Glossary of terms used in picture framing
There are 104 entries in this glossary.M
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Maquette |
In sculpture, a small model in wax or clay, made as a preliminary sketch, presented to a client for his approval of the proposed work, or entered in a competition for a prize or scholarship. The Italian equivalent of the term is bozzetto, meaning small sketch. |
| MDF |
Medium Density Fibreboard. 12mm - 15mm MDF board is used for block-mounting photographs or maps. |
| Mezzotint |
A method of etching in which the metal plate is covered in great numbers of small indentations to hold ink. Conventional etching then provides delineation but the artist is able to modify the amount of ink held by the plate by filling the small indentations with varying amounts of resin thus providing control over light or dark. |
| Monotype |
A one-of-a-kind print made by painting on a sheet or slab of glass and transferring the still-wet painting to a sheet of paper held firmly on the glass by rubbing the back of the paper with a smooth implement, such as a large hardwood spoon. The painting may also be done on a polished plate, in which case it may be either printed by hand or transferred to paper by running the plate and paper through an etching press. |
| Montage |
A picture made up of various proportions of existing pictures, such as photographs or prints, arranged so they join, overlap, or blend with one another. |
| Moulding |
This is the term used for the material used to form the rim of a picture frame. Traditionally mouldings are made from timber with a vast range of finishes applied to it. Comparatively recently, metal, particularly aluminium, has been introduced and also resins and plastics which provide the ability to minimise the width of the moulding visible from the front of the picture and to offer a wider range of ornate mouldings more economically. |
| Mount |
A carefully crafted sheet, generally of card, that fits between a piece of artwork and the glazing of a framed picture. Although a mount enhances a piece of art its primary purpose is to protect the artwork from damage. The small amount of air between the glass and the image helps to protect against condensation, mould, fungus and mildew. A fundamental feature of a mount is the bevel which sets off the artwork to best effect. Valuable artwork should always be protected by a mount. |
| Mountboard |
The basic material from which a Mount (q.v.) is cut. The board is generally made from unrefined wood pulp which is then faced with a paper which may or may not be coloured. The most important property of mountboard is its chemical content because an artwork usually remains in a frame for many years and over that extended length of time, any chemical that is resident in the material very slowly leaches out and can attack the artwork that it is supposed to be protecting. There are three main qualities: These increase in price and have correspondingly fewer chemicals within them. Conservation mountboard should always be used, with Museum for extremely high value items. Conservation and Museum quality board both have the harmful chemicals reduced. In Museum, they are reduced almost to zero. A major feature of a mount is the bevel which exposes the ‘core' of the mount which may be white or coloured - see whitecore, redcore and blackcore. |
| Mounting |
A process used to display artwork. There are two distinct types of mounting which should not be confused with one another. The first is to apply a mount as part of the picture framing process. This means sandwiching the artwork between two sheets of specialist card with an aperture cut in the upper one to reveal the artwork. This process is intended to prevent contact between the artwork and the glass - see Mount. The other process is also referred to as mounting but more correctly is Dry Mounting. |
| Museum board |
Otherwise known as CottonCore, it's made entirely from 100% pure cotton fibres (naturally lignin-free) providing a stable platform for archival or museum level jobs. |
