Beware: Proper Hanging Hardware

There is more to fine art picture framing than just aesthetics, proportions, and color theory; we are engineers who need to consider how to combat one of art’s great enemies: gravity. A beautifully made frame with matching mat and fillet are not very useful if they end in a pile of glass on the floor.

Here is a great example: A client used the wrong hanging orientation on their artwork, damaging the hanging hardware and risking an accident. The D-Ring hangers were originally mounted vertically for two hooks or for hanging on a picture rail. The later addition of a wire pulled the D-rings towards the center, twisting the metal almost apart. Yikes!

Do you have a question about the best way to hang a heavy piece of art or a mirror? Bring in your piece for a consultation, or send some photos to info@baasframingstudio.com and we’ll be happy to help!

Standard Wire orientation is a must for most framing projects: the gentle angle of the D-ring mimics the direction of the wire while it is hanging on the wall, thus relieving tension in the hook itself. For picture rail hanging systems, the wires must be directed straight up to attach to the picture rail itself.

Here you can see the difference: the D-Ring on the left is normal. The D-Ring on the right was not hung with proper wire orientation and the pressure has pulled the D-Ring out of shape. This can be dangerous if the hook fails all together.

Moral of the Story: when in doubt give us a call or email! We are more than happy to discuss the best options for safely hanging your art. We guarantee all our frames will have the proper hanging hardware and wire orientation. No bent hooks here!

Framing Redesigns: A Collection of Native Arrowheads

This beautiful mount of hand-collected arrowheads was in need of some attention. The initial glue mount of one of the arrowheads in the top left corner failed, leaving the arrowhead free and potentially damaging the other arrowheads around it.

You can see the fallen arrowhead in the left upper corner. The original frame had a fun, native motif but was not conservation-quality; nor was the mat, as the bevel was brown, indicating acid and the associated discoloration.

So our first course of action was to take apart the old frame and reglue the arrowhead to the backing. In this case, the backing was a extremely unique material: real leather hide! The leather was heavy so there were extra precautions taken to ensure that it would not slide around underneath the new matting.

There is wear and tear around the old frame edges, and a few parts where the veneer was pulling back. A new and deeper frame would allow a true shadow-box treatment.

Once the old matting was removed, we found that the leather had discolored under the mat. Instead of hiding this new element under a mat that would produce the same pinched proportions as before, we opened up the design and leaned into the unique extra line.

Here you can see the depth of the new frame, which allowed a shadowbox to be built. The sides of the box were lined in black to give even more dramatic dimension against the grey/brown top mat.

This extra line became a beautiful addition around the arrowheads and acted almost as a second mat. By moving the mat line outwards and adding several more inches of top-mat around the whole design, the piece became lighter, more focused on the arrowheads, and ultimately more inviting to the eye.

The finished piece: a beautiful woodgrain frame with an open shadowbox in shades of tan, black, and soft brown.

The result is a beautifully reframed piece with better dimensions and Optium Museum Acrylic which lets viewers see the fine details of these exquisite arrowheads up close and with more clarity than before: Stunning!

MORE Best of 2023

So many unique framing projects in 2023, we couldn’t stop at just 6! Enjoy an encore of framing masterpieces!

We created a protective clear acrylic box for this antique ceramic statue from China. A linen base and hidden mounting pin complete the elegant and secure presentation for a precious object. Definitely one of our favorite pieces of the year!

Gilded gold frame and velvet liner on an engraved book plate from Davidson Galleries. (Browse their incredible collection to find more gems like this!) Museum Glass and a delicate filet were added to refurbish this vintage presentation.

A leather printing plate in the shape of a dragon was a memento of a client's travels in Indonesia. The heavy leather was sewn to a linen backboard and we used a deep, textured wood frame to create dimension and Museum Glass for crystal clarity.

This wild and wonderful Frank Kozik print in an acid yellow mat and lipstick red "Gaudi" frame from Roma Moulding was a winner! Nothing subtle about it, which is perfectly psychedelic.

We worked with a new client to frame an autographed copy of To Kill A Mockingbird and a facsimile of the title page. A custom Conservation Plexiglas box holds the book securely without tape or glue. Flax linen and a walnut frame complete the look.

Created for the popular Magic: The Gathering card game, this illustration is all about duality and opposing forces. We extended the concept into the framing with a spliced mat and two-tone iridescent metal frame...Magical! Artwork by Kaja Foglio.

Vintage Frame Repair

We are fortunate to have several staff members with talents that go beyond picture framing! Peter worked on this vintage gold frame for several hours to camouflage the extensive damage. He used silicone moulds to replicate some of the missing decoration in key areas. The casts were placed onto the frame, gessoed, and painted gold to match the original tone. A layer of antiquing glaze completed the repair. The frame was then set with a mirror and sturdy hangers were added so that the clients felt confident hanging this heavy piece in their home. 

Vintage frame repair with gesso and gold paint