Mountboard

There are many choices you can make with bespoke picture mounts. The technique of mounting will be driven by what you are having framed and how you would like it to look in the frame. You may not even wish to have a mount visible if you would like your artwork “close framed” (where the picture or object comes right up to the inside edge of the frame).

The type of mount board will depend on the level of framing you have chosen and how you would like your artwork or item displayed. Mount boards come in a wide range of colours and finishes and start at the standard “white core” boards, moving up to the specialist mounts for the higher levels of framing - Conservation or Cotton Museum mount board.

At Seagull Gallery, unless otherwise requested, your artwork or item will be mounted in line with the Fine Art Trade Guild’s “Level 3” as a minimum. This means that wherever possible (unless you specify otherwise) your mounting will be done reversibly (i.e. your artwork can be safely removed in the future should this be required). If you are having a window mount, a hinged back mount will also be included in the mount package to which the artwork is attached.

Mount Board Choices

It is important that the correct type of mount board is used within a framing package to offer the level of protection that has been chosen for the item being framed. The cheapest types of mount board can actually damage a picture. The damage is caused by lignin in the wood pulp used to make the cheaper boards raising the acidity in the paper as it deteriorates. This acidification can stain or even damage your artwork over time and turning the edge of the mount brown. At Seagull Gallery we only offer good quality mount, with a high degree of stability.

Why use a mount?

A mount does two things; it prevents the artwork from touching the glass and creates a visual space between the subject matter and the frame, helping to make your art stand out on the wall. 

The question of whether you will need a mount is sometimes dependent on the type of art you are framing. Please see below where and when you would need to utilise a mount:

  • Powder Pigment Art (charcoal, pastel and pencil drawings) - A mount must be used with all powder pigment based works of art framed behind glass. This is to stop the pigmented surface from being smudged, or lifted due to the static from acrylic glazing
  • Original Paintings & Other Valuable Pictures - Conservation mounting is crucial when framing artwork of value or estimated future value behind glass. Like pastels above, mounts help to prevent the painting from touching the glass, so if your painting has thick paint, make sure you order a double mount. This also allows the picture to breathe and move independently within the frame, preventing wrinkling and moisture build-up.

As well as traditional square/rectangular windows, we are also able to cut circular and oval windows between 12cm and 50cm diameter. 

Mount Styles

  • Single Mount - A single mount is the most affordable way to mount your pictures, it uses a 1400 micron thick (1.4mm) board
  • Double Mount - A double mount is our most popular mount and consists of 2 layers of 1.4mm thick mount board. The top mount is cut slightly larger than the bottom one to reveal a contrasting line around your art. To create a striking look, try to complement the colour seen in your artwork with the base mount colour
  • Single with "V" Groove - A 'V' Groove adds a little flair to the design of your mount. A small channel is cut into the mount board creating a subtle line around the edge of the opening
  • Double with "V" Groove - A combination of the two styles above. A truly beautiful mount that features exquisite "V" detailing, this is an extremely striking way of showcasing your picture
  •  Luxury Deep Mount - Here we layer both a single mount (top) and foamboard fillet (bottom) to create a genuinely simple, yet breath-taking effect. The foamboard fillet can we wrapped to produce a truly stunning mount package.
  • Luxury Deep Mount with 'V' Groove - The ultimate mount for those wanting the most impressive design available. This distinctive style is guaranteed to impress

Mount Sizes

  • Basic - Our most affordable and popular design for a mount. Its simple look will help focus the eye on the artwork without drawing too much attention. The actual width is in direct proportion to the artwork size.
  • Impact - Our Impact mount design features a dramatic bottom border that's 3x wider than the others to grab your eye. It's a sophisticated look that pairs well with other similarly framed & mounted photographs in a row.
  • Accent (Double) - Made from 2 layers of mount, use the bottom mount layer to create a crisp inner border around your picture. Perfect for pieces which you'd like to draw some colour from.
  • Gallery - An attention-grabbing mount that features extra-wide borders all the way round, designed to lead your eye into the picture. It's a technique often used by artists at art exhibitions

Float Mounting

  • Float Mount - We suspend and centre your piece on top of mount board. It's an elegant look and works particularly well with artwork on textured paper and time-worn documents like old maps and handwritten letters especially with deckled edges.
  • Shadow Float Mount - We mount your piece on either mount or foamboard and centre it on top of an uncut mount board. The shadows cast underneath the artwork give a wonderful 3D effect.