Steph's Framing Guide
Beneath my parents house, curled up in a cardboard tube, is a print I bought in Berlin.
It's a blue and white floral print by a Danish artist and it was destined to hang, bright and bold, in the living room back in Australia. I was sure of it.
And yet, when I got back I did nothing with it. I felt overwhelmed about what kind of frame I should put it in. So it went to live in that place where all things in the Undecided category go: under the house.
Let this not be your new print.
Here are some tips on how best to get your print from the tubing to its new home on the wall.
Custom framing
20s Steph loved IKEA frames. I would come home from travels with posters and prints from museums, holding the curled edges down while I tried to sandwich it between the glass and backing board. It was always a bit hit and miss.
30s Steph must admit that her IKEA frame days are over. I believe that if you're investing in an artwork that you'd like to stand the test of time, you shouldn't let the frame—the home it will live in—let you down.
Having someone professional put in the frame and selecting a frame that will both protect it and bring out the prints best bits is the best way to do this. And well worth the price tag.
Ready-made frames
A nice in-between option if you're not able to afford to have your print entirely custom framed is to use a read-made frame and have it mounted professionally.
Some framing shops have a selection of read-made frames for standard size prints. They can help you choose the right colour for your print, and then mount it for you.
All my prints come in standard sizes so you should be able to find a ready-made frame relatively easily.
Choosing your frame colour
This is a bit like trying to find the best colour clothing for your complexion. It's also a personal, styling choice.
I tend to use oak frames with my prints, mainly because it matches the soft palette of my artwork.
If the print is very light or has large areas of white, like Morning Rustle, I can get away with a darker frame because it will benefit from a more defined line around it.
Works that have a lot going on in the scene I tend to use oak or lighter (like birch_ frame because I don't want to draw attention away from the scene. I just want to give it the impression of being held in.
Choosing your frame type
Like the material/colour of the frame, the frame type (slim or chunky, standard or box) ideally brings out the best in the print.
I tend to stay on the slimmer side because it looks more elegant, but the bigger the print, the chunkier the edge will need to be, just so the glass can stay in.
A chunkier frame can work well for a lighter print that needs contrast or a strong border to give the impression of a boundary on the wall. It's also a bit more traditional in style.
A box frame (where the print is setback, like it's in a glass case), helps to draw your eye in to the image. I find it works best for smaller prints that sit on mantles, bedside tables and consoles.
Got a question about framing your print? Email me.