How to avoid/minimize glare with glazing not "anti-glare" coated?

Nikodeumus

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
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Loc
Comox, BC, Canada
I did a fairly large piece for a customer a few months ago measuring 32"x48".
I went over the pros and cons of the various glazing options (as I do with every customer) and we ended up going with Conservation Clear acrylic because of the size.
He came in today to say that it's currently leaning against the wall on the floor because no matter where he hangs it it glares terribly.

The glazing choice was made with the most budget friendly option (Conservation Clear Acrylic) being a large part of the decision with the light weight and safety of acylic being other important factors.

The customer has found that choice wasn't ideal for where the piece is intended to hang.
He's tried it in different locations. It reflects his windows, or it reflects the TV, etc.

I showed him the cost increase to Optium Acrylic was, far too much.
I showed him the price option of Museum glass, still too much.
Again, this is all info. we discussed months ago when the order came in.

Putting it in another room without the lighting challenges of the chosen room is the simple answer, but he specifically got this piece for a specific placement in his home.

I don't have gallery experience.
So my question is. Are there any hanging/display techniques to minimize glare in other ways?
Would changing the angle it hangs at help?
Would lighting with picture lamps help?
Any other options?
 
To use an old saying: "the customer cannot have her cake and eat it too"

Unlike glass, conservation reflection control acrylic requires specific cleaning methods to avoid fogging or scratching. This may add an extra layer of complexity to its maintenance.
 
As Larry Said, the Conservation Reflection Control Acrylic isn't that much more than the Conservation Clear.

Please feel free to delete or move this information if it is not allowed in this Forum

Assuming that the original price is based on Tru Vue .118 Conservation Clear Acrylic.
Assuming US LJ prices for 1 sheet at 36"x48", or 1/3 of a 48x96 sheet of Acrylic I found the following:
Tru Vue AR Reflection Free Glass is 6% more than the original (less protective)
Tru Vue Conservation Reflection Control Glass is 6% more than the original
Tru Vue Ultra View Glass is 14% more than the original (less protective)
Tru Vue Conservation Reflection Control Acrylic is 21% more than the original
Tru Vue Museum Glass is 68% more than the original
Tru Vue Optium Museum (3 mil) is 475% more the the original

I cannot account for Canadian pricing.
This also doesn't take into account what to do with the original glazing.
 
I've had this problem a few times in the past and it required a house call. About the only thing you can do is trundle out to the customer's home with samples of the various types of glazing if you have them. PITA? Oh, yeah, but it may save you a cycle of pain. Some spots within a given house are just not suitable for artwork, but the customer will not believe you until they see the various choices in situ.

As to what to do with the old glazing should he decide to switch- we always came up with a price that wasn't the full retail for the replacement piece, but still showed us a profit. You have to explain to can't reuse acrylic.
 
Thanks for the suggestions.

Given the particular circumstance of the customer having challenging light sources in the room he wants to hang this piece, I don't think RC will solve the issue of making the art more clearly visible.

RC glazing still obstructs the visibility of the art behind it. In some circumstances that isn't an issue.
But in this case, I'm concerned RC would just make the glare "fuzzy" or "soft". He would have a large white "blob" instead of a "mirror-like" reflection.

I had thought about suggesting he have it coated with a laminate film (But that's not something I do here) and then remove the glass from the frame entirely.

Essentially, he feels he has already paid more than enough for this oversized framing project and doesn't want to add any more expense, but is not satisfied with the finished product as was built to his choices of materials.

In the end, if no other methods become apparent, I think changing to UltraVue glass would be the lowest cost solution to solve this dilemma.
He'll have to compromise somewhere. Less UV protection in exchange for greater visibility, at the lowest cost difference.
I'll have to decide on what to charge so as not to be too disagreeable to the customer, yet still not mean a loss for me.

I'd still like to find out if there are any other solutions.
So...are there any techniques for displaying glazed art to minimize glare without altering the materials currently in use?
Are there any "tricks of the trade" from art shops or gallery runners?
 
I've heard that directing a light at a 30% angle can help to dispell reflections.
Not that lights are great for art, but supposedly, this helps.
 
If the lighting is really that bad, none of the AR/RC products will provide a perfect solution.
A trip to the location is certainly a good idea, and taking samples of the various products to examine how well they work in situ will give you a better idea of what will and won't work.
All of these products work best with oblique light. The closer the light is to perpendicular, the more "noise" you will see.
 
I would assume that adding a picture lamp would only make things worse.

House calls are some thing a lot of framers don't do, but may be beneficial in this case.
This may be a customer who can never be satisfied, and there may not be a problem at all.
If there are any Spot Lights, they could be redirected to mitigate the problem.
Some Lamp Shades, or frosted globes on other lights may also help.
 
I'm going to echo Wally echoing me. Please, please, please don't get sucked into replacing this glazing without showing the customer samples in his home. I've been through this and he is going to want you to replace it with the most expensive alterative at no cost. Even if you put AR or Museum coated glazing, it's not going to be enough. I had so many customers who thought there is some kind of glazing that is both crystal clear and totally non-reflective. We know better from experience. He will not accept that until he sees for himself..
 
A good tool to bring to the customer is graphics of the angles of how light is reflected from the surface of the glazing with respect to the light sources in the specific room. Most know that the reflection optics is a compromise of the surface condition and the intensity of the light source with respect to the ambient light.

I suggest that TV, if they are following this thread, assist us framers with a graphic room layout with the reflection angles of their products. We can thus draw in the position of the framed art and light sources to show the problem with their choice of placement in a room.

This is a crude example I just took off of the internet
1731589743844.webp

1731590142638.webp
 
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