Bad Craft Prevention Hotline

[framanista]

I wish there were such a thing. That way, my customer could have called them and said, “I’m about to cut every one of my family photos into biomorphic shapes and adhere them with Elmer’s glue to a piece of black foam core!” They could have said, “don’t do it!!!” and talked her into getting professional help.

As it is I get to shadowbox this very convex thing. Of course she had to put tiny images right on the very edge of the board, so I can’t even overmat it.

I know that it won’t flatten out with pressure and time. Do you think it might bow more once it is in the frame?. Any ideas on how to keep it away from the glass without covering the edge?

 

[JbNormandog]

I had one of these come in on my 3rd day of being open for business, needless to say I didn't want to turn anyone away.

Matting for me also was not an option because of course the huge thing wasn't square.

I told them up front they were going to lose some of the edges, no way around it and used plexi over it instead of glass. It was big and when flexed spacers would have done nothing. Luckily the few people that would be trimmed out were represented elsewhere in the collage mess so it wasn't a total mess.

This may not have been a load of help to you but at least you know your not alone.

Good Luck.

 

[AnneL]

Mount a larger board behind it and then mat to the edges of that with spacers under the mat. Should give you enough room so that noone gets cut off.

 

[McPhoto]

Framinsta -
Use a piece of foamcore the same thickness, and using their "artwork" as a template, cut an opening into the new foamcore and drop it into it (sort of like a modified sink mat) and secure w/ framers tape from the back - this should help stabilize it. If it is really convex, do like AnneL said and add a spacer, then mat & frame as you normally would.

 

[Leslie S.]

Could you possibly build a wooden strainer for the back of the foamcore and attach it with glue under weights? If your shadowbox is deep enough maybe this would work. Customers...gotta love 'em.

 

[Jerry Ervin]

Let me guess how this conversation started.

"What's the cheapest you can frame..."

 

[wpfay]

The fc is bowing because of the moisture added to only one side (glue). Perhaps doing a countermont with water based adhesive on the back of the fc and drying under weight will flatten it out.
You could always ofer them 4 thumbtacks and some saran wrap.

 

[Al E]

In a similar situation I used a shadowbox moulding just deep enough to accomodate the bowing. It looked okay because the piece was an assemblage. I don't know how it would look with your piece.