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 Fine art Prints

Picking out artwork for your dwelling is the fun part. Simply how do you go well-nigh framing it? At that place are a few tips and tricks you lot can use to brand sure yous're choosing the perfect frame for the perfect print.

Delight notation: This page contains some affiliate links, which means if yous purchase an detail, I'll receive a small commission at no extra cost to yous. 😊

Size

Information technology's much easier to find a not bad and ready-fabricated frame if your artwork fits a standard size frame.

In my store, I offer upwardly to eleven sizes of art prints, each adhering to a standard size. I recommend ownership frames online from Target or Michael'southward, which offers a wide selection of sizes and materials. If y'all're ordering online, you can customize your frame + mat sizes with Art to Frame. IKEA is also one of my meridian picks for inexpensive frames, simply keep in listen that their sizes aren't all American-standard.

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Mat Window:

Using mat windows strategically is my ultimate framing trick. 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 don't have to find an verbal-size frame to fit your artwork. This is especially helpful if y'all purchased a impress that isn't a standard size. All you lot need to do is buy a frame in the side by side size (or ii) upwardly, then cutting a mat board to fit the frame, with a window to showcase the art.

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

Problem: You lot've purchased a pocket-sized print and it feels swallowed by the wall.
Solution: Buy a frame a few sizes upwardly, so cutting a mat board to fit in the frame and showcase the art.

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

Whatever framing store volition be able to cutting a mat for yous. All you need to practise is tell them your frame size, your artwork size, and your preferred mat board color. Be sure to get out a quarter inch of extra inch on each side so that the art print doesn't just fall through the window. (For case: if the fine art print measures 8x10", the actual mat opening should be 7.5x9.five")

Even easier: You can as well purchase a frame with a ready-made mat already included .

Mat sizes tin range from thin to thick:

Manner

Ornate, lacquered forest? Or a sleek, contemporary surface? The style of your frame can make just as much of a statement as the artwork itself.

I adopt a combination of statement frames and simple, gallery frames.

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

Ornate Frames:

Simple Frames:

My Recommendations:

Now that you know the nuts, I'm going to pause everything down into my recommendations of mat + frame dimensions based on each size of art print I offering on my store.

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If you purchased a 8 x 10" art impress, so I recommend a 11 x xiv" frame with a mat .

* * South I Z I Northward G    I Northward F O * *
Frame opening: 11" x xiv"
Frame width: 0.5"
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Mat size: eleven" x xiv"
Mat window: 7.5" ten 9.5"
Mat width: ii.25" (meridian & bottom) & 1.75" (sides)

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

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

* * S I Z I N Thou    I N F O * *
Frame opening: 14" ten 14"
Frame width: i"
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Mat size: 14" 10 fourteen"
Mat window: 9.five" x ix.five"
Mat width: ii"

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

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If you lot purchased a 12 x 12" art impress, then I recommend a xvi x 16" frame with a mat .

* * S I Z I N Grand    I Due north F O * *
Frame opening: 16" x 16"
Frame width: 1"
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Mat size: sixteen" 10 16"
Mat window: 11.5" x eleven.v"
Mat width: 2"

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

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If you purchased a 12 x 16" art print, then I recommend a 15.five x 19.5" frame with a mat .

* * S I Z I North G    I Northward F O * *
Frame opening: 12" x xvi"
Frame width: ane.25"
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Mat size: 12" ten 16"
Mat window: xi.v" x fifteen.5"
Mat width: 2"

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

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

* * S I Z I N G    I N F O * *
Frame opening: xiv" x 14"
Frame width: 1.25"
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Mat size: 17.5" x 17.5"
Mat window: 13.5" x 13.five"
Mat width: two"

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

Frames-6.jpg

If you lot purchased a 16 x 16" art print, then I recommend a 20" x 20" frame with a mat .

* * S I Z I Due north G    I N F O * *
Frame opening: xx" x 20"
Frame width: ane.25"
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Mat size: xx" x 20"
Mat window: 15.5" 10 15.v"

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

If you purchased a xvi x 22" fine art print, then I recommend a 18 ten 24" frame with a mat .

* * S I Z I Due north Yard    I N F O * *
Frame opening: eighteen" x 24"
Frame width: 1"
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Mat size: 16" x 22"
Mat window: xi.five" 10 17.five"
Mat width: 2.25"

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

If you purchased a 18 ten 18" fine art print, then I recommend a 22 x 22" frame with a mat .

* * Due south I Z I North Chiliad    I N F O * *
Frame opening: 22" x 22"
Frame width: ane"
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Mat size: 22" ten 22"
Mat window: 17.5" ten 17.v"
Mat width: ii.25"

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

If y'all purchased a 16 x 20" fine art print, then I recommend a 20 x 24" frame with a mat .

* * S I Z I N Thou    I N F O * *
Frame opening: twenty" 10 24"
Frame width: i"
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Mat size: 22" x 24"
Mat window: xv.5" x 19.v"
Mat width: 2.25"

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

If you purchased a xviii 10 24" fine art print, then I recommend a xviii x 24" frame.

* * S I Z I North 1000    I N F O * *
Frame opening: xviii" x 24"
Frame width: 1 or 2"

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

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

* * Southward I Z I Due north G    I Northward F O * *
Frame opening: 24" x 36"
Frame width: ane or 2"

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

Insight, Artist Resource

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