Art Glass

[tlm]

Hi everyone! I'm currently using Tru vue Ultravue UV92 to frame pastels, I'm wondering how it compares to the other competitors out there like Art Glass and Mirrorguard? Although Tru Vue greatly reduces reflections, I wonder if the others might reduce them more, as there are still quite at lot present and I have a customer querying this. Anyone who has an opinion on the different brands and have tried them would be great to hear from you. TIA

[JFeig]

Artglass has a product similar to TruVue Museum® glass, AR99­™

[tlm]

Yes I was wondering how they compare with regards to limiting reflections? Is one brand better than another?

[JFeig]

The 2 brands have about the same specifications.

[tlm]

Ok thanks

[prospero]

All AR brands are very similar in my experience when it comes to reflectivity. There are customers who expect
zero reflections but this is not a realistic prospect. For one thing it would be totally invisible so you wouldn't be
able to work with it as you could not find it.

[tlm]

this is very true!
I explained that to them but thought it might be worth checking if they did perform differently, because I’ve only tried Tru Vue

[Not your average framer]

I don't like brands, where it is too easy to scratch the non reflectice coating, which is really a big disappointment!

[tlm]

I don't like brands, where it is too easy to scratch the non reflectice coating, which is really a big disappointment!

How is it possible to get around that though when limiting reflections is important?

[Not your average framer]

I usually talk to Wessex Pictures, when I walk to know things like that!

[Steve N]

Most of them are mainly effective while standing directly in front of the framed work, the more of an angle, the more reflection there is, and the darker the Subject the more reflections there will be, if you have one of the point of sale display products , showing the 3 different type of glass, Clear, Art Glass (or whatever brand you are using) and the old 'non-reflective' (crappie defused glass) you can show the customer the effectiveness of the low reflective qualities of the glass, is compared to the standard clear glass, so you shouldn't have any problems with customers questioning once framed.

[Not your average framer]

I can't say that I use massive amounts of anti-reflective glass, or the old fashioned defused type of non-reflective glass. At various times particular brands are a better price and my supplier, (Wessex Pictures) happily will supply me with the best combination of performance and price. As a rule there is no difference in performance, so I am not accually needing to compromise. Which I don't really want to anyway. I usually have a good stock of specialist glass types, but smaller off cuts have very little opportunity for recovering, even a little bit of the purchasing cost of at all.

These small bits are just a total finanacial loss and I often just put the smallest off cut scraps in to my ready made box frames, as old fashioned diffused non reflected glass just does not work in deep box frames at all. By doing this, I am not wasting the glass and I'm not paying to get rid of it, so I think that this is a good move. I have been recently in contact with Wessex Pictures and I am planning to make use of one of their waste glass recycling boxes, which they will be able to take away, each time that I fill it. Looking at the cost of doing this, this is quite a reasonable way of doing things for me.

[tlm]

Most of them are mainly effective while standing directly in front of the framed work, the more of an angle, the more reflection there is, and the darker the Subject the more reflections there will be, if you have one of the point of sale display products , showing the 3 different type of glass, Clear, Art Glass (or whatever brand you are using) and the old 'non-reflective' (crappie defused glass) you can show the customer the effectiveness of the low reflective qualities of the glass, is compared to the standard clear glass, so you shouldn't have any problems with customers questioning once framed.

Thanks, this was for a customer that bought and had the artwork framed remotely, then had it shipped to her, when it arrived she didn't believe it had Tru Vue on it because there were so many reflections. I did explain the difference but a tricky situation when not able to make a direct comparison and show her. Which had me wondering if the other brands performed better...

[tlm]

I can't say that I use massive amounts of anti-reflective glass, or the old fashioned defused type of non-reflective glass. At various times particular brands are a better price and my supplier, (Wessex Pictures) happily will supply me with the best combination of performance and price. As a rule there is no difference in performance, so I am not accually needing to compromise. Which I don't really want to anyway. I usually have a good stock of specialist glass types, but smaller off cuts have very little opportunity for recovering, even a little bit of the purchasing cost of at all.

These small bits are just a total finanacial loss and I often just put the smallest off cut scraps in to my ready made box frames, as old fashioned diffused non reflected glass just does not work in deep box frames at all. By doing this, I am not wasting the glass and I'm not paying to get rid of it, so I think that this is a good move. I have been recently in contact with Wessex Pictures and I am planning to make use of one of their waste glass recycling boxes, which they will be able to take away, each time that I fill it. Looking at the cost of doing this, this is quite a reasonable way of doing things for me.

Have you also tried using the optium museum Acrylic range? I'm usually framing pastels so static is a big issue but also regularly shipping them so glass is a bit of a risk. The only problem I have is it's so expensive!

[Not your average framer]

Many of my customers don't want to spend the money on speciality glass. I've got a couple on point of sale demostration displays from Wessex Pictures, but it's extra money and not everybody is in to spending more than they can avoid spending at the moment. Finding empty car parking spaces is really hard now only a small number have got jobs to go to! No jobs no money!

[Steve N]

Thanks, this was for a customer that bought and had the artwork framed remotely, then had it shipped to her, when it arrived she didn't believe it had Tru Vue on it because there were so many reflections. I did explain the difference but a tricky situation when not able to make a direct comparison and show her. Which had me wondering if the other brands performed better...

You could try sending her a small piece (4x4) of normal clear glass so she can make a comparison, cover the edges with masking tape so she doesn't cut herself, she could lay it on top of the framed picture to see the difference

[Gesso&Bole]

I now use AR glass over 80% of the time. I find that when I show the Artglass demonstrator, (the one where they think that there's no glass in the middle bit), they always want it. Once we've got over the fact that it's magic, I make a point of showing them that it isn't, and that they will get reflections, but it is way better than float glass.

I have a sample picture with AR70 in one side and 2mm float in the other, this is hung in a location that has a lot of reflection, so they can see it reduces but does not eliminate reflection, but does show colours much better. It also shows the green reflection from the fluorescent tube!

When I first started selling AR glass I was over-selling it, and I did get some disappointed customers. So I made 2 changes;

1) As above, I make sure I have shown them the downside
2) I reduced my margin on it - in simple terms, I have set my pricing software so that I will always make more money by selling AR rather than float, but my markup is smaller. So on an 8x10 I will earn £5 more by selling Artglass rather than float, medium picture £10, large one £20 (ish). This keeps the price differential down.

[tlm]

I now use AR glass over 80% of the time. I find that when I show the Artglass demonstrator, (the one where they think that there's no glass in the middle bit), they always want it. Once we've got over the fact that it's magic, I make a point of showing them that it isn't, and that they will get reflections, but it is way better than float glass.

I have a sample picture with AR70 in one side and 2mm float in the other, this is hung in a location that has a lot of reflection, so they can see it reduces but does not eliminate reflection, but does show colours much better. It also shows the green reflection from the fluorescent tube!

When I first started selling AR glass I was over-selling it, and I did get some disappointed customers. So I made 2 changes;

1) As above, I make sure I have shown them the downside
2) I reduced my margin on it - in simple terms, I have set my pricing software so that I will always make more money by selling AR rather than float, but my markup is smaller. So on an 8x10 I will earn £5 more by selling Artglass rather than float, medium picture £10, large one £20 (ish). This keeps the price differential down.

Thank you, some great ideas! I think showing them the difference in a highly reflective area is a great way to go, they can see the difference but understand its not invisible.

Out of interest do you have a favourite brand? Do you use the optium museum acrylic? I'm often framing pastels so anti reflective and low static is important, shipping glass always makes me nervous but the optium acrylic is soo expensive!

[Gesso&Bole]

I use Artglass from Centrado. Mostly AR70. I find it cuts and cleans easily. One of my clients sends up to 50 individual frames a month to the USA, these are 70mm deep shadow boxes, up to 600 x 500 in size. Only had a couple of breakages in 2 years. But they do have packing boxes specially made.

I've only used 'museum quality' glass or acrylic a handful of times, for very special items, and always bought it cut to size, so can't really comment on which is best.

[prospero]

My worktop is covered with flotex carpet in a dark woodgrainy colour. It shows off the qualities of AR glass very effectively.
If you place a piece flat on it it virtually disappears. In fact, I have to be a wee bit careful with it.
Reflectivity aside, the the way it doesn't shift colours is enough to sell it.