Topic: framing

[formica]

i need to have some work framed(a friend has given me a show in his restaurant). the prints will be 8X8 on 11X11 paper. any advice? should they be matted or framed to the edge of the paper? if matted, how much around the image to frame? thoughts on what works well for actual frame size? i'll be having a shop do the frames, but i'd like to have an idea of what i want before i go find out how much it'll cost.

           william

[LT]

hello william

my personal preference is to matt framed prints.

I like to use quite big frames and large matts with prints.  SO typically I'll print about 9 1/2 x 9 1/2 then matt showiung about 1/2 inch of the paper outside the image area using a 20 x 16 rectangle matt and placing the cut hole at the top of the picture as if it were square (cutting the hole as if the board was 16 x 16). 

here is a picture to demonstrate as I dont think I've explained it very well.

[formica]

thanks for the response leon. i'm leaning towards a matted frame myself. i had originally thought of just going the square route, but i do like how you've done it here square within a rectangle. i'm going to have to think on that some more.

                       william

[Fintan]

good luck with your new show, i love square prints and they always seem popular, so I hope you have many sales.

i would suggest you do matt them.

Its personal preference whether to go for square or rectangular frames. I like both. If you expect to put a lot of work into one particular framing shop, they might make you up two samples for free, with a matting and wood frame (without the glass) for you to see how your prints look before deciding.

And if you do decide to go rectangle, you might find this 'optical centre' calculator handy for positioning the square inside the rectangle.

http://carbonphoto.cicada.com/tips/mattingtip1.html

[Mike (happyforest)]

This web site

http://frame-express.net/


allows you to try different sized mats\openings with the made to measure option on the left had side. You can even use your pictures to see how they look.

I try it out sometimes on my photo's although have never gone as far as actually doing anything about it.

Good Luck.

Mike

[formica]

thanks for the links and ideas fintan and happy forest. i'm leaning towards square frames at the moment. i'll be working through a somewhat language barrier when having the frames done, so i don't want to make it more difficult than neccesary. the show will be at an aboriginal restaurant that has a bit of a chaotic decorating style meaning the images will have competition(not like they'll be on a clean white wall or anything of that nature).  it'd be great if stuff sold(i haven't gotten to the point of even beginning to figure out how to price things), but at this point i'm just happy to have photographs hanging somewhere.

                  william

[Ailsa]

A nice extra touch when framing is to make an additional matt, with a slightly bigger aperture, which is placed under the main matt. It raises the main matt away from the print slightly, and creates a narrow shadow, so gives an added sense of depth. Needless to say it's more expensive, but it does look rather classy.

[formica]

thanks ailsa, that does sound nice. i'll see how much more expensive such things are when i go to the shop.

          william