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Glossary of Art and Framing Terms

Glossary of Art and Framing Terms

Abrasion: A process whereby paint is removed to reveal layers beneath the surface. Usually done via friction or scratches. Can be accidental or deliberate.

Absorbent: term applied to papers that absorb water solutions or other liquids. Examples of absorbent papers are blotting and toweling products. Many mat boards tend to have absorbent properties.

Accelerated perspective: A deliberate exaggeration of perspective. It is often used to make a shallow surface appear deeper than it actually is.

Acid: a chemical substance with a pH less than 7.0. Acids can react with paper products such as photographs causing discoloration and shortening their lifespan.

Acid Burn: a permanent yellow or brown stain on paper art. Acid Burn occurs when artwork is framed with paper materials that are not acid-free.

Acid Etched: in glazing and decorative work, acid etching alters one or both sides of the glass sheet to change its reflective qualities. When the etching is completed, all acids are neutralized and the surfaces are cleaned.

Acid-Free: a term that describes paper materials with a pH of around 7.0. These materials are considered acid-free and are less likely to harm artwork or discolor over time. Paper materials with a pH below 6.5 or above 8.5 are not considered acid-free for the purposes of picture framing.

Acid-Free Paper: paper manufactured such that active acids are not included or are eliminated. A paper that has a neutral pH factor of 6.5 to 7.5 at the time of manufacture. Acid-free paper can be produced from virtually any cellulose fiber source (cotton, wood or others) if measures are taken during manufacturing to eliminate active acid from the pulp. No matter how acid-free a paper may be immediately after manufacture, over time chemicals from processing or pollutants from the air may lead to the formation of acid in the paper. The presence of an alkaline buffer will reduce or eliminate damaging effects of these acids for the duration of the buffer's effectiveness. The most common buffering additive is calcium carbonate. Some acidic materials are chemically neutralized with the addition of alkaline products; other materials are processed to remove the acid.

Acid Migration: the movement of acid from an acidic material to a material of lesser or no acidity.

Acrylic: a clear, industrial plastic used as a substitute for glass in picture framing.

Acrylic Paint: a fast-drying synthetic paint made of pigment suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. Works of art created with acrylic paint that are unvarnished should be framed with glass or acrylic glazing to protect them.

Acrylite®: trade name for high quality conservation grade acrylic glazing.

Actinic Degradation: a type of chemical and physical degradation to artwork resulting from exposure to light rays in the ultraviolet and visible spectrum. Actinic degradation can be slowed by reducing a work of art’s exposure to light and/or using glazing that contains a UV filter.

Adhesive: a bonding agent, such as glue or paste, for joining two materials.

Adhesive Coated Boards: a board with an adhesive coating on one side that may be heat-activated or pressure sensitive.

Adhesive Release: a chemical solvent used to remove artwork from its mounting.

AIC: an acronym for the American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works. This is an organization of conservation professionals dedicated to preserving cultural heritage objects and materials.

Air Space: the space between the art and the glazing in a picture frame.

Albumen Print: a photographic printing process popular from the 1850s to early 1900s that uses an egg white-coated paper support. Albumen prints are fragile and should be framed with unbuffered cotton rag boards.

Allowance: in picture framing, the allowance is the difference between the inside dimension of the frame and the outside dimension of its contents. The allowance is typically an 1/8”, which allows room for the contents to fit comfortably inside the frame.

Alkaline: a substance with a pH greater than 7.0 is considered alkaline. Alkaline substances added to acidic materials will help neutralize the acid.

Alkaline Paper: paper manufactured with sheet alkalinity, most commonly associated with the presence of calcium carbonate filler.

Alpha Cellulose: the purest form of cellulose. Cellulose is the chief constituent of all plants. Cellulose has three chemical forms or classifications: Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. The Alpha form of cellulose has the longest, and therefore the most stable chemical chain, in turn creating the longest and strongest paper-making fibers.

Ambient light: Light that is already present in a scene. This can include either natural or artificial light.

Animation Cel: a transparent sheet onto which images are drawn or painted for traditional animated films.

Anodized: a metallic surface (such as a picture frame) that has been electrolytically coated with a protective or decorative oxide. Anodizing protects the aluminum parts by making the surface much harder than natural aluminum.

ANSI: an acronym for the American National Standards Institute.

Archival: Products designed to meet museum-quality standards for preservation, ensuring that artwork remains in good condition over extended periods.

Archival Components: are framing materials such as mat board, mount board, and acrylic that are designed to help preserve and protect the artwork from the damage and degradation caused by acids, light, and pollution. This includes components made pH neutral or slightly alkaline to help with acidity, those with UV protection to help with light, and those with zeolites to help with pollution.

Artwork Sandwich: the stack of components, ex. mat board, backer board, and glazing.

Artwork Size: the measured size of the actual image, not including borders or paper size. For example: you can have an image with an 8”x 10” artwork size printed on an 8.5”x 11” sheet of paper.

ASTM: an acronym for the American Society for Testing and Materials, a nonprofit organization that develops and publishes technical standards covering procedures for the testing and classification of materials of every sort.

ATG Tape: a name brand for adhesive transfer tape, which is similar to double-sided tape. ATG actually means Adhesive Tape Gun, and ATG tape is dispensed from the Adhesive Tape Gun. Used for photos, framing, matting, crafts and scrapbooking.

Axis lines: A straight line, either implied of visible, that runs through an object in its dominant direction. An axis helps to give structure to an object or composition.

Background: An area of a painting that appears to be furthest from the viewer. Objects in the middle ground and foreground appear closer, as if they are placed on top.

Backing Board: The material placed behind artwork in a frame to protect it and provide structural support. Acid-free backing boards are recommended for preservation.

Balance: The arrangement of elements in a piece of art that creates a sense of visual equilibrium.

Bauhaus: a German art school in the early 1900s that combined crafts and the fine arts. Objects done in the Bauhaus-style tend to feature clean, simple geometric shapes and lack elaborate decorations.

Bead: in framing, a small round form that is used for decorative purposes.

Beveled Edge: when the inside edge of the mat board window is cut to a 45-degree angle. All of Frame Destination's mat board windows are cut with a beveled edge. This allows about 1/16" of the core color to be visible.

Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP): polypropylene that has been biaxially oriented, which causes it to become crystal clear making it an excellent packaging material for artistic and retail products.

Binder: A paint substance which holds together the pigment and ensures that it sticks to surfaces. A binder also gives the paint a uniform consistency.

Bleed: to give up color when in contact with water or a solvent. Undesired movement of materials to the surface or into an adjacent material.

Blending: Blending is a painting technique where the transition between colors and shades appears smooth or gradual.

Blocking in: Painting process where the artist roughly establishes the composition and structure of the subject. It’s a popular technique with portrait artists.

Bloom: dull or cloudy areas on artwork resulting from moisture build-up.

Body color: An opaque paint that can completely obliterate an underlying color.

Bone Folder: a tool made from animal bone that is used to crease tape and paper without causing damage or leaving shiny marks.

Botanical Art: a type of artwork that focuses on accurate depictions of the plant and fungi kingdoms. Botanical art and illustrations are executed in variety of different media including – watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, and pen and ink.

Bottom Mat: the mat board that is closest to the artwork.

Bottom-Weighting: when the bottom border of the mat board is wider than the other borders. The concept of bottom-weighting is based on the fact that the optical center (the place where a viewer's eye spends most of its time) is slightly above the true geometric center in a rectangular region.

Bristol Board: a type of smooth, uncoated, machine-finished paperboard that is used for art and illustrations.

Brushwork: The way in which an artist applies paint to a support with a brush. Used to refer to the characteristics of the artist in question.

Buffered: a process where calcium carbonate or magnesium carbonate is added to mat board to make it more alkaline and therefore more likely to absorb acids and other environmental pollutants.

Buffering Agent: chemical added to regulate the pH of paper. The most common buffering agent is calcium carbonate (CaCO3).

Burl: a type of tree growth that results in wood with a whirled, highly sought-after grain that is used decorative woodworking applications.

Calcium Carbonate: a chemical (CaCO3), occurring in nature as oyster shells, calcite, chalk, limestone, etc. or obtained commercially by chemical precipitation. Calcium carbonate is used as a filler in alkaline paper-making, as coating pigment and as a buffering agent.

Canvas: A heavy-duty fabric surface, often stretched over a frame, used for painting. Common types include cotton and linen.

Canvas Pliers: a pair pliers with elongated jaws used to stretch canvas onto a stretcher frame.

Canvas Floater Frame: a type of custom frame used to display a gallery wrap canvas. This frame allows the entire front surface of the canvas to be visible. Any color applied to the canvas wrapping the sides of the stretcher bars will be somewhat visible in the ‘float’ space.

Canvas Transfer: a print or poster image that has been transferred and fixed to a canvas surface.

Chiaroscuro: From the Italian for ‘light-dark’. Used to refer to a strong contrast between light and dark in drawings and paintings. Often used to create a sense of volume. 

Chop (chopping): the act of cutting a picture frame moulding to a specific length needed for framing.

Cityscape: a genre of art in which the urban environment is the principal subject. Cityscapes, the urban equivalents of landscapes, include street scenes and skylines.

Clip Frame: a framing package without a picture frame. Clip frames are usually two pieces of glass or acrylic clipped together on the edges with the artwork sandwiched inside.

Closed composition: A piece of art where everything sits comfortably inside the borders of the image. 

Cold Mount: a technique for mounting artwork without using heat. Cold mounts are done with spray, wet, and pressure-sensitive adhesives.

Collage: From the French verb coller, meaning ‘to glue’. Used to refer to the technique and resulting piece of art where materials are fixed to a supporting surface with glue or another substance. 

Color (Color): The perceived hue of an object or substance. Also used to refer to a dye, pigment, or paint that imparts a hue. 

Color wheel: A circular diagram of the spectrum of colors. Useful for artists because it shows how the relationships between primary, secondary and tertiary colors.

Combine: A painting that works various objects into the surface material.

Complementary colors: A pair of colors which cancel each other out when mixed together. They are situated opposite one another on the color wheel.

Components: a term used to describe the contents of a picture frame and includes mat board, glazing and/or mount board. 

Composition: The arrangement of visual elements as distinct from the subject in a piece of art. It means ‘putting together’ and can be used in visual arts as well as music, writing and photography.

Conservation Framing: a type of framing that keeps the artwork as unaltered as possible while using materials which minimize the artwork’s deterioration by environmental factors.

Conservation Grade Framing Materials: materials such as mat board, mount board, glass and acrylic that are designed to minimize the artwork’s deterioration by environmental factors. An example of a conservation grade framing material is Bainbridge’s Artcare™ 4-Ply Alphamat.

Conservator: a professional who specializes in the restoration and conservation of artifacts such as photographs, artwork, and documents. Conservators examine artifacts, determine their condition, suggest methods for treating them and recommend preventive conservation techniques to their owners.

Contour: From the French for ‘outline’, this refers to the technique where an artist draws a line that defines a form or edge. As its word origin suggests, it creates an outline of the subject.

Convergence: Refers to linear perspective in a drawing or painting. It’s the phenomena whereby all parallel lines converge together as they run along to a point at a person’s eye level.

Cooltack: A type of dry mounting adhesive that can be reversible. Used for temporary or less invasive mounting of art.

Core: in matboard, the central or innermost part; the material between the face paper and the backing paper. Less expensive paper mats may have a cream color core; some mats have a white or black core; high end rag mats have a core the same as the top and bottom.

Cotton Rag Paper: a high-quality paper made from cotton fibers. It is primarily used for art, important documents, and money. Cotton rag paper holds pigments and inks better than wood-based papers.

Crazing: tiny, hair-like cracks on the surface of an acrylic sheet resulting from high internal stress. The effect results from chemical exposure in combination with mechanical forces or impact.

Cross-hatching: A mark-making process where lines that run in different directions are layered on top of each other to provide the illusion of shade.

D-ring: a picture hanging device. Two d-rings are needed to hang a picture, one on each side. The hangers are normally positioned 1/3 of the way down the from the top of the frame. A screw driver is used to tighten the set screw and the hanging wire is threaded through the eyelet.

Depth: The apparent distance from the foreground to background, or near to far, in a work of art.

Diptych: A piece of art, usually a painting, made on two panels that are traditionally attached by a hinge.

Distressed Finish: a type of decorative painting technique where the result is an aged appearance.

Doodle: A loose, fun drawing that often has little regard for accuracy. Usually completed while the artist’s attention is elsewhere. 

Double Mat: consists of two (2) mat boards (top and bottom). The window (opening) of the bottom mat surrounds the image. The top mat covers the bottom mat. It has a larger window, which allows a small border of the bottom mat, called the reveal, to be shown.

Dry-Mounting: the application of artwork to a substrate, such as foam core, using heat-activated adhesives in a heat press.

Dust Cover: a liner paper adhered to the back of a frame. The dust cover keeps dust and insects out of the frame package. It also helps reduce fluctuations in humidity, limits the infiltration of environmental gases, and gives your framed artwork a professional look.

Easel Back: frame with a backing board containing a folding leg so it can stand on a table without additional support.

Elevation: A drawing of the front, side and rear of a structure. Usually used in architecture and scale drawings.

Ephemera: items, normally made of paper, created for a specific, limited purpose. Some examples of ephemera include advertisements, tickets, brochures and receipts. People often collect ephemera because of their association with a person, place, event or subject.

Erasability: in matting, the ability of a surface to withstand the removal of light pencil lines with a rubber or gum eraser.

Fading: a gradual change in the color of a paper due to the changes produced by light.

Figure drawing: The depiction of the human body in art.

Fillet: also called enhancers or slips, fillets are thin, decorative pieces of picture frame moulding. Fillets are often placed inside a larger frame or in between mat boards.

Finger-Jointed Wood: many picture frame mouldings are made with finger-jointed wood. Finger-jointing is a process where short lengths of timber are bonded together to produce longer lengths. Finger-jointing reduces wood waste by utilizing shorts to create a dimensionally stable and environmentally friendly product.

Fixative: a solution that is sprayed on charcoal or pastel art to help bind loose particles to the support.

Flat File: a cabinet specifically designed for flat items such as drawings, prints, maps and large documents.

Flat Head Screwdriver: a screwdriver that is designed to fit into slotted screws.

Float Mount: a mounting technique where the edges of the artwork are left uncovered by a mat board. With this application the artwork appears to be floating within the frame or mat board window. Artwork can also be float-mounted on a piece of black or white foam core without a mat.

Floater Frame: A type of frame that leaves space around the edges of a canvas, creating a “floating” effect. It provides airflow, making it ideal for oil and acrylic paintings.

Foam Core: the board on which artwork is mounted upon inside of a picture frame. Foamcore mount board is a light, but stiff material that is commonly available in white and black. Acid-free varieties are available for conservation framing.

Focal point: The area of a piece of art that is designed to draw the viewer’s attention.

Foreground: Visual elements in a drawing or painting that are positioned nearest to the viewer in terms of depth. These elements appear on top of the middle ground and background.

Foreshortening: A technique used in perspective drawing to create the illusion that an object, usually parts of the human body, recede strongly into the distance or background.

Foxing: spots and brown discolorations that occur on paper as part of age-related deterioration.

Framer’s Tape: Acid-free tape used for mounting and securing artwork within a frame. Helps protect the artwork from movement and environmental damage.

Frottage: A technique where textures are obtained by rubbing pencils, chalk or charcoal over a granular or relief-like surface.

Gallery Wrap: a modern style of displaying art in which a canvas is stretched so that it wraps around the sides of a thick wooden frame and is secured to the back of the frame. It is suitable for displaying without a picture frame or can be mounted in a Canvas Floater Frame.

Gatorfoam: a heavy-duty, extruded polystyrene foam board bonded between two layers of Luxcell® wood-fiber veneer. Also known as Gatorboard, Gatorfoam comes in sizes ranging from 3/16" - 2" thick.

Gesso: traditionally a mixture of animal glue binder, chalk, and white pigment used as primer coat on wood panels, canvas, and sculpture. Modern gesso may be acrylic or soy-based and comes in a variety of colors.

Giclée: a high-quality fine art print created with an inkjet printer.

Glare: bright and dazzling reflected light.

Glass: a type of glazing used in picture framing. Glass is commonly composed of sodium carbonate, lime and silica (sand).

Glassine: A smooth, glossy, acid-free paper often used to protect artwork in storage or transit. It prevents smudging without sticking to the surface. It is resistant to air, water, and grease. Can be used to temporarily protect artwork.

Geometric: A piece of art made out of geometric shapes.

Gesture: A quick drawing that captures the most basic elements of the subject.

Glazing: the generic term for the glass or acrylic used to cover and protect artwork in a picture frame.

Glue: adhesive of animal origin, composed of complex protein structures. In modern usage, the terms, "glue" and "adhesive" are used interchangeably and may also include petrochemical adhesives.

Gold Leaf: gold that has been hammered into very thin sheets, suitable for decorative applications such as gilding.

Gouache Paint: a water-soluble paint consisting of pigment, water, and a binding agent such as gum arabic. Also known as opaque watercolor. Dries quickly and can be reactivated when mixed with water.

Graphic Arts: art based on the use of line and tone such as drawing and printmaking.

Hanging Kit: contains the components necessary to hang an assembled picture frame. A wood frame hanging kit will contain screw hole hangers with screws, hanging wire and protective wall bumpers. A metal frame hanging kit will contain D-ring hangers for attaching the wire to the frame, hanging wire, and protective wall bumpers.

Hardboard: A uniform and stable surface for painting. It doesn’t have a grain which makes it easier to prime.

Hard-edge: A painting technique where the transitions between colors are abrupt. The opposite of blending.

Hardware: the hangers, brackets, screw eyes and other materials used to assemble a metal picture frame.

Hinging: a term for adhering the components of a picture frame together including: hinging the mat board to the mount board, hinging the picture to the mat board, or hinging the picture to the mount board.

Horizon line: A horizontal line that runs across a page or canvas that represents the viewer’s eye-level, or to represent where the sky meets the ground.

Hot Pressed Paper: A type of watercolor paper with a smooth surface, often chosen for fine detail work. It absorbs water differently than textured cold-pressed paper, resulting in less warping.

Hue: The actual color of something. Often referred to as a color, but hue is more technically correct.

Illusion: When a piece of art tricks the eye into perceiving a particular effect.

Image Size: the horizontal and vertical dimensions of an image, not including any surrounding support or paper.

Impasto: A painting technique where paints are laid down on the support in very thick layers. Often, brush marks or palette strokes are still visible.

Infrared Energy: is located below the color red on the light spectrum. Infrared energy exists in sunlight and tungsten. It heats artwork, which can dry it out prematurely and accelerate decay. Keeping artwork out of direct light in cooler areas can help reduce damage from infrared energy.

Invasive Mounting: saturates the art during bonding and residue will still remain after removal. Examples of invasive mounting techniques are spray adhesives and commercial wet glues.

Japanese Paper: a high-quality paper made from fibers of the mulberry tree. Japanese paper makes great hinges because it is strong without being bulky and does not discolor or weaken with age.

Landscape: a genre of art in which the natural outdoor environment is the main subject, using natural features as the basis of the composition.

Landscape Orientation: a layout that is wider than it is high.

Lignin: an organic substance found in all vascular plants. Papers containing lignin give off acids as they deteriorate which can damage art. Archival matboards and papers are lignin-free to avoid this issue.

Line drawing: A fundamental type of mark making made up of a stroke of a pencil, pen or a brush. Consists of straight or curved lines. Used to represent shape and form. Linear perspective: A technique where the illusion of depth is created on a flat surface.

Linen: a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen fabric is one of the preferred traditional supports for oil painting, it is preferred to cotton for its strength, durability and archival integrity.

Mat Board: A thick, protective layer between the artwork and the frame or glass. It creates a border around the artwork and comes in many different colors and styles to enhance presentation and protect the art.

Medium: The materials that are used to create a piece of art.

Microfiber: a term that refers to synthetic fibers that measure less than one denier. (A denier is a measure of linear density used to describe the size of a fiber or filament.) Microfiber is used to make non-woven, woven and knitted textiles, such as Microfiber Smooth Towel and Microfiber Terry Cloth. The shape, size and combinations of synthetic fibers are selected for specific characteristics, including softness, durability, absorption, wicking abilities, water repellency, electrodynamics, and filtering capabilities.

Microclimate: a self-contained environment within a larger environmental system. A framed piece of artwork is considered a microclimate.

Middle ground: The central elements of a painting in terms of depth. Sandwiched between the foreground and background.

Miter Saw: a saw designed to make angled cuts for frame moulding and other woodworking applications.

Mixed media: A piece of art made up of multiple mediums.

Monochrome: A painting created using only one color or hue.

Moulding: the material (either wood or metal) of the picture frame. Moulding can be very ornate and decorative, or it can be very simple.

Mount Board: the board on which artwork is mounted upon inside of a picture frame. Foamcore mount board is a light, but stiff material that is commonly available in white and black. Acid-free varieties are available for conservation framing.

Mounting: the act of attaching artwork to the mat board, mount board, backer or display board. Common mounting methods include hinging, dry mounting, using archival photo corners, and mounting strips.

Multi-Opening Mat Board: a mat board with more than one window opening. Multi-opening mat boards are often used for photo collage projects.

Museum-Grade: The highest standard of materials, such as matboards and glass, designed to preserve artwork in its original condition indefinitely.

Negative space: The empty space between objects and structures in a piece of art. Can be used by artists to more accurately define the form of the subject.

Non-Glare Acrylic: acrylic with a matte finish etched on one side to reduce glare from lighting. It is optically pure (no tint), and may cause a slight loss in sharpness. Frame Destination sells 1/10" (.098) framing grade Non-Glare acrylic. When framing with non-glare acrylic remember that the matte side goes away from the artwork.

Non-Glare Glass: A glass option with an anti-reflective coating that minimizes reflections, providing a clearer view of the artwork without distracting glare.

Non-Invasive Mounting: means the bonding technique remains totally reversible allowing the art to be returned to its original state without any adhesive residue remaining upon removal. Examples of non-invasive mounting techniques are: hinges, edge strips, natural starch, and corner pockets.

Offset Clip: z-shaped metal plate with pre-drilled screw holes used to adhere a canvas to a canvas floater frame.

Oil Paint: type of paint consisting of colored pigments suspended in a binder such as linseed oil. Traditional oil paint must be thinned with a solvent and has a long drying time.

Oil Sink: A phenomenon in oil paintings where the paint loses its vibrancy due to oil absorption into the surface. Proper priming can prevent this.

Optical Brightening Agent (OBA): a dye that absorbs light in the ultraviolet and violet region of the electromagnetic spectrum. OBAs are used in many papers, especially high brightness papers, resulting in their strongly fluorescent appearance under UV illumination.

Optical Center: the point approximately ten percent above the true geometric center of a two-dimensional object.

Outgassing: the release of gases from a material.

Overlap: a term that refers to how much of the artwork will be covered by the mat board. A standard mat window opening overlaps anywhere from 1/8" – 1/4" of the artwork.

Paint: Colored substance which is spread over a support with tools including a brush and palette. Made up of pigment and binder.

Palette: A surface on which an artist mixes colors.

Palette knife: A blunt plastic or metal blade which is used to mix colors and spread them on a support.

Panorama: a picture that depicts a wide, horizontal view, particularly a landscape. Panoramas are significantly longer in the horizontal dimension than the vertical dimension.

Pantone Color Guide: a standardized color matching system used by artists, designers, printers, manufacturers, marketers, and clients in all industries worldwide for accurate color identification, design specification, quality control, and communication.

Paper: a material made of cellulose pulp, derived mainly from wood, rags, and certain grasses, processed into flexible sheets or rolls by deposit from an aqueous suspension, and used chiefly for writing, printing, and drawing.

Pastel: an art medium in the form of a stick, pencil or disc that is used for drawing onto a surface. Pastels are made of pure powdered pigments and binder. Pastels come in many different forms including hard, soft, pan, oil, and water-soluble.

Perspective: A technique for creating the illusion of three dimensions on a two-dimensional surface. A crucial method to master for drawing realistic pictures.

pH Scale: a logarithmic scale that measures how acidic or basic a substance is. The pH scale ranges from 0 (acid) to 14 (alkaline); the neutral point is 7.

Phillips Screwdriver: a screwdriver that is designed to fit into Phillips head screws (cross-shaped screws).

Photo Activity Test (PAT): this is an international standard test (ISO18916) developed by the Image Permanence Institute that evaluates photo storage and display products. For more information about the PAT, visit the Image Permanence Institute.

Picture Frame: provides an attractive border and functions as a structural support for the artwork.

Picture Frame Size: this refers to the size of matted/mounted artwork. Framers will cut the picture frame moulding approximately 1/16" – 1/8" larger to accommodate the matted/mounted artwork and the glazing. Occasionally, this can refer to the outside frame size, which is the exterior dimension of the frame with the moulding. Galleries will often ask for this dimension because they need to know how much wall space to allow for in an exhibition.

Pigment: The coloring component of art mediums such as paint and pastels, as opposed to the binding agent.

Plane: A flat surface within a painting, picture or sculpture. Also used to refer to the flat surface on which a picture is created.

Plein Air Picture Frame: "en plein air" is a French term that translates to "in the open air". In the art world it is used to describe the acting of painting outdoors. Plein air painting is often associated with the Impressionist art movement. A plein air frame is usually a wide flat moulding with a raised and rounded top edge. Plein air frames are ideal for canvas art.

Plexiglas®: a brand of conservation grade acrylic glazing.

Ply: a ply (plural - plies) is a layer within a mat board. High quality mat boards are manufactured in plies, dyed for color and laminated together. Mat board comes in 2-ply, 4-ply, 6-ply and 8-ply. Standard mat board is 4-ply and is 1/16" thick. Some mat board is not manufactured with separate plies, but will often be referred to as 4-ply to give a relative indication of the approximate thickness.

Point Driver: a hand-held device that fires points with pneumatic-like force into a picture frame. To operate, press the nose of point driver against the rabbet and squeeze the handle. For the most accuracy, make sure the bottom of the point driver is flat against the surface of your table.

Point Squeezer: a vicing tool that squeezes the point into the rabbet. Point squeezers have an adjustable magnetic anvil that holds the point in place while squeezing. The opposing jaw is fitted over the frame, then the handle is squeezed, closing the jaws and pressing the point into the rabbet. This is also known as a Frame Fitting Tool.

Points: thin metal tabs used to hold the mat, mount board and/or glazing inside of wood picture frames. Some points are stiff while others are flexible to allow access into the frame.

Polypropylene (PP): a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications including packaging, textiles, plastic parts and reusable containers of various types. We sell photo corners made of 100% safe polypropylene for mounting images on mat board or foam core and polypropylene ClearBags for protecting and storing artwork and photographs.

Portrait: a depiction of an individual's likeness. Portrait styles include: head-and-shoulders, bust, three-quarters and full-length.

Portrait Orientation: a layout that is taller than it is wide.

Pose: The position of the subject in a piece of art. Often in reference to the stance of a human model.

Poster: a printed illustration that is usually mass-produced and intended to be framed and hung as decoration.

Preservation Framing: The Library of Congress Preservation Guidelines for Matting and Framing defines preservation framing as the appropriate housing to display the intrinsic beauty and interest of an object while prolonging its life by securing the object in a mechanically and chemically stable environment."

Pressure-Sensitive Mounting: the application of bonding artwork to a substrate, such as foam core, using an adhesive that activates when pressure is applied.

Profile: a term describing how picture frame moulding looks when viewed from one end. A picture frame moulding’s profile includes its height, width, contour and rabbet.

Profile: A side view of a subject, usually the human head.

Proportion: The harmonious relationship of parts to each other or to the whole.

PVA Glue (Polyvinyl Acetate): An acid-free adhesive commonly used in bookbinding and paper conservation. It’s flexible, clear-drying, and non-yellowing, making it suitable for archival purposes.

Rabbet: the inner lip or groove of the picture frame, which holds the frame’s components, including the glazing, mat(s), artwork and backing.

Rabbet Depth: the height or depth of rabbet. This measurement tells you how much room you have inside for the frame’s components.

Rabbet Width: the width of the underside of the lip of the frame’s moulding.

Rag Board: matboard from non-wood products such as cotton linters, or cotton which are naturally lignin-free, stable and durable. Our rag board is Bainbridge AlphaRag Mat Board.

Ready-Made Frame: a picture frame package that includes everything needed to frame and hang an image including the frame, backer board, glazing, a hanging kit, and/or mat board.

Removable Tape: a pressure-sensitive tape containing a low-tack adhesive for easy removal from artwork.

Removable Varnish: A varnish that can be removed from artwork without damaging the paint layers beneath. Ideal for future conservation and restoration needs.

Representation: The visual interpretation of a subject.

Reveal: a term used to describe the small bottom or middle mat border left visible in a double or triple mat application.

Reverse Bevel: a reverse-bevel cut positions the bevel inside of the mat window so that it is not visible. It gives a straight edge to the mat window.

Reversibility: describes the ability to undo a framing or mounting treatment, returning the object to the condition it was in before treatment.

Rice Starch Paste: a museum quality adhesive made from rice.

Riser: the amount of distance between the top edge of the stretcher bar and the broad flat top of the stretcher bar. The riser determines how much distance you will have between the canvas and the top face of the stretcher bar.

Sawtooth Hangers: small metal bars with a serrated (sawtooth) edge that are used in place of hanging wire. Sawtooth hangers are best for lighter weight picture frames.

Scale: The ratio between the size of the subject and its artistic representation.

Scratchboard: a clay-coated substrate finished with India ink. The artist scratches through the ink with a sharp tool to reveal the white layer and create dramatic black and white drawings.

Screw Eyes: screws with a loop at the end. They are used to attach hanging wire to the back of a wooden picture frame.

Sectional Frames: typically sold in pairs of equal length, sectional frames are available in both wood and metal.

Security Hangers: a display hanging system that prevents framed artwork from being removed from the wall. Most often used by museums, some security hangers feature a key for the highest security level.

Sfumato: From the Italian for ‘smoke’. A painting technique that softens the transition between two colors and tones in such a way that they appear to melt into one another.

Shade: In color theory, shade is a pure color with black added (and not white or grey).

Shadow Box Frame: a deep frame with glass or acrylic in front traditionally used to display personal mementos such as military medals, antique jewelry, old coins, sports memorabilia and children’s toys. It provides space between the glass and the artwork, often used for pieces with three-dimensional elements or textures.

Sight Measurement: the dimensions of a frame measured from the inside edge of the frame’s lip.

Silver Leaf: silver that has been beaten into very thin sheets, suitable for decorative applications.

Single Mat: one (1) mat whose window (opening) surrounds the image.

Sketch: A rough or unfinished drawing or painting of a subject. Usually completed to aid the creation of a more thorough study.

Soft edge: When the boundaries of a subject in a painting appear to fade into the background. The opposite of a hard edge.

Southern Pine: a wood used to make picture frame moulding. The name refers to those species whose major range is in the United States south of the Mason-Dixon line and east of the Great Plains. There are four principle species that make up 90% of the Southern Pine timber – Loblolly (P. taeda), Shortleaf (P. echninata), Longleaf (P. palustris), and Slash (P. elliotii).

Spacer: holds the artwork away from the surface of the glazing. Spacers can be made of plastic, wood, mat board or foam core.

Spandrel: a rectangular frame with an oval opening.

Spray Mounting: the application of artwork to a substrate using glues applied with aerosol sprays.

Spring Clips: dome-shaped metal strips that hold the contents of a metal frame in place.

Standard Acrylic: acrylic with no coatings, finish, or tint. It is translucent and optically pure. Frame Destination sells 1/10" (.098) framing grade acrylic.

Stretched Canvas: a canvas that has been mounted onto a stretcher bar support framework in preparation for framing or hanging.

Stretcher Bar Frame: a type of heavy wooden frame designed for a canvas to be wrapped and secured around it.

Stretcher Bars: the four (4) pieces of wood material that make up a stretcher bar frame.

Still life: An artistic study, either a drawing or painting, of either natural or man-made objects, or both.

Stylized: The representation of a subject that conforms to the rules of a certain style, as opposed to a natural depiction.

Subject: The primary focus of a piece of art, such as a building, human or object.

T-Hinge: a method for attaching artwork to the mount board. The top of the artwork is adhered while the bottom hangs free. Used when the mat board will be covering the edge of the artwork.

Tempera Paint: A paint in which the pigment is held in a water-soluble binder also known as egg tempera, is a type of fast-drying paint composed of colored pigments mixed with egg yolks. Also used to refer to a painting completed in this medium.

Textile: an artwork made from plant, animal, or synthetic fibers.

Tint: When white is introduced to a color to make it appear brighter. The opposite of shade.

Tone: The intensity and strength of colors in a piece of art.

Tooth: a characteristic of the grain in the surface of various paper, especially drawing papers, handmade papers, and other papers of low finish. A patterned roughness in the form of minute depressions between fibers or groups of fibers on the surface. Tooth can be produced on the paper machine during forming or pressing.

Triple Mat: consists of three (3) mat boards (top, middle and bottom). The window (opening) of the bottom mat surrounds the image. The middle mat covers the bottom mat and it has a larger window which allows a small border of the bottom mat, called the reveal, to be shown. The top mat covers the middle and bottom mats, and it has an even larger window which allows a small border, also called the reveal, of both lower mats to be shown.

Triptych: A painting completed on three separate panels, or three paintings on different supports that are thematically linked. Triptychs often portray a narrative or depict variations on a theme.

Ultraviolet (UV) Energy: an invisible portion of the light spectrum. Ultraviolet energy fades artwork and causes paper to become yellow and/or brittle. Using ultraviolet-filtering glazing helps minimize potential UV damage to artwork. ISO 18902, the ISO standard for framing display photos, recommends using glazing that blocks at least 97% of UV energy. Frame Destination sells UV-filter acrylic and UV/Non-glare acrylic with 99% UV protection.

UV-Filter Acrylic: acrylic with a UV-filter that will block most ultraviolet radiation. It has a slight yellow tint, which may create a warming effect on the artwork. Frame Destination sells 1/10" (.098) conservation grade UV-Filter with 98% UV protection.

UV-Protective Glass: framing glass with a UV coating on one side that will block up to 99% of ultraviolet radiation, helping to prevent fading and discoloration in artwork..

UV/Non-Glare Acrylic: acrylic that blocks ultraviolet radiation and has a matte finish etched on one side to reduce glare from lighting. Frame Destination sells 1/10" (.098) conservation grade UV/Non-Glare with 98% UV protection and non-glare matte surface. When framing with non-glare acrylic remember that the matte side goes away from the artwork.

V-Groove: a type of matboard cut where a thin line is cut around the top mat’s window opening. The v-groove exposes the matboard’s inner core color. It’s a purely decorative cut done for the sole purpose of generating extra focus on the artwork.

V-Hinge: a method for attaching artwork to the mount board. Similar to the T-hinge except it is used when the mat board will not be covering the edge of the artwork.

V-nail: metal flanges that holds the mitered joints of picture frames together.

Value: The relative lightness or darkness of color. The highest value will be white, and the lowest value will be black. Vantage point: The position of the viewer in relation to the subject they are representing. Vanishing point: A point of disappearance in perspective drawings. At this point, receding parallel lines appear to converge. Varnish: A clear coating applied to paintings to protect the surface from dust, dirt, and UV light. Varnishes come in matte, satin, and gloss finishes.

Velcro®: a registered trademark name for a type of woven nylon hood and loop fastener.

Vellum: a term that refers to (1) a mat board with a smooth, texture-free surface. (2) a type of smooth-surfaced animal skin used for writing, bookbinding, and painting.

Veneer: a decorative overlay applied to a wood frame’s inner core.

Volume: The representation of mass in a piece of art.

Wall Bumpers: small, felt-covered or soft rubbery plastic adhesive-backed disks that provide a cushion between the frame and the wall. Bumpers also help the frame hang flat against the wall.

Water White Glass: a type of low-iron, scratch-resistant framing glass that provides optimum clarity of the image.

Watercolor: Art medium where the pigment is held in a water-soluble solution. Also used to refer to pictures completed with these substances.

Watercolor Block: A pad of watercolor paper glued on all four sides, holding the paper flat while painting to reduce warping. Sheets are removed individually with a palette knife.

Weight (Paper): also known as basis weight and/or grammage, it is the area density of a paper product.

Wet-Mounting: the application of bonding artwork to a substrate, such as foam core, using wet glues and pastes with a press or weight.

Wheat Starch Paste: a special type of glue made from wheat starch powder and water that is used for adhering paper.

Window: also known as the exact mat opening, the window is the opening cut in a mat board through which the image can be viewed. The average ready-made, retail store frame for an 8" x 10" image will have a window of 7-1/2" x 9-1/2", which allows the mat to overlap the image by 1/4" on all 4 sides. Custom frame shops will typically cut a window for an 8" x 10" image at 7-3/4" x 9-3/4" so that less of the image is covered.

Zeolites: aluminosilicate substances added to mat board that help it absorb harmful environmental pollutants.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms 
Museum of Modern Art - Art Terms
Tate Museum, Great Britain, Art Terms

Zillman Art Museum, University of Maine