Three Ways To Frame Your Art Beautifully
I often get requests for framing suggestions when people buy my art. There are SO MANY frames to choose from, and then there are mats (the card borders that you can place between the artwork and the frame) and glass options too! How do you decide?!
Here’s the thing: a good frame is like good eyebrows. When you have good eyebrows, people tell you that you’re looking great, but nobody notices your eyebrows. If people notice your eyebrows, there’s a good chance you had a bad eyebrow job! In the same way, your frame should make the artwork look even better without anybody noticing the frame. So here are 3 of my favourite “good eyebrow job” frames…
1. Timber Floating Frame
A raw timber floating frame is such a lovely simple finish for a stretched canvas print. It’s also an option for framing my original magazine paper cutting artworks that are created on hardboard and sealed with varnish.
(Side note: Look at how beautifully this teal wall works with this artwork framed in a timber floating frame! See how you can use colour on your walls to “frame” your art too.)
Normally the floating frame has a gap between the frame and the artwork, which looks great and works well if you’re framing a canvas print. If you’re framing one of my magazine paper cutting artworks, then ask your framer to do it without the gap, for better support of the sides and corners of the artwork, which can be vulnerable.
Something I love about the floating frame is that the artwork is level with the frame, instead of receding inside the frame. A frame like this also does not add much size to your artwork, which is great if you don’t have the extra space to work with.
My magazine paper cutting artworks are protected by a good varnish, but with a floating frame there’s no glass to protect the artwork, so it should be hung somewhere where it’s unlikely to get splashed on or scratched.
- Best for: stretched canvas prints. You can also frame my magazine paper cutting originals this way, though the other framing options will offer more protection for magazine paper cutting originals.
- Not suitable for: fine art prints on archival art paper or originals that are on card or unvarnished.
2. White Gallery Frame and Mat
I really love the crisp, simple, and spacious feel of a white gallery frame with a white mat. It goes well in pretty much any modern decor environment and brings out the best in any artwork, but it’s especially lovely with the vivid colours of my magazine paper cutting artworks.
This frame options includes a glass front, which adds a layer of protection to the artwork. This is a very robust frame option, which is important if you’re framing one of my large pieces (60cm x 80cm and bigger)..
The mat and frame together will add a fair bit of extra size to the artwork though, so you’ll need to consider whether you have the extra space for it. For an artwork that is 60cm x 80cm, an 8cm wide mat plus a 2cm wide frame adds on an additional 20cm in width and 20cm in length to your artwork’s overall hanging size. But this frame will also add a sense of spaciousness to the feel of the artwork – perfect for this artwork, don’t you think?
- Best for: magazine paper cutting originals, unvarnished originals, originals on art card, and fine art prints on archival art paper.
- Not so suitable for: canvas prints, which don’t need a glass front.
3. Thin, deep frame (with, or without glass)
This framing option can be done with or without.a glass front. It combines protection and robustness with the modern, spare look and feel of the floating frame.
It looks great in black, charcoal, or light wood – all colours that go well in many different home decor environments. The frame is thin and adds very little extra size to the artwork, so it’s great for small spaces too.
The image on the right shows the design of the frame. The artwork is set into the frame below the edge of the frame (not level with the frame as in the case of the floating frame). But the frame is deep and the artwork sits near the front of the frame, with glass in front of the artwork.
- If you include a glass front, then this option is perfect for: artworks that need more protection, like magazine paper cutting originals, unvarnished originals, originals on art card, and fine art prints on archival art paper.
- The following types of artwork can be framed without a glass front: canvas prints and magazine paper cutting originals. The 1-inch overlap of the frame around the edges of the artwork provides good protection for the vulnerable edges and corners of a magazine paper cutting original.
As you can see, these 3 framing options are all simple and modern, and they support the artwork to look its best without detracting from the artwork. Enjoy selecting your frame, and do send me some pics of your framed artwork in your home – I love seeing them all settled in!