Frames - Do you use them and why?

[danic]

I really don't use them, but I have never seen the need to. So I'm wondering why others do? How do you decide whether a picture needs a frame or not?

[Asylum Steve]

How do you decide whether a picture needs a frame or not?...

Well, having just had a fun little street exhibition last night (see my blog for details!), I suppose I'm fairly qualified to chime in on this topic.

You frame work for two major reasons: to enhance its appearance when it's being shown for viewing in either private and public settings, and to protect it from the enviromental elements as well as handling and storage.

My small 10-piece "show" yesterday incorporated all of these elements. Since my last full-fledged gallery show a couple of years ago, I've kept many of the pieces stored in their frames vertically on shelves with cardboard "corners" to protect the frame finish from being scratched.

I'll admit this is part laziness, but also practical in case someone shows interest in my work from my web site (and I can make a quick sale), or I get an impromptu offer to show some things in an non-conventional setting, which is what happened this past week.

So, I simply clean the glass, throw the work in a box (well ok not literally!), shlep them to the site, put them up on some provided easels, and we rock & roll...

Best part is I sold a large piece, they pay and I know the work is framed, signed, sealed, delivered, and ready to hang. Sweet...

I know these kinds of decisions are probably tougher for those of you that don't exhibit your work, but for me, even at home, if the photo is going to be viewed, it's matted and framed...

[almo]

I rarely print any of my images, but I used to work at a prolab and we did a sorts of frame jobs. My personal tatse leans toward mounting and matting rather than framing. Just my own taste. But then again, I rarely ever print.

[gahspidy]

Steve hit it all. It's about presentation and protection/preservation. For me, the presentation is just as important as the work being presented. A great image looks even greater presented in a mat and frame. There are other ways of presenting a photo without a frame such as face mounting it to a plexiglass panel. I have seen this done quite alot now, especially with larger pieces. The print looks very good right up against the acrylic panel, but I do not care for this method personally as it means marrying a print to a heavy piece of plastic that can scratch and is also a pain to store and lug around.
I like an old fashioned mat (either museum white or black to keep it simle) and black frame.
I have decided to start using "Museum glass" for my presentations. Museum glass is extremely expensive, but, there is absolutely no glare or reflections off the surface and it actually appears as if there is no glass in front of the print. Reflections drive me nuts, especially when I have a dark print with lots of black in it ( I have alot of those) and sometimes the reflections can be stronger than the image behind the glass, depending on the environment and lighting. Museum glass will allow the viewer to see the image with no distracting glare, which could actually pay for itself by making the sale.
A good presentation makes the work look good as well as giving the potential buyer/viewer the impression that you care enough about it as well, which is important.

[Asylum Steve]

My personal tatse leans toward mounting and matting rather than framing...

Hey John, love that blonde 'do!

I don't see these as mutually exclusive. As in choosing between the two. I mount and mat and then frame. In fact, I don't see how you would frame a photo without mounting or matting it first.

Truth is, framing a picture is a pain, so I understand if someone just wanted to mount it or mat it simply to view in their home on a shelf or something. But you have to agree a print is much more vunerable to the elements without a frame.

BTW, I'm only referring to more serious work when I talk about framing. I've got tons of snapshots just lying around and stuck up all over the place. It'd be kind of ridiculous (not to mention expensive!) to mount, mat and frame every little picture you have, right?

[victorhuang20]

I know this is a pain to ask, but I love mounting and matting, but I don't really know how to, would anyone be willing to put up a tutorial on what you need and how to?!

[gahspidy]

I know this is a pain to ask, but I love mounting and matting, but I don't really know how to, would anyone be willing to put up a tutorial on what you need and how to?!

Well, I will try to keep this simple and hopefully not confusing. First, you can cut your own mats, as I do from full sheets of board or you can buy them pre cut which can save you alot of time.


get a back board which is basically another sheet of mat without the cut out. Lay that down on a flat table. Place the mat with cut out flat on table as well next to it on top. Hinge the two together by using acid free cloth tape available at any framing supply stores.
Lay your print face down on the backboard and apply the cloth tape to the top backsdie of the print as shown.

Turn the print over face up and fold over the mat with cut out so that it lays over the print as it should. Make sure the edges of the top mat and mount board are lined up even and then position your print underneath so it displays in the opening as it should. Carefully lift the top mat off the print and board while keeping the print from moving.

Now, apply the cloth tape over the tape that is applied to the back of the print from the earlier step. This will tape the print to the mount board. Only tape the top of the print as described so that it hangs freely.
then apply doble stick tape also available at the framing supply store and secure the top mat to the mounting board and over the print.
Done.

This is good for traditional photgraphs that are not larger than 8x 12 or so. Anything larger and you should have the print dry mounted to the back board by a framing store. Otherwise, the larger size print will curl, wrinkle and buckle in humid conditions and not look very good. If you are printing on a heavier fiber or fine art paper, which I like to do, then you can hang them traditionally as described even much larger sizes because the heavy fine art or fiber based papers won't buckle and wrinkle like regular photographs (thin) will.
Hope this helped a bit.

[Old Timer]

Gary I'm glad you decided on photography, not sure you would have made it as an artist. On a serious note, nice job of explaining matting and mounting. Wish I had had a lot more of mine done over the years.

[almo]

Well, I will try to keep this simple and hopefully not confusing. First, you can cut your own mats, as I do from full sheets of board or you can buy them pre cut which can save you alot of time.

Gary, that last drawing is priceless!

Great tips!

[gahspidy]

Gary I'm glad you decided on photography, not sure you would have made it as an artist. .

Haa, that is exactly why I never pursued my real dream which was to paint or draw etc. As you can see, just not very good especially considering that it was supposed to be a portrait of my cat but did not quite look like her. . . .

[gahspidy]

Gary, that last drawing is priceless!

Great tips!

LOL, I should have known you were looking for a new Avatar! You know, it looks alot better as an Avatar . . .still doesn't look like my cat, though

[victorhuang20]

thanks dude, this will help me alot because i plan on mounting my stuff on my wall, didn't want to buy frames...