RE: Dry-mounting gum prints & gatorboard

Gatorboard has been around a long time. It is substantially harder than
Foam Core, but also much less forgiving. If you have the slightest particle
under the board it will show through with many types of images. Foam core
was mainly used as a substrate for posters and low end product when I worked
in the Frame shop back in Oakland. We didn't have any acid free foam core
back then. Foam Core, gator board, and matte board all come in various
thicknesses and quality. And don't forget about the glass and it's
qualities. Acid free foam core is cream and white. Museum board and Foam
core can both be helped if you imbed something in them as long as it is not
too big.

You also need to consider the type of tissue used to mount your work. Just
because it can be unmounted, does not mean that it is OK to use. It
behooves anyone that does not know a good framer, to go out and buy one
lunch and discuss the products that you use and that they use. Inkjet
images can require different handling than silver images, and those of
cyanotype from platinum. Know your medium.

I can't remember the last time I had someone else frame my work for a show.
And once I sell an unframed image, I can't assure that it will get treated
right but I do talk to my buyers about proper framing techniques.

EJ Neilsen

Eric Neilsen Photography
4101 Commerce Street, Suite 9
Dallas, TX 75226
214-827-8301
http://ericneilsenphotography.com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: kris [mailto:kris@eq-photo.com]
> Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2005 8:27 AM
> To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
> Subject: Re: Dry-mounting gum prints & gatorboard
>
> there's a slightly more expensive but MUCH more durable foam core-like
> substrate called gatorboard (i believe).
> most mounting shops have it, and the nice thing is it has a white OR
> black core to it... unless things have changed, i believe foamcore is
> only white (and you have to tape up the edges if you want anything
> else... uck!)
>
> ok, there are two other nice things about it: it's light (the same as
> foamcore, i think), and you can pretty much step on it without so much
> as a ding (tho i wouldn't recommend it)....
>
> anyone else used the stuff?
> kris
>
>
> Christina Z. Anderson wrote:
> > Boy, Eric, I, too, have had a snafu with a frame shop as Katharine did.
> > I picked up a $400 order that had to go out to a show overnight, and the
> > frame shop had chosen the cream colored mat board I had indicated, but
> > switched it to a BUMPY cream colored non archival one, that ugly
> > son-of-a-gun stuff that looks like it came from Walmart. I could not do
> > anything about it because I was under a time crunch, so I let it go, but
> > never again. Now I communicate. Plus I switched shops. AND had to
> > remount all the prints when they were returned from the show. It was an
> > expensive lesson.
> >
> > I personally do not mount on foam core, but on archival mat board, the
> same
> > as is on the front of my print as a window mat. But foam core nowadays
> is
> > acid free so they say, and is considerered archival so they say, too.
> >
> > The problem with foam core is it dings easily, and it looks cheapish
> (not
> > from the front, which is hidden). Plus it adds a lot of extra depth
> when
> > you have to store the images in archival boxes. I usually mount on the
> > archival mat board and then use a layer of foam core in the back of the
> > frame for added thickness, and when I unframe them the foam core is
> easily
> > put in another box and/or replaced.
> > Chris
> >
> > From: "Eric Neilsen" <e.neilsen@worldnet.att.net>
> >
> >> Here is a novel idea, tell them what to do. You should not let a
> >> frame shop
> >> do something for you, you should expect them to follow your
> instructions.
> >> If they change the order; they redo it and pay for any damage to your
> art
> >> work as a result of their failure to do as requested. Just like the
> >> correct
> >> viewing detail, it is up to the artist to know what to do with their
> >> work to
> >> get it framed. You can't rely on someone else to know what your work
> >> requires. If you discuss your type of art work with them, you should
> >> be able
> >> to tell if they know what they are doing. After all you should, it is
> >> your
> >> work on the line.
> >>
> >
> >
> >
Received on Thu May 5 08:23:58 2005