 Choosing the right
frame and mat can greatly enhance the overall look of the art work and
complement the decor of your room.
There are a few reasons for framing your art piece. Firstly, it prevents the art
work from dust and dirt; it also prolongs and preserves the life of the art
work, and prevents it from fading and sustaining damage over time.
Aesthetically, a frame also makes the art work look more presentable, and helps
to bring attention to the art work.
Framing is especially essential for reproduced prints and posters. When simply
stuck on the wall without any framing protection, the print will start to tear
on the edges and some of the colour may also fade out within a short period of
time.
When choosing a frame, avoid picking one that is the same colour or tone as the
wall the art work is to be hung on. For example, do not use a white or pastel
coloured frame for a white wall. Find a frame colour that contrasts the colour
of the wall. For example, on a pastel coloured wall, a dark frame colour, like
brown or black will do nicely. In my opinion, black or brown are the most
popular choice colours for frames, but sometimes metallic colours like silver
and gold do nicely as well, it all depends on the theme decor of your home.
Never pick a loud colour like red or yellow as the frame colour. In my
experience, these colours almost always never look good as frames. Unless you’re
framing a picture of Mickey mouse in your child’s playroom, avoid these colours
like the plaque.
On the other hand, also be
careful not to pick a frame that takes attention away from the art piece itself!
Remember, the artwork is the center of attention, not the frame. Find a frame
that compliments the art, not compete with it. In any case, if you're still
unsure, always consult a qualified interior designer, artist or a framing
specialist for advice on the best choice of frames to use.
The design of the frame should also match the surroundings, for example, a frame
with a lot of intricate carvings may be pretty to look at, but may not be suited
for the modern, contemporary home. Such frames would do well in a Victorian
styled decor. If you’re finding a frame for a contemporary interior, you should
choose one that’s simple and minimalist.
A framed art piece consists of several components, namely the art piece itself,
the frame, the external glazed surface that is placed over the art work to
protect it, and a mat. The frame itself is fairly straightforward. Most of them
are made of wood, though there are some that are made of metal.
The clear protective glazing layer is made of either glass or acrylic. Acrylic,
more commonly known as Plexiglas, is more recommend due to its lightweight and
impact resistance. Higher quality acrylics may offer enhanced features like
non-glare and UV protection, thus providing even greater protection for your art
piece.
The mat is used for 2 main reasons; it serves as a support for the art work, to
prevent the art piece from being damaged through bending and folding. It also
helps to create a separation layer between the art work and the glazing so that
the glazing is not directly “touching” the art piece, damaging it in the long
run. Most framed art pieces come with a single mat layer, although you can
choose to have double, even triple mat layers. Having triple mats would add
extra depth to the art work.
When choosing a mat colour, you might want to go with a neutral colour, like
whites, cream, ivory, sandstone, pearl, greys and blacks. Neutral mat colours
not only take a back seat to help enhance and guide the viewer’s attention to
the art work itself, it also can easily be fit into any room, without seeming
out of place.
As a general rule, choose a colour that is no lighter than the lightest colour
within your art piece, no darker than the darkest and no brighter than the
brightest. This way the mat will not outshine the art work and steal the
attention away from it. Light coloured mats tend to make the picture seem larger
and your perception more "open" or outward. Dark coloured mats seem to turn your
eye inward; creating a “tunneling” effect and making the picture seem smaller
then normal.
Happy framing!
Copyright 2007 Edwin Mah
Edwin is an art enthusiast and owner of Abstract Prints, an online gallery
selling a wide range of abstract art prints, suitable for interior decoration of
homes, offices, hotels and restaurants. Visit his website at Abstract Prints |
