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A good experienced picture framer can work magic and do some pretty amazing things with even the simplest of pictures. As an art student I spend some time in a local art gallery and learned some of the basics of "old school" framing from the gallery owner. Later in life, I worked at a high volume custom framing studio. I learned some secret tips of the trade. I want to share some of that knowledge with you. The obvious answer to " What Can Be Framed " is pictures, but actually just about anything can be framed and displayed. Good framing design can enhance colors and give focus to the other wise lost looking object. Framing can also properly preserve keepsakes. Shadow boxes add to the unlimited display possibilities. Ticket stubs, shirts, lucky sneakers, puzzles, bottle openers, shells, sharks jaws, feathers, candy wrappers, marbles, dolls, baseballs, dried flowers, stuffed animals, hats, and more are all framed. Framing sports memorabilia is popular. A team jersey, tickets stubs, and photos of the team can all be put together in a sports collage. Baby christening gowns and wedding invitations are often framed. A popular framer's trade magazine runs a monthly contest for custom framers to submit the strangest things they have framed. The most interesting thing I saw framed was the complete set of very worn clothes, including bathing suit, sneakers and hat, of a local girl who was on the television series "Survivor". She used the large shadow box display to bring with her on public appearances. The framer did an excellent job, giving the whole presentation a rustic tropical island feel. (Nice job Tom!) Custom framing for a cherished piece of art is worth the price, not only for the quality of materials, but for long term preservation of the piece by a qualified professional. An experienced framer can help you through all the selections of mats, frames, and other materials to help you get the ideal frame for your picture. Art galleries offering custom framing can turn a good piece of art into into a great piece to suit your individual needs. Many of the "chain" arts and craft supply dealers have custom framing departments, often with very skilled framers working behind the scenes. However, since not every piece is a Monet, and we don't all have hundreds of dollars to spend on every picture we want to hang, there are less expensive options for hanging your child's masterpiece, or dressing up your decor with a few inexpensive prints. Many framers would be willing to help you professionally mount your artwork in a recycled, or off the rack frame you have found. If you are working with a print or a watercolor, you can use mats to make a "found" frame the ideal size for you picture. A lovely large frame, for example, can fit a very small picture with matting to fill the empty space, and increase the over all impact of the picture when displayed. Pieces presented framed or matted often sell at a better price. Many galleries will only accept a work for sale or to show if it is properly framed or matted. An artist's work always makes a better presentation when it is in the right mat or frame. Many artists don't frame or mat their work because framing can get quite expensive, and selling prints alone can generate more regular sales. Also, many artists may want to leave it up to the customer to get a piece framed so it will fit better with their decor. "Pure" artists may want to think that their work is being sold because it has transcended all artistic barriers and has reached someone's soul, but bottom line, most art you sell will be bought to go over someone's sofa! Artists would be doing their collectors a great favor by creating their artwork using standard sizes for standard size frames and mats. Since so many nice standard size frames and mats are available, it is unfortunate when custom framing a piece is necessary because the size of the piece is irregular. Worse yet, sometimes a customer chooses to "crop" an artist's piece so that it will fit in a standard size ready made frame. I know of one artist who sells her work as prints, unframed and unmated, but includes an instruction sheet of how her work "looks best" including specific mat and frame colors. There are several basic steps to framing. How involved you want to get in each phase depends on your needs and resources. Frame Molding: Some handy woodworkers can make their own frames from scratch. Stapled, stained and then polished the basic frame is ready for the next step. Glass: Glass needs to be cut to size and inserted. There are several types of glass for picture framing today. Standard glass, non-reflective glass, UV protective glass, and plexiglass's are the most common. Plexiglass's has come along way. It has always been strong, and break resistant, but now it is also much clearer and scratch resistant than it used to be. Non-reflective glass is great for when you have pictures in a well lit room, and don't want to see your TV or other lighting reflected in your artwork. UV protective glass is ideal for investment pieces, when you don't want to chance fading of a piece. You get what you pay for. Premium glass will increase a custom framing job's final cost considerably, but may be worth the investment. Oil paintings don't need glass, and it can actually be harmful to the painting. Humidity can get trapped in between the painting and the glass causing foxing or mold growth on the painting. Matting:Mats can be used alone when selling or displaying prints. Double or triple matting adds to the over all design and possible color combinations. Some custom framers also can make lovely embellished designs cut into the mats as corner accents. In theory a metal ruler and a utility knife are all you need to cut mats. In reality, you need a professional matt cutter. Clean precise angled cuts take practice using even the best of equipment. A good professional mat cutter may cost around $300. Mats can be selected and cut to size very reasonable at your local frame shop. Setting the print: Be sure the backside of the glass is clean and dry before setting the print. That small fingerprint or little cat hair will haunt you after everything is sealed together. After using a good glass cleaner and wiping the glass dry with a lint free paper towel or cloth, you may wish to blow it dry with canned air or an airbrush hose to get any remaining dust or debris off. Backing board: Foam board most commonly used now, as opposed to the wood panels or cardboard used in the past. You will want to use low acid or acid free board to keep from chemically damaging your print. Frame shops will often seal your print or picture to the foam board using a special adhesive and hot press. This will keep the print from shifting or buckling after it is framed. Adhering the picture to the board can also iron out any buckles or ripples in the print. Use discretion in letting them do this, as it will permanently affix the foam board to your picture, and can damage the picture. Needlepoint pictures are mounted around a backing board or wooden support frame, evenly stretching it out for a nicer appearance. Securing the layers: There is a special type of gun which is similar to a staple gun which shoots framers "points" to secure the glass, image and backing board flush to a frame. If you only want to frame a few pictures and don't want to invest in one, small nails called brads can be lightly hammered in instead. Backing paper: Brown kraft paper is generally used to neaten up the appearance of the back of the frame and to seal it all in, further protecting the picture from dust or humidity. Lay the frame backside up on a table. Cut a piece of brown kraft paper slightly larger than the frame. Put a light bead of glue over the back of the frame, and then lay the piece of kraft paper over it. When the glue is dry (which of course, depends on the type of glue you use), you can trim the excess paper off with a razor or razor knife. On the back of the paper you can also add any information about the artist or picture. An artist's biography, newspaper clipping of an art festival where purchased, or artist's business card can be attached to the back. This can be glued on, placed in an envelope which is taped or glued on, or you can even glue on a pouch which can hold a transparent sleeve containing the item. Hanging hardware: Artist supply stores and hardware departments have a wide assortment of fittings and specific hardware for hanging a picture. Some of these fittings only need to be tapped in with a hammer, others need to be screwed. Two eye hooks, heavy gage wire, and wire cutters will do the trick. The idea is to secure a wire without any slack across the back of the frame about a third of the way down. This way the weight of the picture is balanced between the two side frames. This makes the picture much easier to hang, as the frame can rest on the wall on a bent nail or hook. Rubber bumpers: Try to find the little stick on bumpers at your local art supply store. These are put on the bottom corners of the frame back. These will keep the picture from shifting around on your wall, so it will hang straight. Special Consideration for Canvas: Canvas frames are recessed deeper than frames for prints, so the frame can sit flush to the wall. These deeper frames are not as readily available as print frames are now. When framing canvas, glass is not used, and any craft paper backing should be scored to allow the painting to "breath" to prevent mold from forming. It is becoming more fashionable to hang canvas paintings without frames. Painters have been painting all the way around the edges, and specially made canvases are now available without the traditional stapled edges. Also, traditionally, anything done on canvas was assumed to be an original. Now with new canvas printing methods, which can include raised "brush" marks, what may appear to be a freshly painted canvas could well be a print. When buying a piece as an investment, be sure you know what you are getting. Please use the highest ethics when selling these prints. If an unknowing customer appears to assume that it was a hand painted original, clarify that it still has value as a print. Shadow Boxes and Raised Objects Shadow boxes are a great way to display collections and raised art. Foam pieces can be fitted into the frame backing and the objects secured with glue, long pins and/or wire to prevent shifting. Objects can be grouped into a creative grouping. Tiers of different levels also add interest. Fabric or acid free paper to cover the base pieces can be selected in endless textures and colors add to the overall impact of the design. Unique Refinished Frames Your local craft store has all that you need to make a one of a kind personalized original frame. An unfinished wood frame, or an old frame that has seen better days, can be completely transformed with a little imagination. Painted or stained, any frame can be customized to suit your needs. If you have some artistic skill, consider adding free hand painted designs. Stenciled or stamped designs add a nice touch as well. Many decorative embellishments can be hot glue gunned onto your frames. Shells, beads, ribbon, and silk flowers are used. Scrap booking aisles have hundreds of decorative pieces that can be added on as either a full covering or as an accent. Fabric covered frames are popular. These can be made to exactly match curtains or other fabric of a newly decorated room by using a bit of left over fabric. Fabric covered frames with poly batting cushioning gives a nice soft look for a child's room or nursery. Art students are generally taught very little beyond the basics of cutting mats for displaying their own art work,and classes in framing aren't readily available. The best way to get experience as a picture framer is to apply for a job at a local art gallery, or arts and crafts store. Usually little or no experience is necessary for a starting position. Apprenticing under an experienced framer you can learn all the basic skills rather quickly. The best framers have skill, years of experience, a good sense of design, and a keen eye for color. Seminars in framing are sometimes available. Most of these are sponsored by the leading picture frame manufacturers. Picture framing doesn't pay much but is a great job for an art student or artist. Most artist galleries are largely supported by custom framing work, which can be very lucrative in a shop with a good location. There are contests for original and creative framing designs, usually sponsored by leading framing supply manufactures. Professional framers trade magazines are a good resource for information. Whether arranging pictures attractively on a wall,or adding a small grouping of table top frames to an end table, we need to consider balance and the impact the picture frames have in the style of the room. Blending the frames into the room decor, with similar period styles and colors is a good option. Contrasting the pictures can add interest and make your art a focal point of interesting accent. Consider easels to create a free standing focal point in the room. eBay |