Anyone can buy a standard picture frame and put a family photo or piece of art in it. But if you want to give your treasured pieces the best treatment possible and leave them looking their best on your wall, then you’re better off opting for a custom framing service. If you’re confused about custom framing, this guide will take you through the basics of it. We’ll look at the three main components you can see in a framed photo and some tips on how to choose them.

Choosing a frame

The frame is obviously an important part of custom framing. This will provide the final border of your piece, so it needs to complement the picture and the room it will be hung in. There are lots of different materials, colors, and styles to choose from when selecting a frame, so you might want to ask the professionals for advice on what will work best. Some popular materials include gold leaf and silver leaf, resin, and various wood and metal materials.

The key is to always choose a frame that suits the picture, rather than trying to use the same style frames for a number of pieces of art.

Choosing matting

You can place a mat around your artwork to create a space between it and the frame. You don’t need to have a matboard in your framed art, but it does serve both decorative and protective purposes. Matting helps to make the piece of art the main focus of the entire piece, rather than being drawn to the frame. Mats can be different colors and materials to complement the piece in the best way.

In terms of protection, the matting is raised slightly above the artwork it surrounds. This creates a small space between the glass and the artwork, preventing the art from sticking to the glass and becoming damaged.

Choosing glass

Finally, you need some glass in your frame to protect your art from the elements. Different types of glass have different properties that provide different levels of protection. Museum glass is one of the best options. It effectively blocks UV rays so that your art doesn’t get sun damaged, and it prevents glare from light so you can view your art properly from all angles. Regular glass will not have these properties but is cheaper than Museum glass. Plexiglass is another option, which is much more lightweight than glass.

If you need custom picture framing for your favorite piece of artwork in Clemmons, NC, then get in touch with Tanglewood Art and Frame or visit us in store.