Framing How To...

If you've never had a picture or piece of work framed before it can be difficult to know just what to select, but that's where we help. Although there is not a definitive list of what can, or can't be framed, we pride ourselves on being able to guide and advise you through the process regardless of what you'd like framed. At gallery i we source only the best of materials for our workshop.

Pictures on canvas

When framing an picture on canvas you will first need to decide whether you'd like your canvas to be stretched or bonded to hardboard to stop the canvas wrinkling or buckling.Stretching simply means that we stretch the canvas and attach it to strong wooden bars; this is a great option for larger canvases as it will ensure they keep their shape for years to come.
If you have a canvas which is too small for traditional stretching, we can bond it to hardboard, however, please note that this process is irreversible and not recommended for highly expensive originals or much sought-after pieces of art.

Pictures can then framed with a slip (or inner frame), followed by a larger outer frame, this creates depth to the piece and really helps to pull the eye into the picture. 

Glass is optional, however if you wish to have your picture glazed you can request this. Typically in the case of original oil paintings we not recommended this as they can ‘sweat’ under the glass.

Watercolours

A delicate medium like this should be carefully considered: the first step is to select a conservation grade mount card in a complimentary colour. This mount will bring out specific colours in the artwork as well as separating the picture from the glass. Then it is your turn to select the frame but don't worry, we are always on hand to suggest the styles and colours we think would work best. Lastly is the time to select the glass type, typically plain glass is all you need for a watercolour, however if you are framing an extremely valuable piece, UV Protection glass would be our recommendation.

 

Photographs and Posters Prints

Photographs of family and friends are a great way of adding warmth and personality to any room in your home. Not to mention making great projects: why not create your very own "original" piece of art? It is important to keep photos and posters in good condition ahead of framing as any wrinkles or marks on the images become very apparent once behind glass. To combat obvious imperfections and to preserve the piece we offer a dry-mounting service. This not only ensures your photo/poster is firmly in place but will also stop the image lifting and sticking to the glass in time. We recommend a non-reflective glass when framing photographs/posters as this will prevent large levels of glare when in direct light.

 

Needlework and Tapestries

Just like an oil painting on canvas larger needleworks should be stretched. This involves creating a unique template to the exact size of your work and attaching the fabric to this template. This will preserve your needlework and ensure any imperfections are smoothed out. A mount in a complimentary colour will then ensure the work is kept away from the glass and frame ensuring it is protected. The mount is an excellent way of highlighting certain colours in the needlework. Now all you need is the perfect frame to show off your handy work!