Detailed CUSTOM PICTURE FRAMING instructions;
Matting, Mounting, Glazing, Framing, Fitting, Backing, Hanging, and TIPS of the Trade.

You've purchased beautiful artwork, and now you want to display it. You can't enjoy it if it stays rolled up in that mailing tube! You can do it yourself, using TOOLS and MATERIALS you can find on Ebay for a fraction of the price paid in retail stores.

I'm a Certified Picture Framer, but you don't need expensive equipment to do a quality job framing and displaying art. You need a good eye for what YOU like, some hand tools, the commitment to "measure TWICE, and cut once", and TIPS OF THE TRADE provided in this guide.

MATTING 
Mats provide a dual purpose in framing.
They prevent the glazing material from touching and possibly damaging the surface of the artwork.

They also enhance the appearance, allowing for personal color choices considering not only the art, but also the decor of the room. For longevity and versatility, a TOP MAT should be a relatively neutral color. That doesn't mean beige, but it does mean that the HUE(color) should be a diluted VALUE(intensity). Think of it as buying a really nice pair of shoes. You want them to look good with more than one outfit! ACCENT COLORS you wish to incorporate can be brought in with a FILET (inner mat). Pull your accent color from the artwork and you will be happy with it for a long time, and it will display nicely in different decors. However, if the colors in the artwork aren't the colors in your decor, a mat provides the opportunity to tie them together. But remember, select colors that ALSO compliment the artwork, NOT JUST the upholstery. You'll be happy you did when you sell that purple and orange plaid couch!

MEASURING
To fit into a specific frame, the INSIDE dimensions of the frame (measured from the BACK where the glass and mat will rest on the frame, on a routed groove called a RABIT) will be the OUTSIDE dimensions of your mat. You then adjust the width of the top, bottom and sides of the mat to span the difference between the inside of the frame and the edge of the artwork, adding just a bit to overlap the edge.     measuring tools

To fit a specific spot, start with the size you want the finished piece to be, i.e. the OUTSIDE dimensions of your frame. Construct or purchase the frame first. You won't need a 20 x 24" frame to fit a 20 x 24" spot on the wall-those are the INSIDE dimensions. To determine the outside dimensions of the frame, add double the width of your frame moulding (NOT including the rabit) to the inside measurement.

To fit specific artwork, measure directly from the piece. The most commonly used proportions on a mat use equal distances on all four sides of the artwork. You might want a 2" mat on smaller items, and a 5-6", or wider mat on larger pieces. Make sure that your mat is in a scale pleasing to and complimenting the artwork. The Western/European art world often cuts the bottom width of the mat wider to "ground" the artwork. Asian/Eastern art traditionally makes the TOP of the mat wider than the other sides, as in that culture the top represents Heaven and the bottom Earth, and Heaven is greater than Earth. There are no hard and fast rules regarding mat widths. Experiment and see what you like. Sometimes unusual matting proportions will bring just the right amount of drama to a piece!     Limited Edition Prints     Asian Art



CUTTING MATS
A good mat has crisp cuts, straight lines, and neat corners. Practice will help you perfect your technique. Cut a BLANK (a piece of matboard that fits the frame) Make sure that it fits into your frame properly. Too snug a fit will promote warping of the mat. All of your cutting guides will be measured and marked from the outside of THIS blank. There are TOOLS to help you measure and mark your window, but a metal ruler will do. ALWAYS MEASURE TWICE before you cut.

For a BEVELED mat, a MAT CUTTER is designed to keep the blade at a consistent 45 degree angle. Many good handheld mat cutters are available on eBay. If you are cutting many mats, or your hand won't steadily hold and cut with a knife or handheld cutter, there are slide-controlled cutters, which have the cutting head mounted on a slide bar that guides and controls the cutter.

One of the MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS when purchasing ANY CUTTING TOOL is to MAKE SURE THAT REPLACEMENT BLADES ARE EASY TO OBTAIN and REASONABLY PRICED. Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to find replacement blades, as you will need to change the blade OFTEN in order to continue to make clean cuts! This holds true when purchasing ANY tool- make sure the "consumables" are easy to replace!! 



To add a FILET, cut a blank a bit smaller than your top mat blank, and attach it with double stick tape to the already-cut top mat prior to marking the window. By cutting the filet blank smaller, you will be measuring from the SAME EDGES of the top mat when marking the lines for your filet, producing a consistent band of accent color. For hand-held cutters, the filet should be at least 1/4". Slide-controlled cutters can cut filets as small as 1/8". With practice you can cut double, triple, or even more mats, but don't get carried away! Remember, you want people to notice the artwork, not the mat.

FABRIC MATS
Fabric covered mats (usually silk or linen) can enhance your artwork. Select a piece of fabric with woof and warp threads as close to square as possible. You can improve the squareness of fabric by grabbing two kittycorner edges and giving it a good stretch. Although the straightness of the threads is important, DON'T get obsessive about it. Once it is on the wall it will be less noticible than you might think!

LIGHTLY cover the FRONT of the mat with spray adhesive. Wait a few minutes so that any excessive adhesive won't bleed through the fabric. Carefully position your fabric on the mat and spread it smoothly. Then iron the front of the mat, using a buffer cloth to prevent "shining" or marking the fabric with the iron. The heat of the iron will bond the fabric to the mat.

Cut a window in the fabric smaller than the window of the mat, leaving about 1/2" of fabric to wrap around the inside edge. Snip into the corners so you can wrap the mat SNUGLY into the corners of the window. Apply double-sided tape to the inside of the mat, overlapping the lip and catching a bit of the fabric to insure it adheres to the cut edge. If there is any fraying in the corners you can use a pin to apply a VERY small amount of adhesive and secure them for a nice crisp corner.

FRENCH MATS
French mats, decorated with one or more drawn lines on the surface of the mat around the window, often combined with a watercolor stripe or marbelized paper strips, are both fancy and classy- as long as they're not overdone! Careful marking with a liner pen can produce expensive looking results without increasing your costs. Practice on scrap matboard prior to tackling the surface of your actual mat. French mats- Oh-la-lah!

MOUNTING
Although mounting has generally come to mean methods by which the artwork is flatly adhered with adhesive to a backing board, mounting can be as simple as securing the artwork in place with paper tape hinges. As a professional picture framer I cannot emphasize enough that full flat mounting (gluing the entire back surface of the artwork to the backing board so it appears FLAT) should ONLY be considered with artwork that is "decorative" and NOT "collectible" or "original". The FLAT MOUNTING process immediately reduces the value of an original piece of art. Like polishing the patina off an antique statue- you may THINK it "looks better", but you are sacrificing value for appearance. The goal of mounting original artwork is to secure its position in the frame WITHOUT devaluing it. Simple paper tape hinges can be used for most prints and photographs. For large or heavy artwork use Linen tape for your hinges.

The most common mistake people make is the temptation to tape all four sides. Tape hinges should ONLY BE APPLIED TO THE TOP edge of the artwork, so it hangs SUSPENDED in the frame behind the mat. Paper expands and contracts with humidity changes, and securing opposite edges will only worsen rippling of the paper as the weather changes.

You can have your artwork pressed flat  prior to mounting with hinges. However, my SINCERE ADVISE is to stop striving for totally flat surfaces, and LEARN TO LOVE the idiosyncracies and "character" of paper art, as we have learned to love the distressed look and patina on antiques. If you decide you MUST have the artwork flat mounted there are many products out there for mounting, or take it to a professional, as flat mounting successfully takes experience and LUCK.

GLAZING
Whether you choose glass or plex, there are a myriad of choices available. Each has its advantages and drawbacks. Glass cleans without scratching, which you must be careful of with plastic products. There are specific cleaners on the market for plexiglass. Glass can break and cause damage or injury to the artwork or to people. If a large or heavy piece of artwork is to be hung where it might cause injury should it fall, choose PLEX for safety sake!

There are glazing products that filter harmful UV light. There are products that reduce or eliminate glare, but they also reduce the crispness and clarity of the artwork. Non-glare products diffuse light, and the further they are from the surface of the artwork, the more they diffuse the crispness of the art. You can cut glass with a hand-held glass cutter. Unless you intend to frame many items you may wish to purchase your glass or plex pre-cut to size. Be sure to ask for picture framing glass, as it is not as heavy as window glass. When possible, take your frame with you so the glazer can guarantee it will fit into your frame. If that's inconvenient, then MEASURE TWICE, remembering that the glazing product must fit EASILY into the frame WITHOUT applying pressure. If you do end up with glass or plex that is a bit too tight for your frame, it is easier to carve the rabit a bit wider than it is to cut off a thin strip of glass or plex!

FRAMING
Metal frames are sold in section PAIRS. You can buy pre-cut sections (assembled around the artwork as you put it together) that will make a frame to your custom proportions.



Wood mouldings can be purchased either raw or finished, and cut by hand using a miter box, or power saw set to a 45 degree angle. Some frame shops will cut down larger frames and reassemble them for you to size, so a good deal on a vintage frame on Ebay can still be a good deal, even if it's not the right size. If you cut down a frame yourself, be sure to remove any nails or hardware before you cut, or it will ruin your blade. Choose moulding that agrees with your personal taste, fits the decor of the room, and compliments the artwork. Keep in mind the SCALE of the artwork, so the finished piece has pleasing proportions.




FITTING
Place your matted artwork on a flat surface. From the bottom up your elements are a backing board, artwork secured to your mat, and glass. Examine it carefully for dust before placing the glass on top. A Framer's Broom is invaluable, as it gently brushes off unwanted particles without damaging the artwork. Exceptions to this are HIGH GLOSS PHOTOS or artwork with extremely DELICATE SURFACES that a brush might damage. In those cases you can use compressed air (sold in cans) to blow off the surface prior to placing the glass on top. Exceptions to this are pastels or original drawings that could be damaged by compressed air.

It is easier to clean your glass on both sides and then place it on top of the art than to clean the glass while in a frame. Once satisfied that the glass, mat and artwork are free of lint, place the frame on top of the glass and carefully flip the entire stack over so you can secure it into the frame. Check the front several times as you are securing it into the frame to make sure that it still looks clean, as stapling or nailing can sometimes jar pieces of lint or splinters of wood onto the surface.

You can use brads to secure the artwork package into the frame. PUSH, rather than hammer your brads into the wood. Some woods are too hard to push, or the moulding is too delicate to take the impact of stapling, but there are tools to help you do this. Brad pushers and pullers, gently squeeze the brad into the moulding. The most common hand fitting tools are a DIAMOND POINT GUN, or FRAMING STAPLE GUN. Point guns shoot shaped metal pieces into the moulding. A framing stapler uses staples, but doesn't drive them flush into the wood, leaving about 1/4" of the staple outside the wood to hold your picture in place.

A common mistake is to shoot the points or staples at an angle towards the front of the frame, thinking it will hold it more securely. It won't! All it will do is to put leverage on the edge of the mat, causing it to buckle in time. Your piece does NOT need to be held in place under pressure, it just needs to be held in place!



BACKING
Paper backing acts as a dust cover, preventing dirt or insects from being able to get into the frame. Run a small bead of glue (or double stick tape) around the edge on the back of the frame. Then adhere the paper to the back of the frame and trim the edges. To get a taut backing, lightly mist the backing paper-it will shrink to a nice tight fit once dry. Do NOT over-dampen your paper, and only mist the outside of the paper, as you don't want to trap moisture inside of the frame with your artwork.

Make a "pocket" out of a second smaller piece of paper, and adhere it to the backing. This pocket holds documentation or information about the artwork, keeping it all together for future reference.

HANGING
Congratulations.. you're almost done! As a matter of fact, many contemporary designs use pictures propped against the wall on shelves, and in that case, you are done. If you do intend to prop your artwork against the wall in a grouping on a shelf, do NOT add wiring mechanisms, as that may damage the front of another frame if they are overlapped. But most people would like to hang pictures on their walls, and the size and weight of your framed artwork will determine which is the proper hanging hardware to use. Very small or lightweight artwork can hang with SAWTOOTH HANGERS, but it is more advisable to use two hangers and a wire. If you have decided to use sawtooth hangers, it is VITAL that you get it placed EXACTLY in the center of the frame or it will never hang straight. Don't just mark that measurement from one side of the frame! Measure from BOTH edges, and you will find that those marks fall CLOSE to each other. "Dead center" will fall exactly BETWEEN those two lines. Most artwork should hang from screw eyes and wire. Larger pieces need STRAP HANGERS, designed to rest on TWO perfectly placed hooks in your wall. There are laser markers available to help you mark a straight line, or you can use a LEVEL between the two hooks to make sure they are positioned straightly. When composing a gallery of photos and artwork going up a staircase, ALWAYS use a level. The angles of the staircase make it almost impossible to "eyeball".

Screw eyes and wire have their own set of precautions. Make sure that the screw eye is heavy enough to support the frame, and yet NOT SO LONG that it may, when screwed into the frame, poke it's little silver tip through the front of the moulding. Moulding, by its very nature, has thick spots and thin spots, and even a frame that appears heavy and substantial may have some areas that are thin. ALWAYS keep one finger on the front surface of the moulding so you can feel if the screw eye starts to poke through the moulding. If it does, chances are you can simply move your screw eye a bit left or right and find a thick enough area to avoid this. If you accidentally puncture the surface of the moulding, you can repair that spot with a bit of framers wood putty, available in all colors. Screw eyes should be placed about 1/3 the distance from the top of the frame, and stretched LOOSLY enough so that you can pinch a little crimp in the wire where it rests on the hook. Are they shifting? Place BUMPERS on the bottom corners, then a bit of double-stick tape to your bumpers will allow you to secure the picture to the wall, so it won't shift.

Picture wire is measured in gauges. A large-gauge wire is heavy and thick, comprised of many small wires braided together. That way, if age or the weight of the picture starts to break the wire, there are still remaining wires to hold the picture. The heavier your picture, the larger gauge wire you should use to support the weight. Check the condition of your wires every few years to make sure they aren't fragmenting.

Oversized artwork and MIRRORS require STRAP HANGERS, which do not rely on wire to hold the piece. When hanging from strap hangers, position two substantial HOOKS level, the same distance apart as the hangers are on the frame, and hook the strap hangers onto the wall. It will hang straight, flat and produce much less stress on the frame and wall than wire hanging. (TIP)When framing MIRRORS, be sure to use paint or a black marking pen to blacken the inside of the rabit of the frame. Otherwise the mirror will reflect the raw wood of the moulding!

CONSERVATION FRAMING uses exactly the same techniques I have described, but requires acid free materials and UV protection glazing to prevent (as much as possible) the effects of light, age and contaminants on your artwork.

Have FUN... ALWAYS use SAFETY EQUIPMENT when operating any tools...EXPERIMENT with your own ideas...and remember your goal is to GET FRAMED!