An original painting on canvas from the VanArtHub gallery at 1242 Davie Street in Vancouver.

Works on paper · Vancouver

Children's Art Framing

Children's paintings framed properly: acid-free backing under paper that is usually acidic already, hinged so it can come out, and glazing that keeps poster paint from fading. Vancouver, 1242 Davie Street.

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Children's paintings are made on the worst paper in the house with the least stable paint in it, which is exactly why framing them properly does more work than it looks like. Sugar paper is acidic and will yellow and grow brittle on its own. Poster paint fades quickly in daylight. Both are solvable.

Acid-free everything, under acidic paper

The backing and the mat are acid-free even though the artwork itself is not, because there is no reason to add a second source of acid to a sheet that is already deteriorating. Hinged at the top rather than glued, so it can come out again, which matters more than people expect: these get reframed, given away and passed on far more often than other work.

UV glazing is worth it here

Poster paint and felt pen are among the fastest-fading things anyone frames. If the piece is going in a bright room, UV glazing is the difference between a painting your child recognises in fifteen years and a pale version of it.

Several pieces, or one that keeps changing

Two approaches work well. Group three or four pieces in one frame with separate openings, which reads as a considered set rather than a fridge. Or use a frame that opens easily from the front, so this year's painting can be swapped in without a trip back to us. Say which you want, because they are built differently.

What we need

The artwork, unfolded, and ideally not trimmed. Bring more than you plan to frame if you are grouping, and we will lay them out together.

Hinged at the top free to move at the sides and bottom Glued down nowhere to go, so it buckles
A work on paper is held by two hinges at the top edge and nothing else, so the sheet can expand and contract with the room. Glue, tape, and dry mounting all fix the sheet in place, and a fixed sheet buckles. Hinges are also reversible, which is the test of every conservation decision.

How it works

  1. 1

    Bring it in, or send photographs

    Walk in to 1242 Davie Street during opening hours. If you are not in Vancouver, send the dimensions and a photograph and we will work from that.

  2. 2

    We look at the actual piece

    What it is made of, what condition it is in, and where it is going to hang all change the answer. You get a straight recommendation and a price for your piece, not a rate card.

  3. 3

    It is made by hand and fitted

    Cut to the piece, using conservation materials, and finished with hanging hardware rated for the actual weight.

Common questions

Is it worth framing children's art properly?

More worth it than most people expect. Sugar paper is acidic and will yellow and grow brittle on its own, and poster paint and felt pen fade quickly. Proper framing is doing real work here, not just presentation.

Why acid-free backing under acidic paper?

Because there is no reason to add a second source of acid to a sheet that is already deteriorating. It will not save the paper on its own, but it stops the framing making things worse.

Can I swap the artwork out later?

Yes, if you say so at the start. We can build a frame that opens easily from the front so this year's painting can be swapped in without coming back to us. It is built differently from a sealed frame, so it has to be decided up front.

Can several pieces go in one frame?

Yes, and a group of three or four with separate openings usually reads as a considered set rather than a fridge. Bring more than you plan to frame and we will lay them out together.

Does children's art need UV glazing?

If it is going in a bright room, yes. Poster paint and felt pen are among the fastest-fading things anyone frames, and UV glazing is the difference between a painting your child recognises in fifteen years and a pale version of it.

Should I flatten a crumpled painting first?

Bring it as it is. Gentle weight over a few days does more than anything you can do quickly, and heat or pressure applied in a hurry will mark the paint surface.

Other things we frame

Where to find us

VanArtHub Gallery 1242 Davie Street
Vancouver, BC V6E 1N3
Canada
Monday10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesday10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Wednesday10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Get directions Call (604) 401-9499

Not sure what yours needs?

Send the measurements, what it is made of, and a photograph. We will tell you what it actually needs, including when the answer is that it needs less than you expected.

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