If you’re not an artist but have just purchased an original drawing and want to frame it yourself, you’ll find lots of useful information here.
When I started drawing I knew nothing about framing and found it frustrating to frame so much art for a show. Even designing a piece seemed difficult because I didn’t know what to look for in frames, why their prices differed, and what was best for my budget. And as I’ve learned the ropes that I’m sharing in the article below, I’ve learned that every art collector has their own taste and unique style, and when it comes to matching the frame to the art, not the home. Of course, the interior design still plays a role. Characters in the Collector’s Mind. This is why I prefer to sell unframed art. However, a good frame frames a painting. It gives the art a complete look, visually enriching the artwork. So the ideal situation is to frame the art with a beautiful wooden frame that compliments the original painting in style and color.
Depending on the medium you buy two types of frames. Art on paper must have a mat, plexiglass, backing, and frame. Art on canvas/panel/wood only needs a frame. To frame art well, paintings and drawings require different skill sets as well as materials.
How to frame art on paper
How to frame art on paper | The artwork features a golden metal sectional frame, white mat, plexiglass, and backing that reflects the budget framing of art on paper. However, this drawing would look richer if it had a wide wooden frame instead of the metal one you see here. Also it would benefit visually from a double mat. The inner mat may hold one of the colors in the drawing such as purple or blue while the outer mat may remain white.
Framing equipment
Each drawing/print/image should contain:
Acid-free mat
- Acid-free backing (mounting board)
- Non-glare glass or acrylic plexi-glass (plexi-glass comes in different shapes)
- Wood or metal frame
- Acid-free tape + tape the mat and backing together to attach the drawing to the backing (in the corners).
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Mats: White vs. Color
The majority of framed works on paper that include photography have a white mat and a simple frame around it. If you go to a museum, you will see many examples. While you can choose a frame to suit your taste while playing with styles and colors, the color of the mat should be safe. And if you’re not sure about the color, stick to a white or off-white rug.
A common mistake is to frame the drawing with a black mat. While this may work for a specific, very deep artwork, it often doesn’t. When I’m not sure about a mat color, I take my drawing to Michael and start placing different, pre-cut mats on top of the drawing to see how my artwork looks. What color works best for
How to frame art prints
If you’re unsure about color and it’s your first time creating art, always choose an off-white mat that contrasts with the color because it won’t overpower your drawing or print. If you still want to play with color, consider framing the art with a double mat. White or off-white never detracts from your drawing, while color mattes can easily overpower your artwork. I often see drawings done with black mats, and most of them kill the art visually. You see the mat, not the artwork. White mats come in different shades of white, and you need to pay attention to its color temperature. Either warm white or cool white is fine as long as you match that color temperature to the white color temperature in your drawing.
How To Frame Drawings_Veronica Winter
These are custom framed colored pencil drawings. In the center is a metal sectional frame, while the other two drawings feature custom real wood frames and custom cut double mats. Note that while the color of each mat matches the colors found within each drawing, the mats are not too dark or too ‘heavy’ colored.
Single or double mat?
This colored pencil drawing has a double mat. Gold is the inner color and light gray is the outer color. This light brown mat mimics the colors seen in the glass. Gold metal frame and regular plexiglass complete budget framing. This drawing would look even better if framed with a wide, real wood gilt frame with a single mat.
If you want to do a double mat, have a colored mat as your inner layer and an off-white mat as your outer layer. So you have a quarter-inch band of color around the artwork but the overall color remains neutral or off-white. Your color mat should match one of the colors in the drawing.
How have the standards and options for setting up paper work changed in recent years?
I think the criteria have always been, first, to give the work as much protection as possible and, second, to make sure that the work done on paper is reversed as much as possible in the framing process. However, the more people become aware of conservation framing, the more common it becomes.
Conservation framing is no longer just reserved for this $40,000 Rembrandt print. – Paul Sheff
Customers are now much more sophisticated and savvy and expect archival framing when looking for framing services for their valuable original works on paper. Preserved materials include 100 percent acid-free, pH-balanced baking substrates. linen paper tape; cellulose paste; Archive Mate; and conservation or museum grade glass/glazing. —Letsa Spanos, Chris Morris and Craig Valentine, professional framers at Art Design Consultants (identified as “Art Design Consultants” throughout the remainder of this article).
One standard has never changed: that is, work on paper must be produced with archival materials and methods. Acid-free products should be used, and the paper should be mounted so that it can be easily removed for future preservation. New options for framing include floating paper and metallic framing. – Michael Chesley Johnson, Artist
Both artists and consumers have begun to see the value of framing using acid-free materials. Because of this, manufacturers have expanded the product range to meet the demand for quality mat supplies.
I think many artists who work on paper have to deal with many problems.
- Glass reflections make it difficult to see the entire image from different angles.
- The weight of framing with glass and the fragility of glass make shipping and storage difficult.
- Papermaking with mats and glass is usually more expensive than canvas and board options.
These issues have been the catalyst for some new ways of framing, I think. Many artists use paper to alternate surfaces (board, canvas, matte board and foam board, with adhesives such as gel medium or acid-free rice glue) and then seal the work with varnish to protect the paper from the environment. Methods have been adopted. After the paper is applied to a new surface, traditional types of framing are used for boards and canvases. According to Michael Townsend of Golden Artist Colors, the bond created with these materials is pH neutral (acid-free) and permanent. – Jane Pedersen, artist
How to display art – two types of acrylic glazing
Glazing options have increased in recent years. Here you can see the clear difference between acrylic glazing (left) and acrylic museum grade glazing (right).
How-to-display-art-three-types-of-glass
From left to right: standard conservation glass, museum grade glass and conservation reflection control glass. Museum grade glass is invisible.
Has the style also changed?
There are many more products available today than decades ago. For example, when I started in the 1970s, there were three archival mat board choices: white, antique white, and cream. Now there are hundreds of choices. In addition, the industry now offers many archival mounting and glazing choices. – Paul Schiff, Village and Chef
The style has definitely changed. Now the mats are wider and much more neutral in color (goodbye to the colorful mats that would date the art so quickly). Frames are less fussy and more modern in feel. Bright gold is also a thing of the past. Clients are looking for frames that can work in a variety of environments, from traditional to modern. – Art Design Consultants
It has become fashionable to frame without a mat, especially for pastels. With the addition of non-reflective glass, a pastel can easily be mistaken for an oil painting. I’ve actually heard salespeople use it as a selling point at some galleries. (They’re not helping us dispel the misconception that pastels are a lesser medium than oils!) – Michael Chesley Johnson
Frame styles seem to have changed. Complex meeting and framing will always be cost-oriented. However, the rule should always be that framing complements the work of art, not replace it. The Internet has given consumers more choices in framing. However, when price dictates such high demand in the market, there can be a clear difference between high-quality framing stock and framing that looks good at a quick inspection but, when compared to top-of-the-line frames. Either way, the shine, detail and finish found on better frames seems to be lacking. The strategy has become to find the best frame at the right price, but that’s hard to do on the Internet, where buyers can’t physically inspect the frames they want to buy.
If you want to do a double mat,
have a colored mat as your inner layer and an off-white mat as your outer layer. So you have a quarter-inch band of color around the artwork but the overall color remains neutral or off-white. Your color mat should match one of the colors in the drawing. This is where professional framers are really good. They have the skills to pick the right colors for your indoor and outdoor rugs and match them with beautiful frames of the right hue and style.
Prints can be framed with matless frames for a contemporary feel.
Tip:
Technically, any mat creates a barrier between your art and the glass. Be aware that pictures will eventually stick to the glass if there is not enough space between the glass and the picture.
If you decide to stick a picture in a ready-made frame without a mat, add corners that maintain the necessary space between the picture and the glass.
Standard versus custom cut mat
How to frame art on paper
A standard mat drawing is 3 inches wide on all sides. This gives your drawing the space it needs between the mat and the frame. However, this 3″ distance can be changed. Many times expensive pieces of art have very wide mats that add richness to the art. Sometimes you’ll see framed pictures with mats of varying widths (pictured right) that allow prints and photography to be placed in standard frames (minimizing the cost of custom framing). .
Backing and tape
All materials must be acid-free, including backing (mounting board/foam board/foam backing) and double-sided tape. If not, your drawing will turn yellow over time. The tape holds it all together, but if it’s not acid-free, it also yellows the surfaces.
Be aware that the ready-made frames you find at craft stores and Walmart do not sell frames with the necessary acid-free baking. They are therefore not suitable for professional framing and will fade your original art or print over time.
How to frame art on paper
Consider how your artwork will look as a group. Matte colors and consistency in framing help unify the display of art on paper.
Mat cutter
The Logan 650 Framers Edge Elite Matt Cutter model for professional framers
You’re lucky if your drawing is done on standard size paper and you can buy all the supplies at any craft store to do the assembly. But what if your drawing has different proportions and is far from the standard mat opening? Most of the time you have no choice but to go to a framer, so that he can cut the right mat for you. However, if you do a lot of drawing and plan to sell your work, it’s a good investment to buy a professional mat cutter and learn how to cut mats yourself.
Mat cutters offer the most flexibility in cutting mats. You can cut the mats to any size. You can also cut it to fit the overall dimensions of a standard frame, creating a non-standard opening. Logan meat cutters aren’t cheap, but they save you a lot of money in the long run. You can buy large sheets of museum board in any color and cut them to size. Learning how to measure and cut mats takes practice, especially mat holes, which have an edge unlike a regular cut. Accurately measuring and cutting mat boards is a skill that requires practice and patience.
The quality of the mat is determined not only by its thickness but also by the cleanliness of the beveled corners. If the blade is not new or the cutting is sloppy, the inside corner edges look rough. I think it’s best to learn the basics of cutting mats at a framer’s shop, or perhaps find a detailed video of the process online. I used to cut the mats myself using a Logan mat cutter, and I found the process quite frustrating at times because you have to get it perfect every time. After years of doing it myself, I prefer going to a framer or buying pre-cut mats online.
Glass or acrylic plexiglass?
You can draw with regular glass but consider the overall size of your piece. Glass is very heavy. It can scatter the bite in the art. It is also reflective. So it depends on where you are going to hang your artwork to minimize reflections.
Plexiglass is light and durable. Many galleries require framing with plexiglass as opposed to glass to minimize possible damage during transportation during the show. However, regular plexiglass scratches and once a small scratch becomes useless. Plexiglas often costs more than glass. Another thing to consider is reflection.
Color, material and style
Because frames are available in thousands of styles today, the choices are practically endless. However, one must remember that the artwork and its frame are always viewed together and should therefore be complimentary. If executed incorrectly, a frame can potentially overwhelm the artwork from within or detract from giving it the presence it rightfully deserves.
While it’s important to choose a frame that’s less eye-catching than your artwork, frames that are too bold in the artwork’s color or too busy with decor should also be avoided. Consider how a frame can present the work most effectively – for example, having a dark frame on a light painting with a contrasting amount will often make your artwork stand out from everything else in the room. Helps separate and enhance.
Because of their accessibility and affordability, prints are an incredibly popular medium used to fill wall space. Consider the spectrum of colors in the print, and choose a color for the frame that matches it.
For drawing and illustration
Consider the medium in which your drawings and illustration works are done. Often, these are made with more organic or perishable mediums such as pastel, graphite or charcoal. Artworks in this category can also be more delicate.
Because of this nature, these artworks look best when framed with a mount or ‘mat’. Mats play a role in preserving more beautiful and delicate works of art over time. Note in this case that the glass should never touch your artwork directly, and the mat should help separate the two. For example, if a piece of graphite finds itself rubbing against glass, it can condense and damage the paper. Mold and mildew can form. This space provided by the mat gives the artwork an air gap so it can ‘breathe’. The same guiding principles should apply to all work done on paper.
For oil paintings
Oil paintings have been around for centuries, long before people were able to produce glass in large enough sizes and quantities to cover the canvas. To understand how to frame oil paintings, we need to consider the characteristics of oil paintings themselves. Oil, unlike acrylic, watercolors do not dry by evaporation of water but by oxidation. While a finished oil painting may feel dry to the touch and may be safe to handle after a few weeks, it won’t dry completely for decades. The thicker the layer of oil paint on the canvas, the more likely it is to crack, as the paint is still considered unstable.
The choices for creating an oil painting are endless. Factors to consider are again to note what the dominant colors are and how a frame can define the overall composition of the artwork. However, it all comes down to personal preference. Oil paintings allow more flexibility in choosing large wooden frames, but must also consider what the painting evokes, its ‘weight’, and the location in which it will be placed. will Oil paintings because it can trap moisture behind it. At its worst, oil paintings behind glass can cause the canvas to rot if the painting is not dry enough to ‘breathe’.
For mixed media
Mixed media works are the most exciting because they have the potential to span all mediums. Consider the entities from the mediums mentioned so far, and apply them when you decide which frame to pair it with. In some cases, mixed media works have three-dimensional properties, and the largeness or lightness of the frames must also be considered.
A white border around the edges allows the fine art print to be framed in a variety of ways to suit your taste and decor.
Option 1. Float mount
One of my favorite framing methods for artwork on paper is the ‘float mount’ method.
A float mount is when the print looks like it’s floating above your mat instead of peaking through the window (and you can see the print edges).
It is very important that the paper does not touch the glass, otherwise your fine art print will be ruined by condensation.
Ask your framer to use box frames and/or spacers to ensure there is enough separation between the glass and the art print.
Option 2. Mated with bottom weighted revel
If you don’t want to see the edges of the paper, you can ask your framers to display your print on a wide (weighted) bottom to include the signature and date of the fine art print.
An ‘appearance’ is the amount of blank paper you can see through the mat window.
Your print is an original handmade print. Showing the signature gives it the ‘status’ of the artwork, which it deserves.
Option 3. Matted with 2 mm reveal
If you don’t want to see the signature, you can ask your framer to mat it with a 2mm opening.
This means that the mat window will be large enough to show 2mm of blank paper around the image.
Being exposed ensures that no part of the image is hidden behind the mat, giving it a more sophisticated and ‘custom’ look than a mat with no exposure.
Option 4. Mated without disclosure
This last option is the most common. This is how most photos are framed.
The mat window opening is usually smaller than the image to allow the image to lie flat behind the mat.
Images from consumer print labs are typically printed edge-to-edge, which means 4-6mm of gum (hidden) behind the mat around the edge of the image.
By giving you a border around the print, it gives more edge to overlap the mat, which means your framer can reduce the image loss area to 1 instead of the 4-6mm normally required. Can reduce up to -2 mm.
How to frame your art
01. Organize your tools.
You’ll initially need to invest in a minimal set of tools to get started, but you’ll quickly recoup their cost as you build your first few frames at home. You can pick up good quality second-hand equipment from websites like eBay or Gumtree. You get what you pay for when buying tools, as cheap tools usually produce inferior results and don’t last as long.
02. Measure.
Make your own art with a picture measuring painting frame
Note whether you are using a mount board or not.
Make sure you have an area to work on that is clean, flat and large enough to fully support the piece you are working on. Measure your art first. If you are not using a mount board or mat, your frame should match the length and width of the artwork. If you are using a board mount, the measurements of the mount will of course determine your frame size.
Once you have the dimensions, place your artwork out of the way to prevent any contamination from dust or glue. When working on a particularly valuable piece, I make a blank card, the size I am making the art, to use in the workshop for test fitting so as not to damage the original painting.
03. Work on it.
Create your own art photo frames
Be generous with your measurements to allow for waste.
To figure out how much molding you’ll need, calculate the circumference of the entire frame by first adding together your measured width and height dimensions, then doubling that number. Next, measure the width of the molding you’ll be using, multiply that measurement by eight, and add it to your total length, to allow for mitred edges (the 45-degree cuts that make up the corners of the frame. will meet) .
Add 10 percent to allow for wastage. Check your molding rods for knots or transit damage in the wood, then cut around them so they don’t affect the frame’s final finish.
04. Mark your length.
Draw your art by measuring and trimming the frame
Mark a little larger than you need so you can trim to fit
Measure the frame molding from the inside of the rabbet (the tab of material that sticks to the bottom of the molding. Once the frame is put together, the rabbets create the aperture that holds the glass and art in place). This needs to accurately match the dimensions of your artwork.
Aim to cut pieces slightly larger than necessary, as it’s easy to trim a few millimeters to get the size right, but once something is too small, nothing can be done. With this in mind, cut the longest lengths first so that if you make a mistake they can be re-cut to make one of the shorter sides!
05. Cut the molding to size.
Frame your art by cutting lengths of molding
Prevent tearing with strips of sticky tape.
Cut the length of the molding in two steps. First, use a miter saw to roughly cut to length. Use a saw blade with the finest teeth you can get hold of – the finer the teeth, the cleaner.
It’s worth spending some time setting up your saw to make sure it’s correct – use some extra molding to make test cuts to check the angle is correct and to see if the saw blade ends. will separate If this happens, wrap some duct tape around the area you’re cutting to prevent it from tearing.
06. Prepare to join.
Image of the pieces are being compared and measured to determine how you frame your art.
Different pieces are compared and measured.
Complete the molding kits with a miter guillotine, which will create a flat, smooth surface for joining edges that will bond well and create a good-looking perfect miter once assembled. Use a guillotine to shave a millimeter or so off the edge of your rough piece of molding, then check that all edges are angled at 45 degrees or 90 degrees.
Place your two length and two width pieces back to back to make sure they are exactly the same size, so the finished frame will be square. Before joining them, use a marker to color over the cut edges to hide any minor imperfections in the join.
07. Join the length.
- How to make your own band clamp art photo
- A band clamp applies even pressure to the entire frame.
- Check the pieces to make sure they sit flush together
08. Under pin
- Nail Art Frames How to frame your art.
- V-nails keep the frame in shape when it is hung on the wall.
- Using a handheld v-nailer tool, drive a v-nail into the underside of each corner. These metal V-shaped wedges will pull the edges of the frame together, adding strength and preventing the weight of the frame from warping it when hung on the wall.
Make sure you insert the v-nail exactly into the wood, with the sharp end facing down at the back of the frame corner, with the point of the v-nail meeting the angle joint. If your molding is wide you should put multiple v-nails along the join – here I used two v-nails to add strength.
09. Measure the glass.
How to Frame Your Art Picture of Measuring Glass
Clear the safe area for cutting the glass.
Place the glass for your frame on a flat, clean surface that is large enough to support the entire surface of the glass. Use a sharp cutter and a strong straight edge that won’t slip – a T-square is ideal and will help you make a straight, square cut.
Measure the glass to fit your artwork by placing the square under your ruler and moving the square into the correct position, remembering to allow for the width of the cutter itself. Before you start cutting, make sure everything is in the right position and that you have enough room to cut the full length of the glass without any obstructions or distractions.
10. Cut the glass.
How to frame your art image of a single scribe line.
A single scrap line will result in the glass being cleaned.
Cutting glass is about trust. Score the glass firmly on the straight edge with the cutter (it should sound like frying chips if you use enough pressure). Make sure you scribe the surface only once, as this creates a single fault line along which the glass will clean.
Once marked, hold both sides of the scribe line and apply upward pressure until the glass breaks cleanly. Alternatively, hold one side of the glass on a raised surface (eg the edge of a T-square) and gently press down on the other side until it breaks. These newly cut edges are very sharp, so be careful when handling.
11. Cut out the backing board.
How to Frame Your Hardboard Art Image
Cutting hardboard takes some effort but the results are worth it.
For your backing board use 2.5mm MDF or standard hardboard, available from all good hardware merchants. Measure and mark your backing board with a ruler and square. Use a strong straight edge and a craft knife to shape it – you may need several passes to get the material right. Once cut, sand or plane the edges to prevent fraying.
12. Make it shine.
Cleaning Photo How to frame your own art.
Time to brush off any dust and clean up any stains
Clean everything, then clean it again. Vacuum all the dust, polish the frame and clean the extra tools and equipment. Remove the band clamp and lay the frame down on your clean, flat surface, then run around the recess with a vacuum to remove any dust or debris.
Next, clean the glass on both sides using a quality cleaning agent to prevent any stains, leaving the crystal clear. Place the glass in the frame, holding it as low as possible. Again, run the vacuum around the inside of the frame to clean out any debris. Next, place the art on the glass and finally place the backing board in place.
13. Add the finishing touches.
How to make your own art image of a person masking a frame
Your frame is now ready to hang!
Pin the backing board firmly to the frame with some framer’s points or panel pins. Carefully insert them with a pin hammer or a professional framer’s point gun. Or you can use the Pushmaster, which has a convenient groove for entering points by hand. Clean everything up and then run a length of gummed tape around the frame and backing board, cut it into the corners with a sharp blade and seal the back of the frame.
Finally, place a pair of cord hangers on the edges of the frame and run a length of picture cord between them. Knot them securely and your frame is ready to hang.
Wood frames: Look for frames made from good, clean, straight-grained, real wood. Avoid photography (duplication) attached to wood.
Standard archival guideline: Classic mounting materials are wheat paste on rice paper, but the resulting fragile bond is, in fact, designed to break. Then came the framing industry with archival tape. The standard guideline is that everything you do has to be easily undone so that the paper work can return to its original state. You don’t need to try to remove the print from some backing. Everything should be acid free.
Dry mounting: The old rule of thumb was that you never dry mount something valuable. However, there are now archival drymount products that are reversible, such as Bainbridge’s ArtCare Restore foam board. New dry mounting will loosen its bond if you heat the backing. The backing will then issue the paper.
Flat Wrinkles: If a job is wrinkling, it is possible to reduce the wrinkling by placing the paper under a drymount press. When a job comes to us, we unfold the paper and let the paper rest. Then we press it. The work can also be dried using the reversible process mentioned above.
Floating vs. Matting: When you float paper in a frame with hinges, you have very little control over it. You are at the mercy of paper. A mat, on the other hand, will flatten the frame. Photos in particular always want to curl. You may want to consider the reversible dry-mounting described above before floating them.
Meeting: There are now hundreds of archive options to choose from. Remember, the mat should complement the artwork, not overwhelm it. Also, many people prefer traditional proportions where the sides are equal, the top is slightly larger and the bottom is larger.
Picture Grouping: When hanging a group of pictures, you can choose to hang them geometrically precisely using the same frame. This is good for a stable collection such as a series of contemporary prints. Or, you can achieve a more organic look by hanging different framed artworks in a random fashion. This is good for a growing, eclectic collection.
Metal Frames: Manufacturers are constantly coming up with new profiles and colors. Try to avoid using a gold all over, ¼ inch face 1 inch deep metal frame.
Wood frames: Wood frames, whether stained, gold or silver, look richer and look more custom. They can also be as cheap as metal frames.
