Boston, Glossary Of Picture Framing Terms

Glossary Of Picture Framing Terms [16]

H Hand Perforator A small, hand-held tool much like a utility knife that features a rotating, flat-toothed saw instead of a blade. When pressed and dragged across paper, the head of the tool creates evenly spaced holes or dashes in the paper, allowing it to be easily torn in a straight line at a later date.
Handmade Oil Paintings Any original painting done completely by hand (without digital assistance) using oil-based paints. At KeenART Media, we offer high-quality, beautifully executed handmade oil paintings of any digital image, created by talented artists.
Hardware The varying collection of screws, offset clips, wire, hooks and hangers the customer will receive with which to prepare their finished artwork for hanging, and affix it to the wall. Order online today: Framing Hardware
Hardwood The wood of any broadleaf tree species whose seeds have a cover, in the form of apples or nuts, for instance; most are deciduous, which means they loose their leaves in the winter (ie: not evergreens/conifers). The most commonly used hardwoods in picture framing include basswood and ramin. Hardwoods are more difficult to scratch, and tend to have a clearer grain. They are considered more attractive, hence their use in picture frames. The designation "hardwood" does not refer to the actual density of the wood. In fact, most woods used in picture framing are quite soft.
Heat presses A machine designed to press and apply heat to paper inserted between its surfaces. Used in lamination, to set or cure certain inks, or for applying heat-sensitive paper images to fabric or other material. Have your favourite image immortalized with a dry mount. We offer a variety of heat press services.
Hemlock wood Hemlock is a light brown wood with a primarily straight grain that occasionally features spirals. Often used as timber to build houses, Eastern and Western Hemlock trees are found in great quantity in North America. Hemlock holds paint and glue well, perhaps due to the lack of resin canals in the grain. It also stays together well when nailed. Hemlock is a popular wood for picture framing.
High-Resolution Image High-resolution = high quality. If an image is high-resolution, this implies it will print well at a large - or at least the desired - size, with clear, crisp detail and no pixelation. There is no single determination of high resolution. The size of the digital image must be comparable to the desired print size, but the quality must be good as well. For instance, a high ppi or dpi (pixels or dots per inch) but a small image (300x300 pixels) will not print well at any size. However, a large size (3000x3000 pixels) and good dpi (300) does not guarantee quality either - the image could simply have been changed to these quantities with no regard for image quality, resulting in heavily pixelation (clusters of visible squares instead of a smooth image). Ideally, the customer should confirm with the designer that their image is the appropriate resolution or quality for the print size.
High-Resolution Scan A good quality digital image created from copying the artwork using a flatbed scanner. This is achieved by scanning the entire image at one time, or ensuring even light distribution when scanning multiple sections. We can create a high-resolution digital images from any original artwork. View our artwork scanning services and place your order today.
Hinged frames Any multi-image picture frame with sections connected by bendable hinges. Most hinged frames are self-standing. May be referred to as a diptych (two sections) or triptych (three sections).
Hinges A hinge is used to affix artwork to a backing or mat before placing it in the frame. Generally, double sided tape or cloth tape is applied only at the center top of the image. (Alternately, rice starch or adhesive hinging tissue may be used.) This holds the artwork in place, but allows the contents to expand and shrink as they inevitably will.
Hinging The process of adhering artwork to a backing or mounting board. Acid-free tape is attached to the top of the work and another strip is placed over the top to secure it on both surfaces. Try to hinge only from the top so the artwork is able to hang freely. This helps prevent the piece from buckling, as it enables the different components — artwork, frame, mat, mounting board, etc. — to expand and contract at their own rates with the temperature and humidity.
Hook The hook is the part of the hanging hardware that is attached to the wall, on which the artwork is hung. The most common style have a flat section which lies flush against the wall and is nailed or screwed in place. A curved lip below the nail protrudes to hold the wire or hanger that is attached to the frame/canvas. Order online: Picture Wall Hooks
Hot lamination Lamination is a process of permanently applying a clear plastic coating to paper. In hot lamination, the cover\'s adhesive is activated by heat. When inserted into the laminator, the clear cover is melted onto and around the paper, completely enclosing it in a protective casing. Hot lamination produces a product more resistant to wear and tear than cold lamination. We offer three types of large format lamination as part of our dry mounting service.
Hot-press Paper Paper intended for watercolor painting that is extremely smooth with no surface texture. Paints rest on the surface for a length of time, allowing the artist to maneuver the paint more before it is absorbed. Hot-press paper is an alternative to cold-press paper. It works best for detail paintings and is most widely available at 300 gsm weight.
Hue A color or shade. For example: Blue, grey, maroon.
Hygroscopic The readiness of a material to absorb and retain moisture, generally in relation to humidity. A hygroscope, for instance, measures changes in humidity in the air or a substance. In archival picture framing, a hygroscope is an important tool, as changes in humidity can cause mold growth on artworks.