Changing times have also changed the way we decorate our homes. Earlier people used to frame the artwork in metal or wood frames, but nowadays you could see a trending change in the people’s framing choices. They prefer to go with Acrylic Picture Frames!
Acrylic Picture Frames:
Acrylic glass or also called plexiglass is a famous framing alternative for many photographers and artists. It has gained popularity as a picture framing material. It’s hard, flexible, lightweight, and even recyclable. Acrylic glass does a fantastic job of imparting readability as properly as protection, and that makes it mainly recommended when it comes to showcasing and retaining snapshots and artwork.
Traditional glass, though nonetheless a popular choice for framing, can be incredibly heavy, which makes large display pieces a risk. Irrespective of the size, big or small, all the glass frames come with equal risks. Glass shards can damage the artwork beyond repair. This is something very difficult to manage when it comes to displaying and keeping original pieces.
The right materials to frame and present art are key to protecting its purpose and its value. Nowadays, you could see an increasing number of artists and sellers are using acrylic sheets rather than traditional wood frames with a glass covering. Why? Because acrylic sheets have several benefits. Here are a few key advantages to this up-to-date choice.
#1. Acrylic Is Lighter And Very Convenient Option As Picture Frames
Generally, people who love to frame their pictures or artwork know that regular glass is heavy, which can cause trouble on several fronts. First of all, the glass covers add weight during shipping and can increase costs significantly. If you do regular business through online sales, these expenses might add up very quickly. Secondly, if you travel with any artwork to your shows, exhibitions, fairs, or conventions, you would want something that keeps your gear as light and comfortable as possible. Larger framed pieces (especially those larger than 16 by 20 inches) will be much easier to move around if covered with lightweight acrylic rather than a plate of protective glass. Moreover, heavy glass can actually be a detriment to hanging artwork because its weight puts the art at risk of falling. Heavy, large paintings or other art pieces need special heavy-duty hanging tools and the right wall types, which makes them more difficult to display properly.
#2. Acrylic Protects Art Better
Acrylic picture frames are quite popular because they help you protect your artwork from getting damaged even during accidents. But facing an accident that involves glass sheets could be catastrophic for the canvas art underneath, as shards cut and tear at the delicate fabric. Glass might even be a liability issue if anyone is injured when a piece of glass breaks. Acrylic is designed to withstand accidents and falls.
You would be surprised to know that a thicker acrylic barrier helps keep the environment — temperature, UV penetration, and moisture — more steady than a smaller piece of traditional glass placed in the frame. Not only valuable or historically significant pieces, but every artwork needs durable protection from their frames.
#3. Acrylic Doesn’t Alter Art
You might be thinking that if acrylics are completely transparent, so is glass. But if you observe closely, you would notice that there has been a significant change in the way the artwork looks. Glass frames actually do change the view of art behind it. How? Actually, it is due to the way glass is manufactured. It has significant iron content, which lends a greenish hue to the materials or art underneath. This effect can be very subtle, but it will alter the appearance of a painting or photo underneath.
Acrylics have several other advantages, such as the amount of light the acrylic material allows to penetrate. According to experts, the glass frames let approximately 80 percent of incoming light pass through, but acrylics often allow an additional 10 percent more light to pass. The extra light would make a big difference when you display detailed paintings, historical documents, or older photos.
4. Acrylic Frames Offers Wide Range Of Options To You
Modern artists and photographers often want to use the framing as part of the expression of their works. If you always use the old standard of glass and a wood frame, you would have very little room for creativity.
Acrylics have a benefit over the glass as they can be molded and shaped into custom designs that better fit the artist’s vision or the artwork’s peculiar style, which results in a visually arresting and unique setting. You could opt, for instance, for a no frame appearance by encasing the entire work in clear acrylic that both protects it and highlights it in a visually arresting manner.
Summary
Traditional frames, as well as modern acrylic frames, both exhibit different properties. Generally, traditional frames do offer some flexibility, but they have quite limitations which are fulfilled by modern acrylic frames. Both glass and acrylic sheets have their benefits as part of a frame. But the advantages that acrylic offers in terms of protection cost savings, and design options often tips the scales in its favor.