The Artwork Framing Guide
If you’re here because you bought a piece of artwork and now you’re wondering how to hang it in your home, you’re in the right place! First, congratulations on your purchase — these moments are so special. Bringing art into your home that is meaningful to you and elevates your space is the best feeling. Second, I’m here to help answer your questions about how to best display your art while keeping it safe and ensuring it lasts for a lifetime.
Framing a print
Traditional Frames
This applies to flat canvas and paper prints.
The best way to elevate a print and make it look its best is to frame it with a mat. So simple and inexpensive, but makes the biggest difference. For example, if you buy an 8x10 print, you could buy a frame that’s 11x14 and has a mat with an 8x10 opening. The larger frame takes up more visual space, making more of an impact and bring more attention to the beautiful art you invested in. The mat also serves a practical purpose of preserving the print; you always want some space between the paper/canvas and the glass in the frame to allow airflow, which prevents the art from wrinkling and discolouring.
To make sure your print is lined up perfectly behind a mat, you can either mount the print to the backing board or directly to the mat with acid-free tape. There are lots of tutorials on Youtube showing how to do this!
Most of the prints in my shop are offered in traditional sizes like 8x10”, 12x12”, 16x20”, etc. so it’s easy to find ready-made frames that will fit these prints! There are so many sizes — rectangular and square — and styles of frames, that it’s easy to find one that will match your home’s aesthetic.
My favourite places to get ready-made frames in Canada (most of these companies have US stores as well)
Modern/minimalist/classic:
West Elm - they have amazing frame sets for cohesive gallery walls
Opposite Wall - available through Amazon!
Cool/trendy:
Indigo - they have some surprisingly nice options at very affordable prices
Art stores with frames - a good place to go if you want an off-the-shelf frame and a little extra support from people who know art:
Both of these stores carry a variety of styles and tend to have frames that are designed for fine-art.
Gallery Wrapped Canvas and Floater Frames
This is a great way to display a print on canvas to make it look just like an original! Let me explain…
Gallery wrap: When the canvas is stretched around wooden support bars like a traditional painting. “Gallery” wrap usually means the width of the canvas is at least 1.5” — this kind of artwork can hang on the wall without a frame because of its more substantial profile. You can take a canvas print to most framers and they can varnish and stretch the canvas around these wooden support bars for a really professional look. If you want to go this route, make sure to add a margin to your print when you purchase it! This will allow you to display the art without glass and the art will look just like an original.
Floater frame: This is a type of frame that looks great with gallery wrapped canvas, and it gives the illusion that the artwork is floating inside the frame. Artwork must be gallery wrapped to work in this style of frame.
You can buy floater frames pre-made — in Canada the best places to get them are:
US:
Custom Framing
If you want a frame that’s more ornate, makes more of a statement, or fits a “custom” size (one that’s not standard frame size), I recommend checking out a local framer. They tend to have the best quality frames, you can talk with them about what you’re looking for, they can give you helpful recommendations, and you’ll be supporting a local business!
If you want to buy a custom frame online, I’ve heard good things about Framebridge, Simply Framed and Frame It Easy. These sites are great because you can choose the frame you want, send them your artwork, and then they send it back to you professionally framed and ready to hang. They offer all kind of frames including floater frames.
Vintage Frames
If you’re a thrifter, don’t forget to check your favourite antique/thrift stores for unique frames. I have a stash of frames that I’ve collected over the years that are all just waiting for the perfect piece of art! I recommend bringing your antique frame and your artwork to your local framing shop to have them cut a custom mat and assemble the frame for you.
Framing an original
This applies to paintings or drawings on canvas or paper.
Paper: Use the same rules as applies to flat prints above. It is of the utmost importance to only use archival, acid free materials when framing an original — if you’re unsure if your supplies are archival/acid free but you want to use a frame you already have, take your art to a framer and ask them to mount it in the frame for you.
Gallery wrapped canvas: These days I am selling most of my original work already framed in a wood floater frame (my personal preference for framing canvas). In case you have a stretched canvas that isn’t framed, check out the floater frame suppliers I listed above!
I hope this guide has been helpful and of course, if you have any questions about framing please get in touch!
I'm so excited for you and your new art! If you share your art hanging in your home, please send me a photo or tag me on instagram/facebook if you post it there; my favourite thing is seeing my art in your homes!!