Framing Help/Advice Thread

admhall · Mon Nov 10, 2014 6:05 pm

So I picked up a very nice frame today from salvation army. The image area is 19.5x27.5 do you think I should use a mat or float an 18x24 print in it?

ToolFanFromWayBack · Mon Nov 10, 2014 10:07 pm

admhall wrote:So I picked up a very nice frame today from salvation army. The image area is 19.5x27.5 do you think I should use a mat or float an 18x24 print in it?

I would float. The top and bottom mats would be a little thin.

shidarin · Mon Nov 17, 2014 1:45 am

I want to thank this thread for all the great information in it.

I bought a used mat cutter on Thursday (Logan Mat Cutter Classic from the mid 90s) and by tonight I'm finally confident enough to produce a double matted, reverse bevel, three opening mat job.

Thanks!

Dante0203 · Mon Nov 17, 2014 6:39 am

shidarin wrote:I want to thank this thread for all the great information in it.

I bought a used mat cutter on Thursday (Logan Mat Cutter Classic from the mid 90s) and by tonight I'm finally confident enough to produce a double matted, reverse bevel, three opening mat job.

Thanks!

Great stuff, I've got a soot balls myself on its way and can't wait to frame it up!

CoA · Mon Nov 17, 2014 10:07 am

Would a Half Inch Mat Border Look OK?

I'm looking to cost effectively frame up 5 or 6 small prints that are approximately each 10x12.5" in size. I would normally do a float, but the paper size is variable from print to print, and an 11 x 14" frame would give uneven borders around the print.

One option would be to pick up 11x14" stock size frames and use a mat with ~3/4" borders all around. This is a super small border though, and I'm not sure how this would look.

Does anyone have experience with using such a thin border? How does it end up looking? Any other suggestions on what would work for framing these?

time · Wed Nov 26, 2014 11:02 pm

I'm hoping some one or more of you experts here may have the answer. I want to buy at 36x48 sheet of museum glass and have it cut down for various sizes. I'm looking for an online site/program where I can put in the "start" dimension and then input various smaller dimensions and have it figure out best fit (so I can determine where to cut). Hoping to do it very soon so any help is GREATLY appreciated!

ToolFanFromWayBack · Thu Nov 27, 2014 1:23 am

time wrote:I'm hoping some one or more of you experts here may have the answer. I want to buy at 36x48 sheet of museum glass and have it cut down for various sizes. I'm looking for an online site/program where I can put in the "start" dimension and then input various smaller dimensions and have it figure out best fit (so I can determine where to cut). Hoping to do it very soon so any help is GREATLY appreciated!

You might look into woodcutting sights. I know they have some online tools to help minimize waste when cutting http://www.delphiforfun.org/Programs/Do ... UTLIST.zip. No warranty on the software as I have never used it.

time · Thu Nov 27, 2014 4:49 am

ToolFanFromWayBack wrote:
time wrote:I'm hoping some one or more of you experts here may have the answer. I want to buy at 36x48 sheet of museum glass and have it cut down for various sizes. I'm looking for an online site/program where I can put in the "start" dimension and then input various smaller dimensions and have it figure out best fit (so I can determine where to cut). Hoping to do it very soon so any help is GREATLY appreciated!
You might look into woodcutting sights. I know they have some online tools to help minimize waste when cutting http://www.delphiforfun.org/Programs/Do ... UTLIST.zip. No warranty on the software as I have never used it.

Thanks that does look exactly like what I was looking to find. I downloaded and ran it but can't get it to work. We'll see if the developer gets back to me.

FramerDave · Fri Nov 28, 2014 11:54 am

CoA wrote:Would a Half Inch Mat Border Look OK?

I'm looking to cost effectively frame up 5 or 6 small prints that are approximately each 10x12.5" in size. I would normally do a float, but the paper size is variable from print to print, and an 11 x 14" frame would give uneven borders around the print.

One option would be to pick up 11x14" stock size frames and use a mat with ~3/4" borders all around. This is a super small border though, and I'm not sure how this would look.

Does anyone have experience with using such a thin border? How does it end up looking? Any other suggestions on what would work for framing these?

No, it would not look ok. Use 16x20 frames.

golobulus · Wed Jan 07, 2015 1:54 am

Hey framers, I'm wondering how to frame oil paintings on canvas or board? I'm assuming matting is not an option but I'm not sure. Do you just use the shadow-box approach? Mount the painting and leave the glass proud of the painting? Any suggestions or options are oh so appreciated!

egrimens · Sat Jan 10, 2015 7:58 pm

What's the best place to order oversized mat board online? Both for price and/or selection. Got a couple of pieces I'd like to frame that are gonna need about a 43" mat.

Sithlord32 · Sat Jan 10, 2015 9:52 pm

egrimens wrote:What's the best place to order oversized mat board online? Both for price and/or selection. Got a couple of pieces I'd like to frame that are gonna need about a 43" mat.

Your choices on colors are going to very slim in comparison due to the oversize. American frame offers over sized mats in five colors but i think only a couple are conversational. Art supply stores like Jerrys and Blick only carry the 40" and in small selection of colors as well.Raw sheets from framedestination are only 40" as well. Id call or email around and see if any of the online framing places can get you oversized mats but either way cheap isnt really in the cards from what I have seen. Have you checked locally at prices or ordering? that might be a safe bet.

KSUvet · Sat Jan 10, 2015 10:55 pm

Sithlord32 wrote:
egrimens wrote:What's the best place to order oversized mat board online? Both for price and/or selection. Got a couple of pieces I'd like to frame that are gonna need about a 43" mat.

Your choices on colors are going to very slim in comparison due to the oversize. American frame offers over sized mats in five colors but i think only a couple are conversational. Art supply stores like Jerrys and Blick only carry the 40" and in small selection of colors as well.Raw sheets from framedestination are only 40" as well. Id call or email around and see if any of the online framing places can get you oversized mats but either way cheap isnt really in the cards from what I have seen. Have you checked locally at prices or ordering? that might be a safe bet.

Frame Destination actually does carry oversized.

misterwhisper · Sun Jan 11, 2015 12:39 am

American Frame only carries five oversize mats, and out of those only 1-2 are archival. Frame Destination carries a decent selection, but there's a $55 surcharge on oversized shipping. I recently ordered an oversized kit from them including 2 oversize mats and the shipping pushed the total price to over $300, which was very nearly a deal breaker for me. Love the way it turned out but honestly, for that price I'll probably just bring my next oversized piece to a pro.

Oversize mats are usually 40x60, so hopefully 43" is your longest dimension and the other edge is shorter.

Many places that don't carry oversize can order it for you -- I've spoken to Aaron Bros, Michaels, and Hobby Lobby and all of them can provide oversized mats to order. Your local independent framers can too, and will probably be a better deal. Also, if you're willing to cut it yourself, check your art stores. At least one of my local independent art stores was willing to place an oversize mat order with no surcharge or delivery charge, they said they could just add it to their weekly order.

egrimens · Mon Jan 12, 2015 1:17 am

Yeah my local art supply store carries overside mat board but only in black normally, I might be able to get them to order white or something else though. Otherwise I might be learning how to linen wrap mat board. That might be my best bet as it is only $19 a sheet for for 40"x60" and online the cheapest I could find was $40+ with shipping.

Anyone have any good tutorials on linen wrapping? if not I'm sure there are some on youtube