framing

• Introduction
• Shelving
• Frame Design
• Museum Standards
• Protective Glazing
• Lightboxes
• Plinths & Display Boxes

Protective picture glazing is an absolutely vital element of modern museum quality framing. There are numerous art glazing options available including low glare glass and ultra violet light protection, and our London frame design team will recommend the best type of fine art picture glazing for your specific needs.

Ultra Violet light Protection
Many artworks brought to John Jones for conservation and reframing have been damaged by ultra violet light – both from natural and artificial sources. This occurs subtly over time and is often difficult to notice at first. The symptoms include faded colours, yellowing, bleaching of paper fibres and the darkening of certain pigments. Without protective glazing, paper and other base materials can also become brittle and degrade. The effects are cumulative and lasting.
Since ultra violet rays are present in both natural and artificial light, it is not enough simply to move your frame away from direct sunlight. We recommend conservation picture glazing with a UV filter of 99%, particularly for watercolours, historical pieces and other delicate works.

Low glare
Certain types of fine art and photography picture glazing can also cut down on glare and reflection. Modern coated artwork glazing, when lit properly, has a virtually undetectable glare. Current technology also ensures a high standard of art glazing without the green tint of other frame glass.

Perspex
When glazing large artworks, and those that are to be shipped in their frames, it is prudent to use Perspex glazing with UV filtration. This is a much lighter form of fine art picture glazing and is therefore much easier to move around. It also protects the art from becoming damaged if the frame glazing breaks during transit.

Additional benefits
We also provide scratch resistant protective glazing that prevents the build-up of static; the latter is particularly important with loose pigments such as charcoal, chalk or pastels. One of the latest developments is a clear water white laminated artwork glass that not only filters UV rays, but is also a shatterproof low glare frame glass.

There are many different varieties of protective glazing available. For more information, schedule an appointment with one of our art glazing consultants, who will talk you through the options and select the best picture glazing solution for your individual artwork.