After spending quite a bit of time mulling over the choice of picture frame, the decision-making seems to be over—until you get to the mat board. While it’s certainly fine to choose the standard white or cream mat board, you can create a truly striking visual effect with the right color and style.
Customizing mat boards involves not only the selection of mat board type, including temporary or archival, but the color and number of mat boards, as well as the size of the window opening—or if there is one at all. If you're unsure about these then check out our guide.
When Not to Use a Mat Board
While not a requirement in a picture frame package, mat board offers protection along with its visual appeal by ensuring the artwork does not touch the glazing. However, some artwork, such as posters or large prints, may be more attractive without mat board, especially if there is a lot of white space at the borders.
Easily reproducible prints or posters can be framed without a mat board and no extra items. With original or more precious artwork, you should use picture frame spacers to ensure the glazing does not touch the artwork and cause damage.
Using Single Mats
A single mat board means that only one mat board will be used in the complete frame package. This is the standard style and, when white, the format preferred by most art galleries. To customize a single mat board, you simply need to select the artwork overlap, which defines how much of the artwork the mat board will cover. Mat board typically overlaps each side of the artwork by 1/4-inch, but this size can be customized from nearly one full inch to no overlap at all.
A single mat board complements black and white photographs, family photos, bridal portraits and many styles of prints, ranging from minimalistic to detailed work. Smaller sized artwork also looks more elegant with single mats, as any more can appear too busy and take the focus away from the artwork.
Using Double Mats
Double mats—in which two mat boards, one with a larger opening, are layered over each other—make a statement, providing an extra pop of color with a strong border around artwork. Double mat boards can be customized when ordering a custom picture frame by choosing the color and the “offset,” or how much of the bottom mat will show—this will be how wide the border around the image appears. At Frame Destination, the offset can range from as small as 1/6 to as large as four inches, depending on the size of the frame.
Double mats can also be used with portraits and prints, but it also looks particularly elegant when framing documents such as diplomas or certificates—using a complementary color—or even flat multimedia items that would benefit from a defined border.
Using Triple Mats
Triple mats create an even more striking appearance, especially when using colors that complement colors in the artwork. To create a triple mat, you simply select two offset sizes, which determine the sizes of the two borders. The offset sizes do not have to be the same; in fact, different widths can create a greater sense of depth.
The colors in a triple mat are particularly important, since it can easily detract from the artwork. Many framers will select only two colors for the mat board, using one for both the top and bottom mat, and using a second complementary color for the middle. There are no rules, however—using the online frame shop, you can play around with the mat boards to design a color scheme that works.
Triple mats are best used with larger frames, but just like double mats, they can be used with a variety of art to create a more complete look.
Changing the Window Opening Size
Frame Destination also offers the option to cut a mat board window opening larger than the artwork by choosing a negative number as the artwork overlap, which determines how much space will be between the edges of the image and the mat board. This allows the entire piece of artwork to be in view, which is useful when framing artwork with a signature you would like to display.
A larger window opening can also be used when float mounting artwork. When float mounting, an uncut mat board, called a blank mat, is used to mount the artwork, which then appears to float within the frame. The mat board with the opening can be the same color as the uncut mat board (used as the mount board), or it can be a different color to create an effect.
Mat boards are just one piece of the framing puzzle, but they can have a big impact on what the picture looks like when it’s all put together.
After spending quite a bit of time mulling over the choice of picture frame, the decision-making seems to be over—until you get to the mat board. While it’s certainly fine to choose the standard white or cream mat board, you can create a truly striking visual effect with the right color and style. Customizing mat […]
Art and math may seem like odd bedfellows. However, understanding how to properly measure and choose the right size frame display based on the venue separates the art-show-ready professionals from the amateurs.
If you're submitting art to a gallery or setting up a booth for an art show, one of the most important measurements you should be concerned with is the outside dimensions of your framing package.
What Are the Outside Dimensions of a Picture Frame?
It’s the exterior dimension of the frame moulding, measured from edge to edge of the picture frame.
This is often confused with the picture frame size, which typically refers to the outside dimension of what is INSIDE the picture frame.
The reason the outside dimensions of a picture frame are so important is because galleries and art fair booths have a limited amount of wall space available to exhibit art. Knowing the outside dimensions of each piece of framed artwork makes the process of setting up an art exhibit or display booth much easier.
Let's Calculate the Outside Dimensions of a Complete Picture Frame
A complete picture frame is a framing package containing a mounted piece of art within a picture frame. It may or may not have a mat board and glazing (the glass or acrylic portion of the frame package).
The two main measurements needed to calculate the outside dimensions of a picture frame package are:
- Outside dimension of the components (what you are framing, i.e. art plus mat)
- Width of the picture frame moulding
Example:
- The outside dimension of what you are framing measures 11 inches wide by 14 inches high.
- Your picture frame moulding is one inch wide.
Now comes a little bit of algebra (stay with me!) with its golden rule: Whatever you do to one side, you must do to the other. Because you are dealing with a top/bottom and left/right sides, you double whatever you add.
The equations for our 11x14-inch artwork example are as follows:
| 11" | + | (1" + 1") | = | 13" wide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artwork width | Frame moulding width |
| 14" | + | (1" + 1") | = | 16" high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artwork height | Frame moulding width |
The general outside dimension of this picture frame is 13 inches wide x 16 inches high.
If you need more extreme precision — down to the one-eighth inch — you will need to know how much larger the framer cuts the picture frame moulding so that the components fit properly inside. At Frame Destination, we cut each stick of moulding 1/16-inch larger, so you’d need to add 1/8-inch to each side.
Using the above example:
| 13" | + | (1/16" + 1/16") | = | 13 1/8" wide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artwork width | Frame moulding width |
| 16" | + | (1/16" + 1/16") | = | 16 1/8" high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artwork height | Frame moulding width |
The more precise outside dimensions of this picture frame are 13 1/8 inches wide x 16 1/8 inches high.
SPECIAL NOTE: Frame pieces are joined at the corners in a 45 degree mitre cut; therefore the outside length of the fame is always larger than the inside length of the frame. If an artwork is 14 inches wide (inside width of frame), the outside width of the frame is 1.5 inches longer on each end to accommodate the joining of the frame pieces at 45 degrees.
Now Let's Calculate the Outside Dimensions of Canvas Floater Frames
A canvas in a floater frame is a type of framing package where a gallery-wrapped canvas is displayed within a floater frame. The floater frame is cut larger than the canvas, creating the illusion that the canvas is “floating” within the frame. This type of frame allows the entire front surface of the canvas to be visible and adds prestige to the display.
The three main measurements needed to calculate the outside dimension of a canvas floater frame package are:
- Outside dimension of the canvas
- Float space (space between the canvas and the inside edge of the frame)
- Width of the picture frame moulding
Example:
- The outside dimension of the canvas measures 18 inches wide x 24 inches high.
- The float space is ½ inch.
- The picture frame moulding is 1 ½ inches wide.
Remember the golden rule—do unto one side what you do to the other—and double what you add!
The equations are as follows:
| 18" | + | (½" + ½") | + | (1 ½" + 1 ½") | = | 22" wide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artwork width | Float Space | Frame moulding width |
| 24" | + | (½" + ½") | + | (1 ½" + 1 ½") | = | 28" high |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artwork height | Float Space | Frame moulding width |
The outside dimension of this picture frame is 22 inches wide x 28 inches high.
This wraps up today’s mini-lesson on calculating the outside dimension of framed artwork. For your convenience, all of Frame Destination’s picture frame moulding dimensions are available. Remember that custom frames can also be created. Please feel free to contact us with questions at any time!
Last Updated December 27, 2021
Art and math may seem like odd bedfellows. However, understanding how to properly measure and choose the right size frame display based on the venue separates the art-show-ready professionals from the amateurs. If you’re submitting art to a gallery or setting up a booth for an art show, one of the most important measurements you […]
Memories are not just captured in photographs, and artwork encompasses far more than just two-dimensional paintings. Framing 3D objects—sports memorabilia, medals, flower bouquets and even jewelry or pieces of porcelain—opens the doors to decorating your home with what you truly want to display.
The frame package is essentially the same—frame, glazing, backing board and mat board if necessary—but how to frame 3D objects depends on the items you’re planning to display, especially in regard to their depth and weight.
Framing a sports jersey, for example, is fairly similar to framing 2D artwork, since jerseys lie fairly flat and are not particularly heavy. Framing a flower bouquet—a popular way to display wedding mementos—adds much more depth and requires a very deep frame, while heavier collectibles such as coins may require sturdier backing boards.
The Frame
The frame, sometimes called a shadow box, must have a deep rabbet. The rabbet contains the artwork, mat board, mounting board and glazing, and its depth indicates just how much space there is for all the components. Frames for flat artwork and photographs generally have rabbets under one inch—far too small for 3D objects. The Nielsen Profile 100 shadow box has a rabbet with a depth of over one inch, providing ample space for a variety of objects.
The Mount
The backing, either a mat board, foam board or extra-thick mounting board, is used to hold the 3D object in place. You can also cover the foam board in fabric to elevate the appearance and help hide thread or pins. However, fabric may come away from the backing board if the items are heavy and the fabric has not been securely attached.
How to Attach the Items
Unless you’re making a DIY holiday shadow box in which the 3D items are meant to be loose, you need to attach the object to the backing board. How to attach items in a shadow box is one of the trickiest parts of creating one. There are numerous adhesives and fasteners to use, based on the item’s material, weight and monetary or sentimental value.
Stainless steel pins: Ideal for lightweight fabric items, stainless steel pins (also called dressmaker pins) are slender and will not corrode, meaning they will not cause damage to the items. Used with foam board, pins may be visible in the finished frame.
Needle and thread: Transparent nylon thread, also called invisible thread, can be used with fabric as well as heavier items that are the right shape or size. Stitching the items to backing board is one of the most secure ways to attach items in a shadow box, and one of the least damaging. One professional framer, for example, used nylon thread to attach a heavy pocketknife and vintage razor blades in a shadow box display.
Plastic mounts: Specially made mounting hardware is available for frequently displayed items, such as coins, silverware and plates. These mounts are often used with thicker backing boards instead of foam boards, as the items they support are heavy.
Double-sided tape: Used for replaceable, lightweight items, double-sided tape is one of the fastest and easiest ways to create a shadow box.
Hot glue: Already a must-have for DIYers, hot glue can be used for a variety of materials, including paper and plastic. Hot glue is not particularly strong, so it is often reserved for lightweight items, such as plastic toys.
Craft or fabric glue: Often PVA adhesives, these glues are multipurpose and can provide a strong bond for a variety of materials. The glue is permanent and can leave residue or cause damage, however, so valuable items should not be attached with craft glue.
Silicone adhesive: Silicone adhesive is very different from other glues, and it’s often used as a household sealant. But because it can be easily removed without leaving a residue, it is used to mount various items—even stone and glass—securely without damaging them. It is the adhesive of choice for many framers, but it has to be cured for 24 hours outside the framing package, as it will give off certain gases.
There are countless very creative ways to attach items to shadow boxes like a professional, including using tulle: the netting often found in wedding gowns and prom dresses. Some items, especially spherical items such as baseballs or golf balls, can be wrapped in tulle, which is pulled through the back of the foam board to secure in place.
Assembling a Shadow Box
To create a multi-object shadow box—a popular craft for many—it is important to first plan where each item in the shadow box will be secured, and then figure out which method of attachment will work best.
Heavier items can rest on the bottom of the frame, lessening the chance that they will fall and avoiding any unnecessarily difficulty in securing them. The rest is often trial and error—you may find that needle and thread is too difficult or that glue is too messy.
Professional frame shops can create beautiful shadow boxes, and if you are framing delicate or irreplaceable items, it may be the way to go. For a personal touch, homemade shadow boxes may be fun, memory-filled projects.
Memories are not just captured in photographs, and artwork encompasses far more than just two-dimensional paintings. Framing 3D objects—sports memorabilia, medals, flower bouquets and even jewelry or pieces of porcelain—opens the doors to decorating your home with what you truly want to display. The frame package is essentially the same—frame, glazing, backing board and mat […]
Has buying anything online ever been more convenient? We think not, and that applies to picture frames and supplies as well. Instead of lugging your painting or print to a custom frame shop—which might not be an option for you—with online frame shops you can simply view, click and order. Even though it’s easier, there are some common mistakes almost everyone makes when ordering a custom frame online, especially if it’s their first time.
1. Choosing high-grade materials when you don’t need them.
A frame package comprises not just the frame but the mat board, mount board and glazing, all of which are available in varying degrees of conservation quality. It’s natural to want the best of the best, but sometimes the best materials for your frame package are not necessarily the most expensive.
For example, there are three different types of mat board in terms of material: cotton rag, alpha cellulose and paper. Cotton rag is considered to be fit for long-term preservation in museums, and it is also the most expensive.
Alpha cellulose is cheaper than cotton rag, making it a great middle ground for those who want to keep the costs down but still protect artwork. Our Crescent Select 4-Ply mats (as well as the new Metallic colors) are made of acid- and lignin-free alpha cellulose. These products meet museum standards for preservation, but many other alpha cellulose mat boards do not.
Paper mat board, being the most economical, is sometimes overlooked due to its status as being suitable for “temporary framing”—but temporary may be all that you need. If you’re planning on framing photographs or prints that can be easily reproduced, paper mat board is a great choice. It’s affordable, attractive and still high quality. It can, of course, cause damage to photographs and other artwork due to its acidity, but this process takes time. For easily reproducible work, the potential for long-term fading may not matter.
The same goes for mount board, which is also available in various levels of conservation quality, as well as the glazing. Clear UV filter acrylic is important for a museum, but standard glass may be fine for a simple framed photo in a dark corner of the living room.
2. Relying on a computer monitor to find the right color.
Mat boards are traditionally neutral colors, such as white or cream, but they are now offered in pastel pinks and yellows, deep reds and blues, organic greens and more to help add extra visual appeal to a framed piece. Some new metal picture frames go beyond the standard silver or black, such as the Nielsen Profile 117V, which is offered in metallic red, blue, green, purple and turquoise. (For a nice roundup of our brand-new metal and wooden frames that pay homage to the latest color trends, check out our blog post on 2020 Color Trends.)
The true color of the mat board or a colorful picture frame can be difficult to see on computer monitors since the displayed colors can vary wildly depending on the type and age of the monitor or its calibration level. When you're attempting to complement colors in a photograph or piece of artwork, it’s important to find the right match. To avoid throwing away money on the wrong color mat board or a frame that doesn’t suit, first order a mat board sample pack or frame moulding samples.
3. Doing it yourself without the proper equipment.
When ordering a full frame package from an online shop, there’s not much assembly needed: adhere the artwork to the mat board if necessary, slide it in the frame, attach the hanging kit and hang your frame. Some customers, however, want to take a more hands-on approach to their frames.
Frame Destination offers uncut, full sheet mat board and custom mat for frames for those who want to create their own look. At-home framers can use manual mat cutters, rulers and patience to cut their own mat boards. But without the proper cutting tools or experience, you may not get the results you desire. Online custom frame shops such as Frame Destination use computerized cutting machines that precisely and cleanly cut single mat board windows without wasting any material.
4. Fiddling too much with custom sizes.
Online frame shops can offer the ability to tweak the size of the frame, mat board, mount board and points to create a unique frame package. You can really create something special, quickly and easily, when you use advanced options like blank mats, archival backing or extra glass or acrylic.
However, sometimes the standard sizes will work best—they are standard for a reason! Unless you’re absolutely sure that the sizes you choose are the sizes you want, stick with the standard sizes, or ask the frame shop for advice.
If you’re going with custom sizes and use a mat board, make sure you understand the difference between the artwork size and the mat window. Normally you want the mat window—the opening cut in the mat—to be smaller than the artwork in order to cover the edges and help keep the artwork flat against the backing board.
Frame Destination makes it easy to find the perfect standard frame. Yes, we offer thousands of options, but with a few simple clicks you can narrow your search to the just-right frame.
5. Going rogue (i.e., not asking for advice).
Just because it is an online shop doesn’t mean there is no one to answer your questions. If you’re not sure whether you should choose a metal or wood frame, or you’re struggling to create the perfect double mat, you can contact the online shop to get in touch with real, live framing professionals. In addition to providing information about specific framing components, they can help you find the right look regarding the mat board color or frame style.
Online frame shops are becoming the go-to resource for custom frames. Avoid the most common mistakes when ordering custom picture frames to ensure you receive the right frame the first time.
Last Updated April 15, 2021
Has buying anything online ever been more convenient? We think not, and that applies to picture frames and supplies as well. Instead of lugging your painting or print to a custom frame shop—which might not be an option for you—with online frame shops you can simply view, click and order. Even though it’s easier, there […]
Not everyone needs a custom frame, especially when your photo or artwork is a standard size. Ready-made picture frames are plentiful—you can find cheap ready-made picture frames at craft shops and local big-box stores—but, unfortunately, they are generally not the best choice for picture framing.
The Problem With Cheap Picture Frames
Off-the-shelf picture frames are convenient, of course, as you can just pop in a photo, slide it shut and put it on display. However, these picture frames are often anything but high quality. Ready-made picture frames from the big-box shops often feature a “mount board” that is simply corrugated cardboard, which is highly acidic—and acid is art’s natural enemy. Over time, depending on other factors such as sunlight and humidity, the photograph will discolor and deteriorate.
In addition, the glazing is often poorly cut glass or plastic, and you often don’t have the choice of selecting the type: UV-filter, anti-reflective, glass or acrylic. The frame itself may also be made of inferior metal or wood, the latter of which may be improperly joined.
The materials aren’t the only problem with ready-made picture frames from non-specialty stores. There is often no mat board included, which is common with ready-made frames; however, the frames were not made to accommodate spacers, and the photograph or artwork sits flush against the glazing. The result of this is that the picture will eventually adhere to the glazing, causing irreversible damage.
When looking at off-the-shelf frames, you can tell whether it is high quality by the inclusion of mat board and framing mount board, as well as any labels that state the glazing has UV-protective or anti-reflective properties. Examine the frame for any dings or dents, and make sure that the corners of wood frames are securely joined.
Finding High-Quality Ready-Made Picture Frames
While there may be the odd high-quality ready-made picture frame at the drug store, you’ll most likely find them at specialty shops—though the number of brick and mortar custom frame shops has dwindled, falling from 28,000 at its peak to 8,000 in 2012.
But even though they can be few and far between, custom frame shapes are still a great source of ready-made picture frames. Custom frame shops can offer ready-made picture frame packages that include the frame, mount board, glazing and sometimes hanging hardware; archival packages will include mat board. Buying straight from a brick and mortar shop can be pricey, however, as retail shops have a high overhead; they price these frames, even though they are not custom-made, to factor this in.
An alternative to the expensive but high quality custom frame shop is an online store that specializes in framing. Online custom frame shops have the ability to offer a wide variety of ready-made picture frames, including archival ready-made frames that feature UV-filter glass and acid-free mat board and backing board.
Online shops can also more easily offer bulk discounts, which is useful for professional photographers and artists who wish to present their work in the quality frames they deserve. Ready-made frames are readily available—you just have to know what to look for and where to look.
Not everyone needs a custom frame, especially when your photo or artwork is a standard size. Ready-made picture frames are plentiful—you can find cheap ready-made picture frames at craft shops and local big-box stores—but, unfortunately, they are generally not the best choice for picture framing. The Problem With Cheap Picture Frames Off-the-shelf picture frames are […]
Over the years, picture frames have evolved in design just like the art they contain. The earliest picture frames—dating back to AD 50–70 —were simple, unadorned wood frames that served only as a functional way to display artwork. Hundreds of years later, the frames became pieces of art themselves.
The level of detail and decoration in picture frames has fluctuated, becoming more or less ornate depending on the time period’s architecture and art movements. Some styles of picture frames reverted back to their former status as purely functional objects rather than decorative. These days, picture frames can be both.
Frames of Medieval Europe
When customers think of antique frames, the intricately decorated and gilded frames of Europe most often come to mind. Wood such as pine, poplar or oak was the material of choice, with more elaborate frames using more expensive wood such as walnut or ebony.
In the 12th and 13th century, the first carved wooden frames introduced decorative elements, modeled after the architecture of the time, to the once-plain frames. Tabernacle frames—architecturally-inspired frames that housed religious icons—were styled according to Gothic architecture, whose pointed arches and elaborate accents dominated frames until the Renaissance. More classical forms of architecture, characterized by simpler designs, columns and crown elements, took over by the 16th century.
Early American Picture Frames
The early history of picture frames is largely centered on Europe, but American picture frames have their own. American Empire style frames—the earliest known American-made picture frames—were simple and functional, but later incorporated carved details like their European counterparts. Unlike European frames, these carved details highlighted American agricultural goods such as tobacco, corn and wheat.
Though the specific motifs changed, hand-carved wooden picture frames flourished for hundreds of years, continuing well into the 19th century when imitations of Louis XIV-style frames were in vogue. By the late 19th century, however, framing took a turn as Impressionism emerged.
A Shift in Style: Simplicity in Framing
The founding Impressionist artists rejected the ornate frames just as they rejected the realism celebrated by society at the time. Impressionists’ preferred frames, according to The Art and History of Frames by famed frame maker and historian Henry Heydenryk, were simple and white—a large departure from the gilded frames that had dominated the past hundreds of years. It was around this time that Edgar Degas, a founder of Impressionism who had taken to speckling mats with color, said to fellow artist Moise Kisling, “The frame is the reward of the artist.”
Post-Impressionist artists such as Georges Seurat reintroduced colors other than white; his piece “Evening, Honfleur” features a wooden picture frame painted in the same style as the artwork itself.
A Shift in Picture Frame Materials
Wood was the material of choice for years until metal became more accessible, which happened to coincide with the popularization of photography. French architect Hector Guimard, one of the best-known Art Nouveau craftsmen, began creating small metal picture frames in the early 1900s, some of which are on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as works of art themselves.
It was only in the 1950s that metal truly usurped wood as the leading framing material. The Museum of Modern Art commissioned artist and framer Robert Kulicke to develop a frame that could be used in traveling exhibitions; the result was the now-famous welded aluminum frame. Just a few years later, Kulicke came out with a frame made of Lucite, or acrylic, for the museum’s photography collection.
The invention of the metal section frame, which can be assembled and dissembled easily and quickly, is often attributed solely to Kulicke, but it was originally patented by Donald P. Herbert. Herbert worked for Kulicke Frames Inc., and soon after he came to Kulicke with the concept, the company began manufacturing the frames—and they were a hit.
Through a series of patent and company sales, the sectional metal picture frames popularized by Kulicke Frames Inc. are now manufactured by respected framing company Nielsen Bainbridge.
Though metal picture frames have become the go-to for their ease of use, affordability and light weight, wood picture frames are still prized for their tradition and long, storied history.
Over the years, picture frames have evolved in design just like the art they contain. The earliest picture frames—dating back to AD 50–70 —were simple, unadorned wood frames that served only as a functional way to display artwork. Hundreds of years later, the frames became pieces of art themselves. The level of detail and decoration […]