Issues with my 16x20 pics in frames!!!!

I've just picked up the hobby of collecting sports autographs in the past year and the collection has grown rapidly. I became obsessed with 16x20's because of their "awesomeness". I've started noticing on a couple of my pics that they are starting to look wavy/warped in the frame. The frames I buy are typically from Michael's and usually run about $40 a piece. When I first noticed it, I panicked and took them out of the frames and into toploaders. Out of the frame, they look fine. But after a day or two back in the frame they become wavy again. I'm worried about my photos becoming damaged. What causes this issue? And is there any way to avoid it? I'm reluctant to hang some of my newly signed pics because of the potential harm to them until I get this figured out.

Thanks for any info.

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Permalink Reply by Rich on March 29, 2012 at 11:44am

For what it's worth, I only have one 16 x 20 photo framed. It was professionally done my the best framer in town, a family-owned business that has been around for a century. They always do top notch work, but even in this instance, there was a slight bit of the "waviness" you described (though it still looks great for the most part). I'm not a framing expert at all, but I think there is only so much you can do with a photo that large that doesn't involve dry mounting and really destroying your photos.

Just a thought: You can always try getting 16 x 20 canvases signed. I tried this with Christopher Lloyd at a comic con last year, and it worked like a charm. No extra framing involved. Just put it on the wall and it looks great. I'm going to see how 11 x 14's work out in a couple weeks at another signing event.

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Permalink Reply by Rich on March 29, 2012 at 2:21pm

Actually, most sports giclee canvas autographs I've seen are not behind glass. The canvas is stretched over a purpose built wooden back frame and you basically just hang them as is. I've asked sports dealers and framers alike whether these should be put behind glass, and the answer I've gotten is no. The canvases used typically have archival ink and a UV protective coating. Of course the things cost much, much more than your standard photos. And I understand the metality that the whole thing is "exposed" which could make most collectors more nervous. But they're definitely built to last.

Here's are some examples that one of our local sports autograph dealers is using for some upcoming signings.

http://www.legendsofthefield.com/Sports-Canvas/c513824/

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Permalink Reply by Rich on March 29, 2012 at 3:42pm

Actually, that is a decent question - how do you take care of the things. Now that you mention it, I guess I haven't really seen the topic addressed. And I suppose that people haven't really been collecting canvas autographs for as long as they have been photos, paper items, baseballs etc.

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Permalink Reply by Rich on March 29, 2012 at 3:52pm

Yeah, I understand that. On the other hand, I used a blue paint pen when I had Christopher Lloyd sign the autograph on the canvas. Oddly enough, with the way the signature dried into the piece, it actually actually almost looks like it was painted as part of canvas.

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Permalink Reply by Rich on March 29, 2012 at 4:31pm

Here's a picture of him signing it(it came pre mounted). I'll see if I can get a better one of it on the wall.

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Permalink Reply by Rich on April 6, 2012 at 8:31am

Here's a closer view of the signature.

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Permalink Reply by Rich on March 29, 2012 at 2:30pm

Dustin, one other idea. If you're getting the autographs yourself or through private signings, a fantasic place for sports photgraphy is Replay Photos. I've purchased NFL photos from them before, and they're amazing. The photos are on a heavier paper and overall, the quality is far superior to the "official" photos you see. They're so sharp that they can look almost three-dimensional. Often, they have some great shot/angles that you can't find anywhere else. Only two major drawbacks: 1) They're more expensive than your average photos. 2) They're printed differently with higher quality ink and finish, and the ink can make it difficult for sharpies. It's probably more advisable to use a paint pen for them.

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Permalink Reply by Dustin Shawley on March 30, 2012 at 5:57am

Thanks for the help. I typically get the autographs myself. I rarely do private signings since I enjoy meeting the players. I usually get my photos off of Photofile.com but I'll have to look at Replay Photos. I rather use sharpies though due to some bad experiences with paint pens lol.

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Permalink Reply by Dustin Shawley on March 30, 2012 at 7:12am

I forget which brand I bought from Staples, but it was a gold/silver pack. I was at an event at Dick's Sporting Goods where 6 Pittsburgh Penguins players were signing. Got up to the first group and the markers skipped like crazy to the point where you couldn't tell who signed the helmets. I got home and tried them.....worked like a charm. May have been the way the players were using them, but I vowed never to use them again in fear of paying a lot of money for someone to sign something and it looks like crap afterwards because the marker sucked.