I have been a photographer for 5 years and recently got a job as a framer. Before starting this job I had no idea how important, detailed and nuanced the art of framing is. I have always been one to print my image, spend decent cash on good quality paper and then just throw it into a frame. On rare occasions that I did use mat board, I’d take my MASKING TAPE and tape that sucker right around the Mat window. If you’re like I was, this will all sound normal to you and you’re probably questioning ‘What’s wrong with these things?’ I’m so glad you clicked this article because I’m gonna fix you, and help you have framed photography, paintings, drawings, and anything else your heart desires that will last way longer! Are you ready?

Risks Associated with Incorrect Framing

Let’s first talk about what can go wrong if you incorrectly frame an artwork. Before working as a framer, I would just stick my artwork in a frame, put the backing on and call it a day. I’d go to reframe the work or put something else in the frame a month later and find that the image was damaged or slightly imprinted on the glass. Weird huh? Not really when you take the following factors into consideration:

Humidity: If your frame isn’t living in a humidity-controlled environment, this will be a big factor. Just like with people the more moisture in the air the more sticky your artwork will become. Now imagine you have those beautiful inks or lovely oil paints right up on the glass. They’re going to sweat and fuse to it. Not the best thing in the world!
Heat: Glass can get hot, a simple concept. Now imagine placing your artwork, say an oil painting against it. It’s going to melt it, maybe not a lot but enough to fuse it to the glass. If you’ve ever opened a frame and found the artwork is a bit sticky, that could be one of your causes.

So, keep the artwork off the glass, See my article The Anatomy of a Frame for info on how we can do this. Now let us talk about using the incorrect glass. UV light is an artwork's worst nightmare. UV light will fade your artwork over time, it’s inevitable. Your standard no-nonsense framer's glass has around 45% UV protection. Upgrade that glass, there are options that have a special coating providing up to 99% UV protection. Check out The Anatomy of a Frame article to find which glass you should use.

Benefits of framing

Now we know the technical reasons why we should find importance in framing, let's talk about design choices. I find that the majority of artists frame the same way, Here’s the script: “I would like a black or white frame with a white mat board, nice a thin please.’ I bet you have at least thought this same thing in the isles of a Swedish furniture store. Even if you’re not an artist, it is likely that this is what you prefer. I was the same way! There is nothing wrong with a white/black frame mat combo, on the right piece it works great. Sometimes even in a gallery scenario, it is perfect. There are 3 reasons why these simple frames are popular: simple frames are cheaper, simple frames don’t take away from the art, and people do not know what is out there. Below I am going to list these reasons and provide an argument for the inverse. Come in with an open mind, I do this to help you! I care about you!

Simple Frames Are Cheaper:
There is no denying that a cheap black frame with a single white mat inside it is cheaper. It lends to the popularity of the frame. The fact that as an artist, interior designer or someone who buys in bulk for resale, I can enter an Ikea, spend $30 on an A3 Frame and in a matter of minutes bump the price of my work up a couple of bucks is appealing. But for someone who is framing for their own home, or getting a frame for one of their artworks that they care about, please don’t make this the only consideration. We need to frame certain pieces with respect for the work and for our client. If the artwork would look all right in a black frame but amazing in a black ornate frame, your client should be happy to pay for it. Offer this option.
If you pay $20 for a frame, you get $20 worth of quality. That thing will last a year before your mouldings start to bend, or the acrylic warps inward. These frames are a great way to demonstrate to a client how it might look in a frame and are a good way to get something on the wall if money is tight. Do not expect it to be a permanent solution. Make a quality frame your next purchase and if you’re selling the piece, have the client take the image straight to a framer to get something good on that artwork.
Simple Frames Don’t Take Away From The Art:
Well, sometimes they do. Let’s imagine you have a beautiful charcoal drawing, it is quite muted in its tones, and there is no bright white and no dark black. Using basic lighting and colour knowledge, if we place this artwork into a white frame with a white mat, what’s going to happen? Our eye is going to go straight to the brightest point, your frame and mat! That is not what we want. That does not mean we have to go all out and spend a bunch of money on a frame, all we really need to do in this case is spend a couple of dollars on a greyish mat, maybe a black one if it looks good against it and call it a day.
In some cases, a nice frame and fancy mat can tie really well into your artwork. I have seen artwork with crazy vibrant reds and yellows put into a bright red frame with yellow mat-lined rebates. The frame becomes an extension of the artwork at this point. The conversation around the work isn’t ‘wow, look at that bold choice of frame’ it is ‘wow, look at that artwork’ which is always the goal in good framing. This is a dramatic example of moving away from simple framing. Keep it simple, instead of a white mat on that rainforest photograph, go for a dark brown top mat and a 5mm slip of green underneath, Do you want to spend a little more on a frame? Go for a wider profile in maybe a nice greenish-brown open grain. Compliment those rainforest colours, and make them stand out against your competitors.
People Do Not Know What Is Out There:
If you go to the big Swedish furniture shop and only see a black frame with a white mat, that is all you can imagine there is. Do you want a modern-looking frame? There's more than black box frames that look modern. Maybe you have an art deco-styled apartment, a boring white frame doesn’t suit that. Expand your horizons, and Google different frame choices. Better yet, the next time you need a frame for an artwork, take the piece into a frame store and have them recommend something, based on a style you like. It will be more expensive than your ready-made frame, and you might walk out with nothing, but at least you will understand what you could have if you look around.

I hope I have opened your mind to the world of framing a little. It is a misunderstood craft, and we need to consider framing artwork as a part of the creative process. Let us treat our work with respect, we put too many hours into it to not. If you want to know more about the components of a frame, check out my article on The Anatomy of a Frame and if you are interested in finding out how to fit a frame yourself, check out my article DIY Framing.

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out the rest of my site, may I suggest my store for some artwork you can frame ;).

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