One of the ultimate ways to damn an artist with faint praise is to ignore the painting and comment of the quality of the frame. That’s not to say that you should use a deliberately understated frame to draw attention away from it; a frame should be a tasteful border between the work of art and the real world, and it can be as simple or as grandiose as you see fit.

Mounting is another important element in displaying your two-dimensional work. Paper is not renowned for its stiffness and should be attached to card, wood or some sort of synthetic backing before being exhibited or hung on your wall.

Framing and mounting can be done professionally in well equipped workshops with all the requisite presses, clamps and adhesives to hand. However it can be an expensive business, and if you’re mounting and framing a whole exhibition this can really eat into your budget. Art supplies shops will stock all you need to frame and mount your own works, but due to the one-off nature of your art, it’s well worth practising extensively before trusting yourself with the task. There are several different kinds of mount board media, from basic card, through hardboard and on to foam board, ribbed plastic boards and honeycomb panels. They all have a host of factors such as weight, cost, rigidity and ease of use which must be considered before committing your work to them.

Whereas mounting is largely invisible yet essential, framing is on the viewer side of the artwork, and the choice is as much about aesthetics as engineering.

At its simplest, framing comprises a piece of card that’s larger than the artwork with a whole cut out of it through which the picture is viewed. Ideally the frame should be the same width all around the image, but sometimes the bottom edge is wider to accommodate a caption or description (although this can be in a completely separate panel next to the work). For a neat finish the card should be trimmed with the blade leaning outwards at 45 degrees, for which a special cutter will be required. Mounting board is available in the whole range of colours, so you can really set the mood with a stylish look.

Another easy way to display a picture is to purchase a pre-made glass-fronted frame. They are available in a range of sizes, largely based on the A series of paper size, so although you might not find an exact fit, if you’re happy with a wide or unbalanced border they can be a quick and easy option, clipping into place in seconds.

Finally there is the custom made frame, used in conjunction with some sort of mounting and usable with or without glass. Lengths of framing section, cut to the desired length at 45 degrees and fixed together allow simple angular frames or even quite complex designs to continue all around the picture. The list of materials and designs is endless, with different kinds of wood, aluminium and plastics available for the job.

Mounting and framing your work is an important part of the creative process. Chosen badly or rushed, it can have a detrimental effect, but if the shapes, colours and materials are considered properly it can make even a simple picture into a beautiful finished object.

Author Bio: Tracey Morgan has written this review for Voodoo E-Commerce on behalf of Pullingers, providers of framing and mounting supplies and equipment.

Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: art, framing