How to frame art on paper
Mini originals on paper by Helen Dean
Photographs and art on paper are such a great way to start collecting art.
After years of slowly renovating of our first apartment we were finally at the stage of buying something to put on our walls. We chose three works on paper from a gallery near work. I remember that exciting, heart pumping feeling of buying original art, not a print, but real art that we were going to hang and start to make our place into our home.
The gallery offered to put us in touch with their framer and we were shocked at the time that the framing cost as much as the artwork. However, we decided to go through with it.
When the framing came back we were impressed. It was done so perfectly, it was so impecible looking that it made the work look even better, like an object that we’re going to hold on to long term. And here, seven years later, the art is in the same condition and I feel confident that it’ll stay that way hanging around our home in the years to come.
My experience of buying and selling art on paper
Though I love to paint on canvas and paper equally, the artworks that I sell most regularly are on paper. They’re more affordable, easy to ship around the world and I think, it’s also easier to make the decision to buy work on paper. I’m often asked about framing so would like to share what I’ve learnt with you
At the bottom, one of the artworks on paper we bought seven years ago,
I recently polled people on Instagram about framing and while most said that professional framing is the preferred choice , the cost sometimes means that we opt for an off the shelf frame. I recommend getting quotes from a couple of different framers if you haven’t used one before or are new to an area. I got quotes when I moved to this area and they were wildly different. I was surprised that it wasn’t the little framer down a side street that was the most reasonably priced.
Once you’re at the framers you need to make the decision about how you want your artwork framed
Here I’ll go through the options.
Float mounting
This is when the artwork appears to be floating between the glass and the backing. The art is attached to foam core and mounted on a white mat and spacers are used to separate it from the glass.
I think this style of framing is suited for original art on paper. It looks professional and elegant and really draws attention to the art.
It can be pricey but I think that it’s good to look at the long term view of it. You’re probably going to hold onto your artwork longer than you will most of your furniture, taking it with you as you move homes. Think of how many years of value it will give you in the future by making your home look and feel a certain way.
I love how you can see the rough edge of the paper because of the way it’s been float mounted.
Matting
Another option is matting, where a window for the art is cut in a mat board.
I think this looks best with smaller paintings and drawings. I’ve put some of my smaller acrylics and watercolours in mats. It’s a good way to add space around a picture , especially if it’s near other artworks for example in a gallery wall. Some framers seem to offer a wide range of colours for mats. I prefer a plain off white.
Here I used a mat in a readymade frame.
Full bleed
This is when the image covers the whole of the area inside the frame. I think this is great for film posters, travel posters and art prints. If the art isn’t a regular size then professional framing could be needed for this too.
Oh, another thing I should mention is glass. When you go and talk to a framer they will ask you about what kind of glass you want.
Clear glass
This is the cheapest and offers basic protection from the environment and most of the time this might be fine.
Non reflective.
Think about where you want to hang your art. If it’s a very sunny bright room, you might find it disappointing if everytime you look at the art you bought , you see the reflection of yourself and your room. You might want to use non reflective glass.
Museum glass or UV filtering glass.
This glass claims to stop 99% of UV rays from damaging the artwork. This can be a good choice for watercolour as it can fade over time with exposure to sunlight and the colours become less vibrant . Acrylic can fade too, but at a much slower rate so unless it was in a really bright area I wouldn’t choose this option.
So far I’ve talked about professional framing but there are times when we just don’t have the budget but we can’t wait to get the art onto our walls.
Readymade frames
The best readymades I’ve found are the ones that framers make and sell off in a range of regular sizes. These are usually decent wood and the joints look well made. With the ready made frames I think they can look better with a matt. I’ve picked up some good ones at the framers.
Another option is to buy a frame and then get a mat with a custom window cut. Ask a framer to do this, you can even do this online. I know Factory frames offer this service in NZ. I think a small piece with a wide mat around it can look stunning.
And you can always pick up a cheap frame at the big stores that sell homewares. If you’re buying an off the shelf frame, sometimes they have cardboard protection over the corners. I try to peek underneath or even pull them off until I find one where all the joints line up properly.
I found some small frames at Kmart that were perfect for displaying my mini A5 paintings. At this size they do the job and work well with these little pieces. I think the problem with the cheaper frames is when you move up to larger sizes and they are less stable and I’ve had them come apart as I change artwork. For slightly larger frames I’ve found these ones at Citta are a good quality readymade, pictured below.
Small original painting on paper by Helen Dean