According to the customer’s desires, we conceive the most well-suited moulding for each particular artwork.
To correctly preserve the artwork over time, we carefully pick the backboard, the glass, the mounts, the fixture and the mouldings. We help our customers choose the appropriate custom-made frame by taking into account the future environment of the work.
Our manufacturing protocol:
– Quote requests are treated within 24 hours.
– Pick-up and delivery services available.
– Hand-made manufacturing by skilled craftsmen within our workshops in 10 days or less. Paper and painting restoring done by skilled restorers (please ask for a quote and delivery schedule).
– We guarantee the origin of the wood and special glass used, indicated on the back or our works.
– We insure the artwork that our customer entrust us through custom contracts with Axa Art.
– We provide a delivery and staging service.
Finishing’ quality:
We propose a high-end quality service and always propose several options to our customers.
Solid joints: though dovetail joint made with our wooden workshop.
Water painted frames: we select the paints we use for their aesthetic attributes, their resistance in time as well as their non-polluting characteristics. Paint finishing is done within our workshops either in spray booths or hand-painted. Different finishing are available without asperities including a matt finish as well as a whitewash finish, waxed by hand.
The mouldings:
We can manufacture many different types of mouldings. Our workshop craftsmen favor wooden moulding, made in natural woods that are dense and homogeneous. We guarantee the origins of the wood we use and our rigourous selection provide optimal finishings. We mainly prefer beech, oak, walnut and maple wood products.
Particular attention to backboard manufacturing:
We suggest the use of lightweight materials like polycarbonate backboards that make staging much easier and that are nonetheless rigid and time resistant.
We also favor using screwed frames making it easier to change artwork as needed. We strongly suggest the use of beveled stretcher bars, which means that the work can be placed solidly against the wall and staging is again made simpler.
Conservation:
We use the latest techniques and materials and we make it a priority that the products used with alter as little as possible the artwork. Many artwork restorers come to the Atelier Mondineu because of our knowledge concerning the materials to be used for this or that type of artwork.
All aspects of the frame are taken into account: the backboard, the mounts, the hinges, synthetic and natural glues, the glass or plexiglass all benefit or hinder the artwork through time. The subject must by posed onto a backboard material that is adapted to its fragility and must never touch the glass. We work with highly-qualified restorers who know how to evaluate the risks involved in restoration and conservation of the artworks that our customers entrust us.
The joints:
Many different types of joints exist and are proposed: staple closures, glued peg joints which are cut by a jigsaw, digital and laser cutting, though dovetail joints and tenon type joints.
Glass:
Here’s a list of glass types that we use to protect the artwork:
Clarity Classique / Clarity 92 / Extra Clear or Extra White / True-vue Museum Glass (Anti-Reflect and Anti-UV) / Verre Acrylique True-Vue Optimum Acrylic Glass.
We have these products in stock for works up to 1 meter, otherwise consult us for availability.
Plexiglass:
Advantages:
We generally advise the use of plexiglass for large dimensions. Plexiglass is much light than glass. We also recommend the use of stretcher bars for all very large works which are necessary for moulding stability and makes hanging easier.
Disadvantages:
We recommend using glass for smaller works (under 1mx1m). Plexiglass reacts poorly to temperature change and could affect the moulding joints’ integrity. Plexiglass also attracts dust due to its static electricity properties.
Large formats and series:
Our workshops have been adapted to work with very large artwork. Specialized custom woodworking, PMMA and plexiglass cutting, beveled stretcher bars and harnesses, conception of rigid structures using lightweight materials are all part of our panoply of services.
We opened up our Pré-St-Gervais workshop to cater to museums and galleries needs for series of frames. We manufacture frames with simple back openings to easily and quickly change the artwork. Of course, we also propose hermetically closed frames as well. We are available to come and see the artwork, give recommendations and a quote within 24 hours.