glazing a 4x8 canvas?

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Tommy P

Tommy P

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Nov 16, 2003
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870
Loc
Mid North Indiana
I'm going to the local high school next week to look at some art given to them by a local bank. I remember seeing it hang behind the tellers area. From what I have been told, and can remember when I would see this work, it consists of three 4'x8' stretched canvases with a very thin metal frame around each piece. I believe they will be acrylic....a slight chance on oil.
Because of where they will be hung they will be subject to "wonderful" childrens dirty hands, etc.
They want some type of protection for this work. They are originals and have some considerable value I believe.
It seems to me that 4x8 sheets of uv ( the sun comes in a big window in the afternoon and would make a direct hit) acrylic would be the choice but I see warping and bowing being a problem. Also, should I be worried about "breathability"? This just feels like red flags are going up all over the place.
shrug.gif
Any help is appreciated!
 
Forget about canvases breathing. That is SO last year. Really, all oils and acrylics stopped breathing long ago.

Bowing, on the other hand, is a current and valid concern for a piece of acrylic that size. I would use 1/4" OP-3 and space it away from the canvas. It will be heavy, so make sure the frames have both the depth and the strength to accommodate it.
 
ok here is an easy way to do it, hope it shows up how i type it. use 1/4 op3. Use a floater frame and place the plexi on top of that, tape it down, then use a frame to go over the floater frame. it will be more wood, so it will give it more support. i think at that size it would be ggod to allow the floater frame to be about 1/4 to 3/8 larger than the canvas. just so they dont touch. you may have to use a wider face frame to route out the extra space needed to accomodate the floater frame.
it is real early so hope that made sense.

d
 
:eek: Oooooh! That 1/4" op-3 is gonna cost 'em! But you guys make sense. And what do you think about some sort of dust cover for the back??? Is it really needed? Also this is probably way beyond a "wallbuddies" application........
 
Instead of including the plexi in the framing package, how about suspending it from the ceiling like a shield in front of the art?

Naturally some of the little darlings will try to get behind it. This is your opportunity to offer them an art appreciation lecture. You will have time to do this since you didn't have to spend several days wrestling plexi into the frames.

Kit
 
Would everyone agree that they need to be glazed when they're hanging in a public place?

Just asking. I'm not so sure. Maybe 20-25 coats of varnish would suffice.
 
Why is it that schools always want to hang that valuable stuff out in the hallways where all those grown up curtain climbers can get at them to leave their "mark" for others to see. Graffiti, "autographs", decrees of undying love, all will eventually make their appearance on these works if allowed to be hung in an open area unprotected.

No, Ron, I don't agree that all original canvasses need&nbsp to be glazed for public viewing. Maybe I should rephrase that and say should&nbsp need to be glazed. It is probably the smartest way to protect the surface of the painted canvas but it shouldn't be a requirement if people use any small amount of common sense when near them. Gosh, it doesn't take a rocket guy to know that you don't push on a canvas painting to see how far inwards you can force it or take a magic marker and leave some witty little graffiti on the surface to brag about to others. But it happens all the time.

So, yes, if the school is hellbent on hanging these pieces out where they are exposted to the current generation's whims, I would protect them in some way. I would present a very good case to the superintendant about hanging them in the board/conference room or somewhere in the school's office area rather than out in the hall though.

They are just pleading for a more expensive framing with the full sheets of OP-3 and the special problems that would be present with the added weight and hanging requirements.

The local community college where one of my sons is taking some classes has some originals that they bought and they are displayed in what appears to be a built in corner display case or trophy case area. They have lights in the interior and are secure and make a pleasing presentation for viewing.

Framerguy
 
Framerguy :)
Even rugrats need to be exposed to good art maybe an electronic fence ( high Voltage) would keep them away! That would spark there interest. snicker! snicker!
 
I like Dennis's idea. It would work well. However if the paintings are really a full 4'x8' adding a floater frame would make the plexi larger than that which would add considerably to the expense. Another solution would be to leave the current metal frame on them and use that for a spacer. Another choice is to find a metal frame that is deeper than the canvases and screw through the back channel into the stretchers leaving a gap between the face of the canvas and the rabbet of the frame and use that for a spacer. Another cheaper solution for a spacer is aluminum carpet trim available from any hardware store. It's sort of an L shape with the short side bent at about a 45º angle. You can screw it directly on the stretchers so the short leg is bent inward. Painted black it makes a great spacer without adding much to the size of the canvas.

Good luck....
 
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