Framing artwork is a really important aspect when considering how to look after your portrait. All my portraits are drawn on acid free artist quality paper. These should be mounted and framed behind glass. I always recommend a mount because it ensures that the portrait is not in contact with the glass. This portrait of Bonnie I had professionally framed by my local framer. This works well if the client is local and able to collect the portrait from the gallery but if portraits require posting then its best to have it framed by someone local to you. Shipping portraits framed with glass is a huge risk. If the glass breaks in transit it could seriously damage the artwork. You can choose to have your portrait framed behind UV protective glass which will ensure further protection. I only use archival and lightfast materials so framing correctly will ensure the artwork remains in perfect condition.
One thing I would ALWAYS avoid is if you purchase a frame from the high street ensure that it is glass and not a sheet of plastic. The static created by plastic will pull the colour pencil particles/fibres away from the paper.
My acrylic and oil paintings are a little different. For this medium my preferred working surface is canvas which has already been pre-stretched onto its own wooden frame ready to be hung directly onto your wall. These are made by my local framer and are excellent archival quality. For this medium they require a more specific frame which does not require glass. As all paintings are varnished when complete there is no need for the protective layer of glass. So in this situation I would advise contacting a framer local to you or hang the portrait directly to your wall. I paint all four sides of the canvas so that framing is not always necessary. This can then be left to personal preference.
