invest a lot of time in shooting and printing, I don't want to fall at the last hurdle!

Mat

[torger]

I guess it's more about convenience than cost, as it's not going to be a massive amount of them. It's not for public show really, but for having in my "studio" to look at myself and let a print mature in my mind. I'm starting to have some good work, but it's not like I'm on the virge of starting a photo gallery. I need more time, and figured that one part is to learn printing as I want that to be part of my creative process. I've done some prints before but with the help of printing services (and framing services). For permanent framing I'll probably use the local frame shop also in the future, as they'll do the craft better than me. I'm good at many things, but crafts is not one of them, so I'd like to keep it simple.

I use multiple formats today, mostly 4:3 and 5:4 though, but occassionally others too. As look is not too important I guess I could fill out the space with mat and still used one-size-fits all frames.

[PeterAit]

There's an inexpensive and simple system made by Orskov that I use for frequently rorating display of prints at home. It consists of 2 metal tubes each about 1/2" in diameter with a slit running the entire length. You friction-fit a tube to the top and the bottom edges of the print and hang the top one on the wall. The weight of the bottom tube keeps the print flat.

[torger]

Ahh... poster hangers, here's another brand: http://posterhanger.com/

And here's video showing orskov hangers in a gallery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpB-cXbcaGM

I wouldn't say that I think they look particularly nice, but it could actually be the answer for me for what I want to do, ie display the images for myself under some period of time, with small effort and without damaging the print.

[cortlander]

As recently posted on another thread, for relatively little money you can give your prints a drop-dead gorgeous treatment like this. 

Beautiful! Thanks for the link, Bill.

[bill t.]

The print hangers with the top and bottom bars can be quite harmful to your prints.  As you can see in the video, the edges are already starting stretch and warp, and they can be easily torn by the slightest snags with swiping objects.  To recover a print to a flat state after that sort of treatment you would really need to mount it, or if the media is supple enough it may adequately flatten with a hot press.  You can see even more alarming effects from that technique at most shopping malls, where that type of hanger is common.  The prints used at those locations are various types of banner media, much tougher than the aqueous papers most of us use and with very little tendency to rip.

I sometimes put prints up for long term evaluation by taping the outer 1/16 to 1/8 inch unprinted edges to otherwise defective pieces of foamboard.  If done in enough locations it will also nicely flatten curly prints over time.  It's not elegant, but in its own strange way it's artist studio cool.

[AFairley]

Be aware that you can cut great mats yourself with a straight edge and a Logan hand cutter (total cost probably around $40-50 for the tools) but you have to be able to clamp the straight edge down to ensure good results (IMO).

If you are willing to print everything to the same aspect ratio, you can make up several frames using photo corners on the foam core backing with a large enough print border that the corners are hidden by the mat.  Spring for Museum Glass or AR Glass, you'll be glad you did.  Then you can rotate prints through the frames at your pleasure.  Photo corners work fine up to 17x22, get the big ones that are about 1.5" on the side.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

This is how I do my 13x19: I put them in a simple white mat with the same white cardboard backing and then into a clear bag. Hang them with a simple binder clip. When needed, I just take them out of the bag and insert them into a simple black wooden frame with plexiglass.

[bill t.]

Slobodan wins the prize!  Even though he got little crazy with the silver binder clips rather than the more affordable black versions.

Is anybody using Baggies or Saran Wrap?  How about taping prints to the outside of existing windows?

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Slobodan wins the prize!  Even though he got little crazy with the silver binder clips rather than the more affordable black versions...

Hey, man got to splurge somewhere

[AFairley]

I don't know, Slobodan.  Silver binder clips are so 80s.  Everyone clips with black now.   

[picman]

I hit up the local resale shops and look for decent wood frames with glass. Remove whatever print was inside and paint the frame with semi-gloss black paint. Archival mat and backing and I'm done for less cost than a piece of glass alone. I've got folks asking all the time where I get my frames and I reluctant to tell them so they won't be poaching my spots.