AboutSara Tro Expertise I am a professional custom picture framer and designer. I have experience in all areas of
picture framing, and own my own custom framing shop. I can answer questions relating
to the design of a piece, the preservation of the artwork, color theory, photograph
restoration, decor, art placement, room balancing and installation questions.
Experience I have owned my own retail custom frame shop for 5 years, and managed a high-end shop before that for 5.5 years. I worked for a professional restorer and archivist for 8 months prior to the management position. I am also a fine artist myself, with a BFA in Photography and Printmaking, and have been framing my own work for years and years.
Education/Credentials BFA Fine Arts, NYSCC at Alfred University, NY
Expert: Sara Tro Date: 2/12/2008 Subject: how to choose picture frames and matts?
Question Besides personal preferences, how do I choose the colors (let's not talk about texture yet at this point)of frames and mats and the materials of frames? Is picking the color scheme in the paintings a rule of thumb to determine what colors of frames and mats I will use? Does the color of a frame need to coordinate any colors in a painting?
I know that it's best to bring paintings into a frame shop, and then I will have professional suggestions from the framer to find proper frames and mats. However, I am trying to cut down the cost of custom framing, because I have a lot of watercolor paintings to be frames. I usually like simpler wood frames of medium to dark tones with most of time beige mats. However, it is safe to choose frames and mats this way, yet it is boring and does not really showcase the paintings. I have seen that a lot of frames and mats are chosen to fit the color scheme of the paintings. That's easy and safe to do too, yet it looks still a little boring to me. I have seen some frames and mats having different tones from the paintings too, such as more jewel tone against more pure tone, and they look great. I am not sure how to go about doing it.
A well chosen frame and mat makes such a difference to highlight a painting, while bad choice degrades it. How to do it? Thanks
Answer Hi Judy,
Thanks for the great and creative question!
This is one of those challenging questions to answer, for two reasons: 1. For the most part, the talent of visualization and a great sense of artistry are required to be a really excellent framer, so some of the techniques are hard to pin down with words, as they're more intuitive. & 2. Every framer has a different style, and there are no rules to really "go by". That said, I will do my best to give you my tips and the general approach I take to most projects I design, and why.
So, I think that the reason you see some framed artwork as "boring" or ho-hum, is because in a lot of cases the design doesn't elevate or inspire the artwork. While the framing may not ruin the piece of art, visually, it certainly doesn't help it, which is exactly the definition of bad framing.
A well framed piece of artwork, in my opinion, will look good on any wall, in any room (in keeping with the style in general), and the viewer will notice the art work first, as the frame helps to support, contain and elevate the art to a new level, without distracting from it.
What you want to avoid in framing your watercolors is redundancy and over framing. Here are a few general guidelines to look out for:
Choosing Matting: The mat, in my opinion, should be usually a neutral. There are of course 1000 exceptions to this theory, but in general the mat should act as a visual break or rest between the art and the frame. Its job is also to protect the artwork from touching the glass, and from moisture. You want to be careful of using too much color in the matting, as sometimes the color you intend to "pull out" you wind up sort of robbing it from the art itself. You also don't want the matting to be boring, either. Sometimes adding a second matt, even in the same color as the top matt, can add a subtle dimension and break up the flatness of the matting. In general, the wider the matt, the more modern the piece looks. Stay away from using tricky matting techniques, such as making the sides very wide and the top and bottom very narrow, or pushing the artwork up really high or into a corner of the matt. these things never actually do what the framer has desired them to do.. they wind up being a distraction and lend no interest after a few days or weeks. I call that stuff "smoke and mirrors", and feel they fill a void for less talented framers.
So, as a general rule of color, I tend to select my matts from a range of medium toned highlight colors in the piece. Choose not the whitest white, or the tanist tan, but a color in between that will let the highlights in the piece sing above the matt color. If you lay out your design, and squint at it, if you see the mat alone, it's probably too bright. (This is not always true however for a simple gallery look, or for most photography). Using a fabric on the matting, (a more professional technique), can soften the flatness and harshness that cotton matts sometimes create. There are several pre-mounted fabric boards that will do a fine job, but are not 100% archival. Also, with watercolors, you may want to stay away from getting too linear with the matting, and boxing it it. You could consider floating the piece above a matt board, if it has nice deckled edges and is placed nicely on the paper, with some extra white paper space serving as the matt.
Choosing Frames: For the frames, I usually look at the piece and aim to pull out a medium to darker shadow tone for the frame "color", in hopes that it will help to contain the piece on the wall, and also support it. You want the frame to help move the viewers eye all around the artwork, not only pin-pointing one aspect or area. If you choose a frame that is too dark, it will overpower the piece.. too light and it will let the art "just keep on going".. providing no edge or balance. You want the frame to speak to the pieces nuances as well.. for example, if the piece has small, tiny little leaves on the trees in the landscape, you may select a frame that has a quality similar to that small subtle texture. For watercolors, I'd choose something with some variation in the finish, not to solid a tone. Watercolors have the amazing overlapping and mixing of color that happens, and you can find frames that possess some of that same artistry. So, stay away from a solid black, sprayed on finish for artwork that is washy or layered. The black frame has it's place, but not there...
Avoid Redundancy: Let's say the piece of art is of a mostly a green landscape, with mustards, rusts and browns in the hillside, and a little blue in the sky.. (pretty typical landscape scene).. Green would not be my first choice for a color to draw out or highlight, because of it's dominance in the piece. In contrast, I'd choose a subtle, neutral top mat, maybe two of the same off-white (that doesn't clash with a white in a cloud area in the sky), and add in a rust or brown somewhere in the matting combo, like as in a bevel color accent (hand-painted) or as the second mat. Then, I may let the frame lean toward the greens, or maybe towards a rusty wood finish? Here's where the intuition comes in.. it's all about balance when you start to put the pieces together.
Avoid over-framing: This is I think the biggest problem, with a close second being boring blah framing. SOmetimes contrasting the style in the art with the framing can be cool.. a small modern lithograph framed in a wide hand finished Italian moulding can be very cool.. but for the most part, if you try to force a piece of art into a frame that doesn't suit it, you run the risk of the piece being a total failure in that not only does it look bad in the frame, but the whole piece looks bad on any wall it hangs on. A lot of times, interior designers have a vision for a home, and they force every piece of art the family has into the same frame.. this is a simple tragedy! Artwork, and the framing on it, are as unique as you are, and your home becomes a self-portrait of sorts as you decorate it with things you love. The framing should tell a quiet story about the piece inside..
i understand your desire to save money on this project if you have quite a few pieces. Framing can be so expensive, and a serious investment if you have a whole series to frame. If you have the time, and the desire, you can avoid spending a lot of money by doing a lot of the work yourself. Just make sure that if you don't go to a professional, that you treat the original artwork you have with all archival materials. No skotch tape holding the art in the matts, no cardboard anywhere near the art.. etc.. If I were going to tackle a huge collection of pieces, I'd probably make a few categories and put pieces into the categories based on color. This will help you narrow down your choices and make the design process easier.
I guess that kind of sums it up!
If you live in Seattle, I would suggest you come in for a consultation to my studio, but I think you're on a great track!
My website is www.trofeo.biz, if you'd like to get more info or chat again.
I hope this helps you in your task, and happy framing!
Sara
