Tips for Framing Artwork – Choosing Frames, Matting, and Sizes for Art Prints

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Tips for Framing Artwork

Choosing Frames, Matting, and Sizes for Art Prints

Picking out artwork for your dwelling house is the fun part. But how exercise you go about framing it? There are a few tips and tricks y'all can use to make sure you're choosing the perfect frame for the perfect print.

Please notation: This page contains some affiliate links, which means if you purchase an item, I'll receive a small commission at no extra price to y'all. 😊

Size

It's much easier to find a nifty and set up-made frame if your artwork fits a standard size frame.

In my shop, I offer upward to eleven sizes of art prints, each adhering to a standard size. I recommend buying frames online from Target or Michael's, which offers a wide selection of sizes and materials. If you're ordering online, you can customize your frame + mat sizes with Art to Frame. IKEA is likewise i of my acme picks for inexpensive frames, only keep in heed that their sizes aren't all American-standard.

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Mat Window:

Using mat windows strategically is my ultimate framing flim-flam. The mat window is the opening that is cut in a thick paper board, allowing the artwork to peek through. Mats can accomplish two noteworthy things:

  1. You lot don't accept to find an exact-size frame to fit your artwork. This is especially helpful if you purchased a print that isn't a standard size. All you need to do is purchase a frame in the next size (or ii) up, so cut a mat board to fit the frame, with a window to showcase the art.

  2. Mats create visual space for the artwork to breathe. Instead of the artwork jutting right up to the frame, a mat provides a border of whitespace.

Problem: You've purchased a pocket-sized impress and it feels swallowed past the wall.
Solution: Buy a frame a few sizes upwardly, then cut a mat lath to fit in the frame and showcase the fine art.

Your mat board can exist any color of the rainbow. The key is to find something that helps the fine art stand out without being as well distracting itself. Personally, I always stick with a bright white mat on archival lath. (Choosing archival means that the white won't fade to grey or yellow as time passes.)

Any framing shop will be able to cut a mat for you. All y'all need to do is tell them your frame size, your artwork size, and your preferred mat board color. Exist sure to leave a quarter inch of extra inch on each side so that the art print doesn't but fall through the window. (For example: if the fine art impress measures 8x10", the bodily mat opening should be 7.5x9.v")

Even easier: You lot can also purchase a frame with a set-made mat already included .

Mat sizes tin can range from sparse to thick:

Style

Ornate, lacquered forest? Or a sleek, contemporary surface? The manner of your frame can make simply as much of a argument as the artwork itself.

I adopt a combination of argument frames and uncomplicated, gallery frames.

If you're unsure, I recommend choosing a no-fuss flat frame in either black or white. This allows the artwork to smooth and allows for a clean and modern aesthetic.

Ornate Frames:

Unproblematic Frames:

My Recommendations:

At present that you know the basics, I'm going to break everything down into my recommendations of mat + frame dimensions based on each size of art impress I offer on my shop.

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If y'all purchased a viii 10 x" art print, then I recommend a 11 x fourteen" frame with a mat .

* * S I Z I N 1000    I N F O * *
Frame opening: 11" 10 xiv"
Frame width: 0.5"
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Mat size: eleven" ten 14"
Mat window: vii.5" x ix.5"
Mat width: 2.25" (top & bottom) & i.75" (sides)

Easy solution: Frame with pre-cut mat available in white here or in blackness here.

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If yous purchased a 10 x 10" art print, then I recommend a xiv x 14" frame with a mat .

* * S I Z I Northward G    I N F O * *
Frame opening: fourteen" 10 14"
Frame width: ane"
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Mat size: xiv" x 14"
Mat window: 9.5" x 9.v"
Mat width: ii"

Easy solution: Frame with pre-cut mat available in white or black here.

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If you purchased a 12 10 12" art print, so I recommend a 16 x 16" frame with a mat .

* * S I Z I N G    I N F O * *
Frame opening: 16" x 16"
Frame width: ane"
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Mat size: 16" ten sixteen"
Mat window: 11.5" x 11.5"
Mat width: 2"

Easy solution: Frame with pre-cut mat bachelor in white or black here.

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If y'all purchased a 12 x xvi" fine art print, and so I recommend a 15.5 x 19.five" frame with a mat .

* * Due south I Z I Due north One thousand    I Due north F O * *
Frame opening: 12" x 16"
Frame width: 1.25"
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Mat size: 12" x 16"
Mat window: 11.5" ten 15.5"
Mat width: ii"

Piece of cake solution: Frame with pre-cut mat bachelor in white or black hither.

Frames-5.jpg

If you purchased a 14 x 14" art print, then I recommend a 17.5" ten 17.five" frame with a mat .

* * S I Z I N 1000    I N F O * *
Frame opening: 14" x xiv"
Frame width: i.25"
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Mat size: 17.5" x 17.five"
Mat window: 13.5" x xiii.five"
Mat width: 2"

Piece of cake solution: Frame with pre-cutting mat bachelor in white or black here.

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If you purchased a sixteen x 16" art impress, and so I recommend a 20" x 20" frame with a mat .

* * Southward I Z I N Grand    I Northward F O * *
Frame opening: 20" ten 20"
Frame width: i.25"
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Mat size: 20" 10 20"
Mat window: 15.5" x 15.5"

Like shooting fish in a barrel solution: Frame with pre-cut mat available in white or black here.

If you purchased a xvi x 22" art impress, and then I recommend a 18 x 24" frame with a mat .

* * South I Z I Due north M    I N F O * *
Frame opening: 18" x 24"
Frame width: 1"
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Mat size: 16" x 22"
Mat window: 11.five" x 17.5"
Mat width: ii.25"

Easy solution: Frame with pre-cut mat available in white or black here.

If you purchased a 18 x xviii" art print, and so I recommend a 22 x 22" frame with a mat .

* * South I Z I N Thou    I N F O * *
Frame opening: 22" x 22"
Frame width: one"
–––
Mat size: 22" 10 22"
Mat window: 17.five" 10 17.v"
Mat width: two.25"

Easy solution: Frame with pre-cut mat available in white or blackness here.

If you purchased a xvi x 20" fine art impress, then I recommend a 20 x 24" frame with a mat .

* * S I Z I N One thousand    I N F O * *
Frame opening: 20" x 24"
Frame width: 1"
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Mat size: 22" x 24"
Mat window: 15.5" ten 19.5"
Mat width: 2.25"

Piece of cake solution: Frame with pre-cutting mat available in white or black here.

If you purchased a eighteen x 24" art print, then I recommend a 18 x 24" frame.

* * S I Z I Northward G    I N F O * *
Frame opening: 18" x 24"
Frame width: i or 2"

Piece of cake solution: Frame with pre-cut mat available in white hither or black hither.

If you lot purchased a 24 x 36" fine art impress, then I recommend a 24 ten 36" frame.

* * S I Z I N One thousand    I North F O * *
Frame opening: 24" x 36"
Frame width: i or 2"

Piece of cake solution: Frame with pre-cut mat available in white here or blackness hither.

Insight, Creative person Resources, 2017

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