Three important aspect to consider while selecting frames online

In today’s digital age just about anything can be framed however, many people are under the impression that framing is an arduous task and requires professional help at every step of the way. While it is true that professional help should be taken, when looking to frame a costly artwork or heirloom, but getting professionals to frame your every artwork can soon become cumbersome and costly task.

There is no dearth of availability of frames online. With inline websites, you can just about frame anything today:  photographs, fabric, papyrus, paintings in the comfort of your living room. However certain consideration should be taken when choosing frames online. Given below are 3 important aspect to consider while selecting frames online:

Molding Size

There are many mold designs and shapes available. Choosing the correct width is important. Molding size is normally chosen relative to the frame, and can differ, if frame design changes.

A too wide molding can distract attention from the artwork and too thin a molding can provide a week support to the frame and can fall under heavy load.

Frame widths are generally of three types
Thin size: Thin size mold is no more than half an inch and is best suited for frames which are not any larger than 14in x 16in.
Medium size: They are between 1” and 2” thick. These can also hold 2 or 3 v-nails for hanging purpose and can frame up-to the size of 22” x 24”
Large Sized Molding: These molding are above 3” or thicker and can hold frames larger than than 22” x 24”. So based on frame size you can order appropriate mold online.

Color Choice

Users are spoilt for color choices. Colors range from monochromes to vibrant color. While choosing color for frame, it should be kept in mind that the frame color should not dominate the artwork. Browns and black are normally safe color for a frame. But based on the Theme of the artwork and environment the right color should be chosen. The place where the frame is going to be hung directly dictates the frame color so as to compliment the other items in the room. So choose a color which compliments the artwork and surrounding and if in doubt go for monochrome color.

Mat Board

Matting not only provides aesthetic look and feel to the frame but has functional use as well.

It provides spacing between the art and glass. This is important as it prevents color peeling overtime and also helps in reducing humidity inside the frame. There is no dearth of choice in Mat boards these days. They come in various textures and colors, and you should always consult a professional while picking out these mats. As a rule of thumb, when in doubt, go for a thicker border. Choosing a thin mat is the most common mistakes made while custom picture framing. A good quality Mat above 1” should do the trick.

So by keeping these 3 tips in mind you can assure yourself that you choose the right looking frame for your picture, which complements and accentuates your artwork beauty and also at the best price.

Metal Frame Assembly Instructions

Picture frames essentially do the job of enhancing your image, bring focus to your favorite photograph, protect it and bring a professional feel to it. Custom made frames are best used to preserve family heirloom or irreplaceable artwork and provides the flexibility to choose high quality acid free materials that can preserve the artwork for decades. Custom frames can be made of Metal Frames. Benefit that metal frames enjoy over wooden frame is that they are more durable and will not warp with time. Metal frame are easy to make when compared to wood and are also less costly than wooden frames. Given below is the assembly instruction of Metal Frame who plan to do themselves:

Tools required: Screw Driver, flat, hard and clean working surface.

Step 1: Remove any dirt from the surface and place it on a Kitchen counter-tops or dining room tables, as they make for a suitable work surfaces.

Step 2: Thing to notice in Metal Frame is that artwork is loaded from the side into the molding once the three sides are assembled. Place the frame face down on the work area and select the section that will form the bottom of the frame

Step 3: Once this is done the two angled plates are attached to each side of the bottom section.

Step 4: Now angled plates are tightened by placing the plates on top of each other. Insert the plates them into the frame’s groove and tighten the screw. Smooth plate should lie below the plate that has screws.

Step 5: Now fix the sides to the bottom section by sliding each side molding into the bottom section. Now tighten the screws, this will lead to a U-shaped frame without a top section.

Step 6: Now insert the image into the frame from the top along with matting, glazing, mounting board, etc.

Step 7: Leave the frame down and secure the artwork by installing spring clips with pressure enough to fit in between the backing board and the metal frame.

Step 8: Fix the hanging clips about 1/3 from the top of the frame by tightening the small screw in each of the hanging clips

Step 9: Hanging wire should be attached with two hanging clips and two adhesive bumpers to the bottom corners to the frame. This completes the Metal Frame Assembly

Picture Mounting Techniques - Picture Framing

Mounting a picture frame can be one of the daunting tasks in the whole framing process. Picture mounting is a process to secure a photograph to a mount or display board, and there are various method to do it. Which type of mounting needs to be done depends upon the budget, ease of doing it, availability of tools and conservation technique.

For mounting, acid free materials should be used, and mounted photo should be easily removable from the mount board. Materials that are being used for mounting should not be items such as rubber cement, as they have high acidic property. For household purposes, there are various inexpensive alternatives for mounting products and are safe for artwork as well.

Custom Picture Framing

Artwork tends to buckle over time and one of the reason artwork or frame buckles, because as temperature changes image, mat, and mount board all expand and contract at different rates. This is why, it is advised to leave the frames ‘free’ inside the frame to prevent it from damage. This can be achieved by mounting it with photo corners & hinging tissue. In order to give breathing area to the picture and freely expand and contract, it is important that the picture is hinged at couple of points along the top edge of the photograph.

Hinging the photograph to mat

The picture can be directly hinged on to the mat by the use of acid free hinging tape or tissue such as Lineco Self Adhesive Hinging Tissue. The main advantage of this style of picture mounting is that, the picture will remain centred under the mat, hence there is no need to hinge the mat to the mount board. However, this comes with a disadvantage that changing the mat can be a problem, as artwork and mat in this process are stuck together. Thus, this method is not recommended for selling pictures which are matted but are not framed.

Hinging mat to mount board

This technique of hinging is used for the most of the time by the framers. In this process, mat board is hinged to the mount board in order to keep it centred over the mount board. A good acid free hinging tape shall be used while doing so. In this process mount board is laid face up, mat board face down. The tops of both mat and mount are aligned. If Mat board is thinner than the mount board, then mat board needs to be placed in order to make it even with the mount board. Now, a piece of Linen tape is cut and stuck along the seam between the two boards. Later mat board is folded over , in order to position the right side up on top of the mount board.

Picture mounting – using photo corners

Photo corners are a great for archiving photo, as they do not allow any chemicals to come in contact with the artwork. Make sure to not use the photo corners made of PVC plasticizers or acidic compounds. The most common picture corners are made of polyester film, more commonly known as Mylar (Dupont Mylar Type D) and polypropylene. Photo corners help in providing extra support and are more used in the picture which have borders around it

Hinging the image to the mount board

Two types of hinges available in the market are T-hinge and V-hinge.

The T-Hinge

The T-hinge is all-purpose hanging method and is simple to apply and provide sturdy support. In this process, one piece of tape is used at the back of the picture and the other crosses over the exposed tape at 90 degrees and gets attached to the mounting board. However this type of hinging can only be done when matting is available on the artwork.

The V-Hinge

The V-hinge is a little complex to apply. This can be used when the matting is not there on the picture. V-hinge is hidden behind the picture; hence it works great with glass frames as it allows edges of the artwork to show.

Shapes of picture frames available for your custom

Custom Framing is one the best way you can use to protect and display your picture. Custom Frames are generally made up of wood or metal base.

Custom Wood Frames
Wood frame varies greatly from costly oak moulding to bamboo moulding. There are varied types of wood frame available in as many types of wood present in market. Although the make of frame is seldom mentioned or demanded by the buyers but special attention is given to design and finish of the frame. Wooden frame can be designed and cut in various design and they have the option of built to buyers’ specification easily. Wooden frames can bring old age feeling and sophistication to your photograph

Wooden Frames

Custom Metal Frames
In case of metallic frames they are much simple to design when compared to wooden frames. Specialty designs can be obtained in Metal framing - such as brushed rounded corners (by using chemicals) and baded designs. Few benefits that metal frame enjoys over wooden frame are that they are more durable and will not warp with time. Metal frame are easy to make when compared to wood and are also less costly than wooden frames.

Metal Frame

Picture frames in general are square or rectangular, although circular and oval frames are not uncommon. Custom frames also has the flexibility to create some unusual shapes, such as heart shaped frames which are generally used during wedding photography . Frames sometimes can be shaped as a memorabilia, to be given out on special occasions. There are also picture frames designed to go around corners. A popular design is the scoop, an indent in the frame which adds depth.

As mentioned above main advantage of the Custom frame is that it gives you the flexibility to go for any type of frame shape. There are several schools of thought as to which shape of frame should go for which art, although no hard and fast rules prevail. The best way to choose shape of frame is to let the work of art dictate which frame to choose from. Here are some helpful tips to do just that:

• A period painting looks good in a timeless, traditional, elegant gold-leafed frame or a handsome walnut or mahogany wood frame.
• Abstract painting or ethereal paintings look better in sleek, less fussy frames.
• For paintings that are neither vintage nor abstract, there are frames which are hybrid of classical as well as contemporary. These are called transitional frames.
• Large painting generally looks great in wider moldings and require large wall to be displayed on, as a large frame can add as much as 7 to 12 inches to the overall dimensions. However if going large is not an option then floater frame may help. Floater frames usually add only 1 to 4 inches to the height and width of a large painting,
• Always remember to get a good consultation from a professional framer. There are times when framers can guide you to choose a multilateral frame composition i.e. one or more frame moldings used together to achieve a unique look, with or without linen liner, plus fillet.

Each work of art is unique in its own way and has a story to tell. Frame shapes should be chosen such that it benefits the art that is on display. A contemporary painting hung in traditional room not necessarily need to have a traditional frame; nor does a traditional painting in a contemporary room need a contemporary frame. Also falling into the trap of, matching frames with the other group of frames in the room is not a good idea. Some of the most stunning groupings of paintings are obtained by using variety of frame styles, sizes and finishes.
Quality framing, however, can be an expensive endeavor and getting opinion of professional is invaluable. Take time out to discuss in detail about your requirement with the framer in order to make the right selection and bring pleasure through your art for generations.

Questions you must ask before buying a picture frame ?

Whether buying a frame online or from a retailer, there are certain aspects that need to be taken in consideration while buying picture frames. Listed below are questions that you should answer before you go shopping for your picture frames.



Answer some basic question
Have some basic idea of what you require in your frame. Ask yourself, whether you want a metal frame or a wooden frame? How and where you want to hang it? Be sure about the level of preservation you require for your artwork. Having assurity about the quality of the artwork helps in deciding the budget and the quality of material you plan to use. Once you have answer to these question you can easily get down to choosing right frame for you.

What color of Mat to use?
Color of Mat completely depends on what artwork is going to be laid on it. Mats are of various colors, and the color you choose will affect the viewing experience of the picture. Handy tip- In case you are not making any headway with which color to use, go for white or off-white color. They are timeless, have neutral look and will most of the time compliment any kind of art.

Should I always go for High Quality Frames?
The answer to this is ‘No’. The level of quality you want should be directly dependent on level of preservation you want to provide to your artwork. If the picture that needs to displayed is of low value then the highest level of quality is not required. On the other hand, if it is an heirloom or precious piece of art, then high quality material should always be used.   In most cases a standard frame, with standard framing material should be good to preserve your picture.

What should be the size of my Matting?
When it comes to matting, think big especially if you plan to frame smaller photos. Having big Mat can provide dramatic effect to an artwork. This helps in producing ‘wow ‘effect and also helps in filling up wall spaces with small artwork.

Custom Frame or Ready made Frame?
Custom Frames are expensive but best ways to conserve your photos. When you go for custom frames, you can pick and choose all aspect of the frame and control the look, quality and feel of the frame with ease. Ready-made picture frames are made in bulk and comes in usual size of a standard photograph prints such as 8x10, 6x 4 etc. There is no flexibility in changing the material or design of the frame and the buyer has to simply accept the material, matting color and dimensions offered.

So when you decide to go for picture frame, have answer to these above questions, and then start selecting your frame. In case you are stuck at some point, go with the ‘counter rule’ strategy, i.e. do exactly the opposite that you are planning to do. Such as, if you are deliberating whether wooden frame will look good or not, try the picture with a metal frame. If you are confused with which color to use, then take help of color wheel and go for exactly the opposite color in the color wheel. Also remember to take opinion of other people around you, as they might give you another perspective which you might have not have thought of.

Do you need consultation for picture framing

Picture Framing is an art which has grown from a nascent stage in 1950s to a mature state in current market. From using handmade tools to today's computerized machine, picture framing industry has gone through a sea change.  Whether to take consultation on picture frames really depends on the artwork you are trying to display.

In today's age there are many stores that sell ready made bulk produced picture frames. These kinds of picture frames are apt for pictures which are less valuable. These frames are made in various materials such as plastic, acrylic including wood and metal and do not need any expert advice to buy.  Ready-made frames are inexpensive as well as they are basically created in bulk and come with low glazing and backing option.

The story is different if you plan to frame your expensive or valuable art and is of high emotional value. If you like to retain your artwork for years and probably decades, then day to day run of the mill ready made frame will not full-fill such demand. To meet such demand you require help of a professional who can give quality advice on how to build your frame in a manner that it preserves your heirloom for long.

Consultancy in Picture framing becomes important because there are lot of element that are involved in creating a perfect picture frame. Elements that your consultant will advise you on are given below but this in no way an exhaustive list and can change from framers to framers.

Frame materials: Material that you use for your frame depends on your budget and size of the photo you plan to frame.

Mat size and color: You can certainly frame a photo without the mat but is not recommended. Mat provides stability, protection and not to mention flare to your frame. Mat also provides proper spacing between your photo and protective glass.

Layout Design: Framers will help you decide on how you plan to display your photos. Is it single-framed prints or collage frames with several prints?

Glazing: Glazing is equipment in frame that protects everything in a frame. This again is optional but is highly recommended if artwork is exposed to varied temperature and humidity changes.

It is best to use the services of professional when you plan to display your photo in a costly frame. Framing can be an awkward job especially for pictures that are large or of dissimilar size. So Always use a professional to help craft your framing as per your requirement and turn your picture into a wonderful memory that you can share with the world.

Frame designs for your pictures framing

Finding a frame design for your precious photo in today’s age is not such an arduous task. Good quality frames not only make your picture look beautiful but also helps in keeping the photos fresh for long. Almost anything can be framed- pictures, oil paintings, fabric and many more. 

Today you can buy frames at two different places- brick and mortar stores or online stores. Brick and Mortar stores is a place where you can go and physically see, test and choose your frames whereas online stores have the possibility of providing much wider  range of frames to choose from . 

Frames can be found in various forms such as 

General photo frames: They are broad platform which have limitless creativity possibility. All you need is imagination and a little bit of creativity to accomplish stunning looking results. Below are some general photo frames for reference.

Photo Frames

Scenery Frames: Use these frames to create beautiful and real looking sceneries. Given below are few sample which you can consider for scenery frames.

Scenery Frames

Seasonable Frame: They represent the major four seasons along with all type season related designs. Given below are few examples

Seasonable Frames - PaintboxNolita

Other types of Frames: These frames are non-stream photo frames and provide abstract representation of your picture.

Custom Picture Frames

Different frame design help you make your photos represented in different styles. Designs of frame are important for overall look and feel of the picture. What should also be taken into consideration is the amount of protection frame gives to the picture. This is important in order to keep the picture fresh for long 

However there are few considerations that you should always keep in mind before buying a frame 

Size of the Molding: Choosing Molding width is key to framing. Width of frames should be relative to frame size and if they are too wide then it would distract attention from pictures. 

Also, if they are too thin, it might not be in a position to sustain the weight of the glass and the entire frame

• Thin Size: This is around an inch thick and is suitable for frames not larger then 14in x 16.
• Medium size: They are between 1” and 2” thick and are good for 22” x 24” frames
• Large Sized Molding : This would be around 3” or thicker and are good for frames above 22” x 24”

Color: There are many types of colors in molding and it is important that you choose a color that compliments your pictures as well as surrounding it is being placed in. Color of molding is important because it decides whether the focus is drawn towards the picture or is diverted by color of molding 

Mat Board: Mat boards are optional and highly recommended. Mats provides stability, protection and also flare to your frame. Mat provides proper spacing between your photo and protective glass. By having space between glass and photo, the photo is protected from sticking onto the frame which prevents color peeling off from it. Besides practical use, Mat also provides many aesthetic benefits. You can use mats to highlight your photos and even match it to your decor