How to frame your artwork – originals and prints

As a member of a few art groups, I have had several conversations with fellow artists about framing the artwork they have made. I have also had many conversations with people who have bought unframed works, so I thought I would share my thoughts on framing with you, too.

I know that in the current financial climate many people visiting art exhibitions are spending their money on unframed work simply because it’s less expensive and that is totally understandable. So, having been to an art fair, exhibition, gallery or simply found a piece of art which you love, it is likely that your beautiful purchase is wrapped in cellophane or bubble wrap. It’s all very exciting, but what now?

You could take it to your local picture framer. There are plenty around and most can give you great advice on what to do but be warned. They are not all great. Some are likely to just push you towards the highest priced frame with the most expensive non-reflective glass, with little thought for how it would suit your home, so ask around before going down this route. If you are local to me in Surrey, there are a couple of framers who I would highly recommend and a few that I wouldn’t.

Another option is to frame it yourself. There are lots of stores around that sell frames but please do not use a frame that you don’t love. Why not? Well, you have just spent good money on your art so why cheapen it by putting something you love into a rubbish frame? In the long term you will regret it and it will undervalue the artwork itself.

So, what should you consider? If you are framing originals or prints on paper, first you will need to think about the matting which surrounds the work. For those of who aren’t artists or are just starting out, mats (sometimes called mattes, or mounts) are thin, flat pieces of material usually attached to picture frames or sold separately. They serve two purposes: decoratively enhancing your art or separating your artwork from the glass.

Most pieces you would find in a browser (one of those racks where unframed prints are displayed) are already matted and wrapped but you should double check that that the matting is acid-free. It needs to be acid-free to avoid damaging your beautiful artwork. Don’t skip this, as matting your artwork provides a margin between the artwork and the frame which is calming and allows the work to really shine. That said, some people prefer not to use matting or mount, and, in the end, you have to be happy with the final look, so you decide what works best for you and your home.

Works on paper generally need to be protected with glass and here you need to consider where you are going to be hanging the work before you get it framed. If it is going to be in a fairly sunny position, you will really need to consider glass with UV protection to stop the work from fading. This kind of glass doesn’t come cheap.

If your new artwork is on canvas, there are a couple of options depending on the type of canvas the artist has used. A thin one can be framed with a canvas surround, like matting, between the canvas and the frame. Wider frames probably don’t need this and with a thick, wrapped canvas or box canvas (which has a thicker edge than most standard stretched canvas), it is probably best mounted into a floater frame (which creates the illusion the artwork is floating within it), if you decide you want a frame. Personally, I like to see the edges of a box canvas. There is a kind of story all of its own, depending on how the artist finishes the edging.

These days you can get frames from all manner of different outlets. Supermarkets tend to have some great quality small frames and home decorating stores generally have a good larger range, so take a look in IKEA, B&Q, and department stores. Don’t forget to check out antique shops, second hand shops and charity shops, too. For my American followers, I am talking about chains such as Meijer’s, Walmart, Home Depot, Macy’s etc., together with vintage, thrift, and resale stores. Second hand/charity stores often have an abundance of frames, usually with horrible prints in, so simply remove the work and replace with your artwork instead. Sadly, though, most stores these days don’t use glass. I am not a fan of the plexiglass they use instead. It is simply plastic, and not only does it scratch easily, but also I don’t want to add to the use of plastics wherever possible, and glass is recyclable.

The style of the frame needs to fit in with the style of your home. It’s likely that the style of your home will probably be similar to the style of paintings you enjoy. Modern colourful artworks tend to look best with simple monotone frames with as little fuss as possible so as not to distract from the art. The likelihood is that if you like modern art, the style of your house will tend to be modern, too.

On the other hand, if your home is classical with patterned wall coverings and chintz fabrics, then beautiful, old-style gold frames, many of which are works of art in their own right, will sit better in it. You can often find these beautiful frames in charity, second hand or antique shops. If you decide to use these kinds of frames you really will need to consider having a canvas mount between the actual canvas and the frame. Depending on the painting, of course, you need to have a resting space between the artwork and the frame.

If you are an artist and want to frame your own work, there are a couple of things you need to consider. Putting your artwork in cheap or broken frames sends the message that you don’t value your work. So why would anyone else value it? If you are going to use ‘off the shelf’ frames for works on paper, you will devalue your work if you don’t finish off the back properly. Do not expect your customers to use the ‘push in’ hooks for hanging the artwork. Each piece needs a brown paper backing taped to the edges – this stops dirt and dust seeping into the frame. Doing this means you will cover the cheap hanging element (personally I remove it altogether) so proper picture hooks and string or wire needs to be attached to the frame.

If you are producing works on canvas, then the frames you use must be fit for purpose. At a recent exhibition, one of the artists had frames which were falling apart, the work was hung off the frames rather than adding hooks and string or wire and one canvas piece was badly warped. Overall, it doesn’t suggest pride in one’s work and if you are presenting yourself as a professional artist you need to put yourself in the shoes of the people who are going to buy from you. When they buy your work, they will be excited and want to take it home and hang it on their walls to enjoy. They don’t want to have to reframe it themselves. They don’t want something which could fall off their walls and they don’t want a painting which in a year’s time has dust particles floating between the artwork and the glass. In the long term, it just makes you someone they would not want to buy from again and as we artists all know, a previous buyer is far more likely to buy again if they have had a good experience.

At the end of the day, hopefully the work is going to be on your wall for some time, so you need to think almost as much about the framing as you do about the art itself.

Next time I will explain in more detail how to frame your artwork yourself.

If you have enjoyed reading this post, please like and follow me and please share it with people who you think might be interested. I am always on the lookout for new artists to feature as I know how much everyone enjoys reading about other artists. Also, if you think there is a subject you would like to know more about and would like me to write about, I will be happy to consider it. Sharing, liking, and following my blogs increases the number of people the algorithm shows the blogs to, so please share. Thank you in advance for supporting me this way.