FRAMING TIPS
There are mementos which you may want to preserve for yourself today and pass to future generations, valuable heirlooms or unique items that you collected along the way.
It may be a painting, a photo, or an object. As long as you want them to be seen, the best way is to “frame” them and hang on your walls. Not only as decoration, but as a part of your life.
Having something framed is a kind of investment, best taken care of by an “expert framer”. An item of the humblest origin may be framed, and subsequently turned into a beautiful piece of art. Whatever it is that you treasure, it deserves to be framed properly.
All mats and backing must be acid free (high acidity damages paper or discolours the artwork), frames must be made of wood or metal (any kind of plastic or polymer contains chemicals, and they are not healthy for you and your artwork), and if you will use glass, best select the ones with UV protection and are anti-reflective.
Other tips;
How to choose the best frame?
This basic question is on the mind of every customer.
Actually, the answer is simple!
“Don’t let anyone else sell you his or her dream.”
You may consult professional advice (like your framer or interior decorator or artist), but in the end, pick whatever YOU like best. Pay for your dream, not someone else’s.
In terms of material, the frame should preferably be wood or metal.
We do NOT recommend and sell plastic - PVC frames.
IF anything is deemed worthy to frame, choose the best one, because it is an investment. Whether at home, at the office, or anywhere else, frames are a part of your life. Treat yourself with the best possible choice.
How to take care of your frame and artwork?
- Use a feather duster or damp cloth to clean your art and frame to avoid scratches.
- Be sure to spray liquid cleaner directly on the cloth rather than your art and avoid ammonia-based cleaners.
- As with any work of art, do not display your paintings or photos under direct sunlight.
Matting
- Neutral tones like white and cream are always easy to look harmonious with artwork. You can combine them with your wall colour or with any bold colour which may add drama.
- Black mats are also neutral but might be strong. Black mats make the art pop.
- A mat with black core helps you save money (instead of double mat), and the exposed core looks like tiny black lines which help transition the colours between the mat and the artwork.
Stretching
For oils, acrylics, or prints on canvas you need to have a Professional stretching. If it is not done, the material may loosen and cause cracks on the painting. IF there is no specific reason to opt for an alternative, ¾” stretching bars are preferred. The wider bars are more expensive (which only adds profit for the framer) and limit the choice of frames.
Framing and Hanging
Ask for the advice of your framer or designer for a decent frame choice. And consider their professional experience. However, always spare the final decision for yourself as you will pay the bill and live with that frame.
As in any industry, new frames, colours, finishes and new framing fashions enter the market every year. Look through the new products, but never choose a frame that overwhelms your artwork. Most of the time when it comes to framing: “less is more”.
Hang your picture using two picture hooks, and space the hooks as far apart as possible. The configuration should resemble something as shown below:
hanger---------hook ---------------------------------------------------------------hook---------hanger
Pricing
We would like to propose that you shope in the neighbourhood as always. We and other local stores provide you with the most valuable products at reasonable prices. No need to mention about the high costs of rent, hydro, labour etc…
The price of a frame is not only based on a piece of wood, paper and glass.
When you buy from a chain department store, you will get cheap and imported low quality ready-frames. Most likely, those products will not be long-lasting for your artwork, and neither will they help the local economy.
Please note that it is difficult to give a price estimation over the phone, and that’s due to the many variables (frames, matting, glass grades, etc.) in our work.
In the area, we offer our services and products at the most reasonable prices. So far none of our customers complained about our prices.
