I'm Lovin': Amazing LEGO Birds

I found these amazing LEGO birds on the Colossal website today. They're designed and constructed by Thomas Poulsom. The open wings are amazing. And don't you just love that hanging box of rennet?

If you love these birds too, head on over to the LEGO website and show Thomas some lovin' support.

Let's Frame Something: Finishing

Well, miraculously, we've made it to the final day of this week-long tutorial. Today we're going to be talking about the final steps needed to finish framing your piece so you can hang it on the wall. Yippee!

Here's a list of basic supplies you'll need:
backing board with mat board and artwork attached (hinged, dry mounted or other attachment method)
glass or plexiglass (cut to size)
frame
point driver (if your frame doesn't have metal tabs on the back of it.)
ATG double-sided tape (and tape gun, if you have one. If not, don't worry)
craft paper (for dust cover)
hangers with screws
hanging wire
bumpers (optional)

Putting Everything Into The Frame
Now we need to take our picture sandwich and pop it into the frame.

I custom ordered my frame online from here. It's a solid maple frame that they built to my specified dimensions (13 5/8" by 13 5/8"). You may notice it came with little black metal tabs on the back. These are bent down over the backing board to hold everything in place.

Here's a close up of the back side of the frame, with one of the tabs bent down.

Some frames (particularly custom ones) don't come with those tabs. It's times like these when you need a point driver. Designed to fire little metal points into the side of your frame, a point driver is a super useful tool to have on hand when custom framing.

Okay, it's time to load your picture sandwich into the frame. Pick up your stack of backing board, artwork, mat, and glass and carefully pinch it together with one hand (like holding a book). While tipping the back of the frame towards it, line up one side of your stack with the back of the frame.

This can be a bit like a Laurel and Hardy show and sometimes it's easier to load the glass into the frame first and then everything else because the glass tends to catch on those little metal tabs on the frame (one negative of having them). You should have seen me trying to set up the sequence of shots for this step. Imagine me trying to prop up the frame with one hand and slide the glass in with the other. As I was doing this, the frame was so slippery, it started to slide across the table, almost pushing my artwork onto the floor which caused me to start flailing around (the logical choice in any situation like this) trying to simultaneously stop the frame from sliding and catch the artwork with the other. Unfortunately, the hand trying to do the catching was holding a big piece of glass at the time. Let's just say I lucked out and didn't break the glass. All this is to say, don't do that.

So load your glass in first if it's easier.

Get your hand underneath the frame and slowly lower the glass down into the frame.
Don't worry about getting finger prints on the underside of the glass at this point. As long as the side of the glass that will be facing your artwork is clean, you're good to go.

During this step, you may kick up some dust or bits of frame onto the glass. Just take a paper towel, or, even better, a lint-free cloth, and spray it with a little Windex. Then gently wipe away the dust and bits. After the glass is dry, gently lay everything else into the frame.

Push down the metal tabs onto the back of the backing board (you may need to use a screw driver), but only push down the one in the middle of each side.

Then flip over your piece and check it for dust. If everything looks good, flip it back over and depress the rest of the tabs.

If you find some dust or bits floating around, hold the frame in both hands as if you're about to hang it on the wall (perpendicular to the table). Then gently tap the bottom of the frame on your work surface (being very careful not to damage your frame or table or to break the glass). If this doesn't dislodge the offending bits, flip your frame back over, lift the tabs (aren't you glad you only depressed four of them?) and lift everything off the glass so you can wipe off the inside of the glass. Once the glass is clean and dry (make sure it's dry!), check your mat and artwork for any remaining dust etc. and then place them back into the frame. This step can be maddening. Just when you think you've gotten every last bit of dust out and you depress ALL of those tabs, you find something else behind the glass. Hang in there. You will eventually get it right. Or you'll say "good enough!" and give up. Either way, you'll be done with this part.

Applying The Dust Cover
It was a huge pain to get all that dust out, so you want to protect your artwork from any more dust particles (or spiders or other bugs) that try to sneak in behind the glass (the nerve!). What you need is a dust cover. Regular old craft paper, available at most craft stores (I've actually even found it at Ikea with the wrapping paper) works perfectly as a dust cover. simply roll out a section large enough to cover the back of your frame.

Crease along the edges (so you can see where your frame ends)...

and cut slightly larger than where you creased.

Set cover aside.

Now use your tape gun to apply ATG double-sided tape around the perimeter of the back of your frame. Here:

What? You don't have an ATG tape gun? Don't worry, neither do I.

I guess I should have mentioned ATG tape on day one of this tutorial, but I didn't think about it until now (What kind of half-baked tutorial is this?). Basically ATG tape is a double-sided tape used by framers to stick things together, specifically the dust cover to the frame (and sometimes the mat to the backing board). It comes in regular (acidic) and acid-free varieties and can be applied with, our without, a snazzy applicator gun (but the gun, of course, makes it a lot easier). The tape has a plastic backing on it, so you can easily apply it without the aid of a tape gun. Simply unroll a little tape and press it down along the back permimeter of the frame, unrolling more tape as you need it and pressing as you go. Then remove the tape backing.

FULL DISCLOSURE:
I don't usually apply a dust cover because I'm lazy. So I don't actually have any ATG tape to show you this step. But who needs pictures? My perfectly clear instructions and razor sharp wit are really all you need.

Once you've applied your tape, carefully center your dust cover over your frame

and firmly press it onto the tape along one side of the frame, creasing the paper over the edge of the frame.

Then pull the paper taught across the frame and firmly press the paper onto the tape on the opposite side. Do the same for the remaining two sides so the paper is firmly stuck to the back of the frame and creased on all four sides. The creasing helps you see where your frame ends so you know where to trim the excess paper.

Now take a straight razor blade, and with your pointer finger extending down next to the frame, slowly (and carefully!) drag the blade along the paper using your finger as a guide.

Once you've removed the excess paper on all four sides you can proceed to the next step.

Adding The Hanging Wire
Before you begin this step, quickly lift your frame up and verify that the top of your artwork is the side closest to you. We want to make sure when we measure for the hanging wire placement, that we do so on the correct side of the frame. We don't want to attach our wire to the wrong end.

Our frame measures about 15 inches high from outside edge to outside edge. We want our wire hanger to be about 1/3 of the way down from the top of the frame, about 5 inches (15 ÷ 3 = 5). Note: When I say "top of the frame" it's technically the bottom of the frame from our current view point, since we've flipped the frame over so the top of our artwork is closest to us. So measure 5 inches from the bottom edge and mark with a pencil.

Then drill a small pilot hole in the frame. Try to center it on the frame so you don't drill too close to the outside edge and ruin your frame. You also don't want to drill too deep. There's nothing worse then flipping your frame right side up and realizing you've drilled straight through to the front. Maddness. Measure and drill on the opposite side as well.

Whenever I order my frames online, I get a nice little kit that includes, two hangers, two screws, and some wire. Most frames should come with these items, if not, you can pick up a kit at most craft stores or frame shops.

Screw your hangers into the pre-drilled holes until they're firmly in place and don't shift from side to side.

Take one end of your wire and feed it through one of the hangers.

Wrap the loose end underneath the wire, from front to back.

Feed the loose end through the hanger again and pull it tight.

Pull the loose end under the wire so the loose end is closest to you. Now wrap the loose end up over the top of the wire (away from you)

and back around underneth the wire (towards you).

Continue wrapping the loose end around the wire several more times.

Trim any excess, if neccesary.

Pull the wire taut and loop it through the other hanger, repeating the same wire wrapping process.

Trim the excess with a pair of wire cutters.

At this point you can add, what are known in the industry as "bumpers," to the back of your frame. Bumpers are tiny little rubber dots that are sticky on one side so you can attach them to the back bottom two corners of your frame to prevent your frame from scratching your wall. You can find them in most craft stores (I know. Who would have guessed?).

And here's our finished piece:

Well, I hope you've found this week-long decent into hell tutorial to be helpful and that it's given you the courage and the skills to frame something with your own two hands (and save yourself some dough in the process!). If you have any questions or need anything clarified, leave me a note in the comments section, and I'll do my best to help you out. Happy framing!

Let's Frame Something: Mounting, Glass Safety

If you've made it this far, I applaud you. I barely made it this far and I'M the one writing this overly-wordy, week-long tutorial. What can I say, I wanted to be thorough.

Here's a list of basic supplies you'll need:
acid-free tape (designed for custom framing)
mat board (cut to size)
backing board (cut to size)
glass or plexiglass (cut to size)
artwork to be framed

Today we're going to talk about how to attach your artwork to your backing board so it shows through the opening in your mat properly.

MOUNTING YOUR ARTWORK
There are several ways to mount your artwork, and the one you choose is determined by the value of your artwork.

Drymounting - Perfect for posters because it keeps them nice and flat by essentially gluing them to the foam core backing. A sheet of adhesive paper is placed between the poster and the foam core. Then the entire thing is placed in a drymount press that heats your little poster and foamcore sandwich until the glue fuses the two together. Not recommended for sentimental, valuable, or archival items because the mounting is permanent and the glue is acidic.

Hinging - Recommended for sentimental, valuable, or archival items, this process creates a "hinge" using special acid-free tape designed for custom framing. The tape is only applied to the top edge of the artwork, allowing it to hang free on the other three sides.

Photo Corners - These can be used in leu of hinging tape and will provide a safe environment for your photos as long as the corners are acid-free.

Hinging Technique
You never want to attach your artwork to it's mat with something like masking tape which is definitely NOT acid-free, especially if you've gone through the trouble of making everything else acid-free. Over time, the masking tape will dry out and flake off, leaving a nasty, discolored tape-shaped stain on your artwork beneath it. Boo!

You want to use special tape designed specifically for framing. I use conservation tape that is acid-free and creates a strong bond between the artwork and the mat board. There's all sorts of different types available at craft stores and online, from paper tape to linen tape. Just make sure whatever you choose is acid-free and designed for framing, like these.

The traditional way of attaching your artwork to your backing board is known as "hinging." Today I'm going to show you a basic hinge mounting technique known as a "T-hinge." You always want to use several small hinges rather than one large hinge that runs the whole length of the piece. Using several smaller hinges lets the artwork hang freely and allows for its natural expansion and contraction during different seasons. If you use one large hinge, your artwork may ripple over time.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Although the following is the proper way to do things, I usually cheat and just put two pieces of acid-free tape on the back of my artwork and stick them to the back of my mat. But if you're framing a really special piece, especially anything requiring archival techniques, I recommend you take the time to do it properly.

We start by laying our backing board and mat board on our work surface so the top edge of the backing board and the top edge of your mat board are kissing (awhhh, isn't that sweet). This means the back of our mat board will be facing up and the top edge will be at the bottom. Confused? Stick with me. It will all become clear. It helps to place a piece of scrap backing board underneath your mat to lift it up and make it level with your backing.

Once you've got them lined up, cut a strip of your acid-free tape slightly shorter than the width of your backing and mat and place it across the seam so your mat and your backing are now hinged together. Like this:

Now cut two more strips of tape, this time about two inches long (If your artwork is really large, you may need to cut 3 or 4 pieces of tape.). Gently attach them to the backside of the top of your artwork, making sure the tape thoroughly adheres and extends no more than a 1/2 inch onto your artwork. Like this:

Lay your artwork on top of your backing board with the tape extending beyond the top edge of your artwork (sticky side up) and close the mat on top of it, being careful not to let the tape stick to the back of your mat.

Position your artwork within the mat opening so its edges are completely covered by the mat. If you have a piece of backing from a sticker or book of stamps, you can use it to temporarily cover the tape while you're positioning your artwork under the mat.

Once you have your artwork in place, carefully lift the mat off again being careful not to bump your artwork. They make special weights (They're like little leather bean bags.) that you can place on top of your artwork to prevent it from moving until you finish hinging it. If you use them, you always want to place a piece of clean paper (typically blotter paper but any clean sheet of paper will do) over your artwork first so the weights don't smudge it.

Now cut two more pieces of tape and place them across the tape you attached to your artwork to create a T shape (if you used my sticker backing tip mentioned above to temporarily cover your tape, remove it now). The second set of tape attaches the artwork to the backing board, like this:

Now fold your mat back on top of your artwork and you're done! You've successfully hinged your artwork!

Cleaning Your Glass
What? I haven't talked about cleaning your glass yet? Well, you're in for a treat! Not really. It's pretty boring and basic, which might be a relief to you since I fear I may have over-explained most of this tutorial. Still, based on the number of times I've cut myself while cleaning, or kneeling on, glass (yes I'm that stupid sometimes), I feel it merits a brief mention. Basically, if you keep the following rules in mind while dealing with glass, you'll have a lovely experience (and no blood!):

1. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT put your glass on your freshly cut, perfectly clean matted artwork until you have cleaned it! Glass is dirty, especially if you took my advice and bought it from a glass shop.

2. Place glass on a clean working table with plenty of space to maneuver (this will prevent you from kneeling on glass like I did).

3. Wear gloves if you're worried about cutting yourself - preferably ones with rubber fingers so the glass doesn't slip around on you.

4. Spray a little glass cleaner (like Windex) on your glass and take a folded paper towel and wipe from the far side of the glass to the side closest to you (basically wipe towards you). If it's really dirty, you'll have to fold the paper towel and wipe over again. The key is to avoid shimmying the glass in such a way that it cuts you, so you want to keep it as stationary as possible. I find it helpful to line it up against the edge of the table and press it against your hand while you wipe. Again, you may want to wear gloves to protect yourself.

5. Once you're sure the glass is clean, turn it over and repeat the process. When your glass is clean and dry on both sides, place it on top of your matted artwork.

Now inspect it for any minor smudges or bits of fuzz etc. If you find any on the underside, simply remove any from the top side first and then flip the glass over (carefully hold it by the edges so you don't cut yourself or smear the glass with finger prints) and place it back down on the artwork and wipe off the offending dust. This step can be maddening, but hang in there. You will eventually get rid of all the dust and fuzz.

I've found it helpful to place my fingers against the edge of stacked backing board, mat board, artwork, and glass to aid in keeping them stacked while I wipe any remaining smudges or dust off the glass. Have I mentioned you may want to wear gloves?

Sometimes, it's also helpful to slightly drag the glass off the edge of the mat so you can wipe the edges without worrying about dragging cleaner or dirt off the glass and onto your clean mat.

Okay folks, We're getting close to the finish line! Tomorrow, I'll show you how to get it all in the frame and finish the dang thing so you can hang it on the wall already. See you tomorrow.