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 Art Prints

Picking out artwork for your dwelling is the fun role. Merely how do you get nearly framing it? At that place are a few tips and tricks y'all can use to make certain you're choosing the perfect frame for the perfect impress.

Please note: This page contains some affiliate links, which ways if you purchase an particular, I'll receive a modest commission at no actress cost to you. 😊

Size

It's much easier to find a bang-up and ready-made frame if your artwork fits a standard size frame.

In my shop, I offering up to eleven sizes of art prints, each adhering to a standard size. I recommend buying frames online from Target or Michael'southward, which offers a wide option of sizes and materials. If you're ordering online, you tin customize your frame + mat sizes with Art to Frame. IKEA is also ane of my superlative picks for cheap frames, but proceed in heed that their sizes aren't all American-standard.

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Mat Window:

Using mat windows strategically is my ultimate framing play tricks. The mat window is the opening that is cutting in a thick paper lath, allowing the artwork to peek through. Mats can reach ii noteworthy things:

  1. You don't have to find an verbal-size frame to fit your artwork. This is especially helpful if you lot purchased a print that isn't a standard size. All you demand to exercise is buy a frame in the next size (or two) up, then cut 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 correct up to the frame, a mat provides a border of whitespace.

Problem: You've purchased a small print and information technology feels swallowed past the wall.
Solution: Buy a frame a few sizes upward, then cut a mat board to fit in the frame and showcase the art.

Your mat board can exist whatever color of the rainbow. The fundamental is to find something that helps the art stand out without existence too distracting itself. Personally, I always stick with a vivid white mat on archival board. (Choosing archival ways that the white won't fade to greyness or yellow as time passes.)

Any framing store will be able to cut a mat for you lot. All yous demand to do is tell them your frame size, your artwork size, and your preferred mat board color. Be sure to leave a quarter inch of actress inch on each side so that the art print doesn't just autumn through the window. (For example: if the art print measures 8x10", the actual mat opening should exist seven.5x9.5")

Even easier: You can also buy a frame with a prepare-made mat already included .

Mat sizes can range from thin to thick:

Style

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

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

If you'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 mod artful.

Ornate Frames:

Simple Frames:

My Recommendations:

Now that yous know the basics, I'yard going to break everything down into my recommendations of mat + frame dimensions based on each size of art print I offer on my store.

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If yous purchased a viii 10 ten" art print, then I recommend a 11 x xiv" frame with a mat .

* * Southward I Z I N G    I N F O * *
Frame opening: 11" x 14"
Frame width: 0.5"
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Mat size: 11" x xiv"
Mat window: 7.v" 10 ix.v"
Mat width: 2.25" (top & bottom) & 1.75" (sides)

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

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If you purchased a ten x 10" art impress, then I recommend a xiv ten 14" frame with a mat .

* * S I Z I North G    I N F O * *
Frame opening: 14" x 14"
Frame width: 1"
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Mat size: 14" x 14"
Mat window: 9.5" ten nine.v"
Mat width: 2"

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

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

* * Southward I Z I Northward M    I Due north F O * *
Frame opening: 16" x 16"
Frame width: 1"
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Mat size: 16" 10 16"
Mat window: eleven.5" x 11.5"
Mat width: two"

Piece of cake solution: Frame with pre-cut mat bachelor in white or black hither.

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If you purchased a 12 x 16" art print, then I recommend a 15.5 x 19.5" frame with a mat .

* * S I Z I N G    I Due north F O * *
Frame opening: 12" x 16"
Frame width: 1.25"
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Mat size: 12" ten 16"
Mat window: eleven.5" 10 15.five"
Mat width: 2"

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

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If you purchased a 14 x xiv" fine art impress, and so I recommend a 17.v" x 17.5" frame with a mat .

* * S I Z I North Thousand    I Northward F O * *
Frame opening: 14" x xiv"
Frame width: i.25"
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Mat size: 17.v" x 17.5"
Mat window: 13.5" x 13.5"
Mat width: 2"

Piece of cake solution: Frame with pre-cut mat available in white or black here.

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If you purchased a 16 10 xvi" fine art impress, and then I recommend a twenty" x 20" frame with a mat .

* * Southward I Z I N One thousand    I Northward F O * *
Frame opening: 20" x 20"
Frame width: ane.25"
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Mat size: 20" x 20"
Mat window: 15.5" x 15.5"

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

If you purchased a 16 x 22" art print, then I recommend a 18 ten 24" frame with a mat .

* * Southward I Z I N G    I N F O * *
Frame opening: 18" x 24"
Frame width: 1"
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Mat size: sixteen" x 22"
Mat window: 11.5" x 17.5"
Mat width: ii.25"

Piece of cake solution: Frame with pre-cut mat available in white or blackness hither.

If you lot purchased a eighteen ten 18" art impress, then I recommend a 22 ten 22" frame with a mat .

* * S I Z I N Thou    I Northward F O * *
Frame opening: 22" x 22"
Frame width: one"
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Mat size: 22" x 22"
Mat window: 17.five" 10 17.five"
Mat width: ii.25"

Piece of cake solution: Frame with pre-cut mat available in white or black here.

If you purchased a xvi x 20" fine art print, then I recommend a xx x 24" frame with a mat .

* * S I Z I N G    I N F O * *
Frame opening: 20" x 24"
Frame width: one"
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Mat size: 22" x 24"
Mat window: 15.v" x 19.5"
Mat width: two.25"

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

If you purchased a 18 x 24" art print, then I recommend a eighteen ten 24" frame.

* * Southward I Z I North G    I North F O * *
Frame opening: 18" x 24"
Frame width: 1 or ii"

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

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

* * S I Z I North G    I N F O * *
Frame opening: 24" ten 36"
Frame width: 1 or 2"

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

Insight, Creative person Resource

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