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Picture frames - who needs them? It's the picture we're interested in, isn't it? It's the picture we want to look at, concentrate on, learn from or be entertained by - so why do we need to bother with a frame?
Well, there are several good reasons why picture frames are important.
Picture frames protect your wall art. Whether your pictures are personalised prints, family photos or magnificent oil paintings worth millions, they all benefit from protection. Free standing pictures sometimes get knocked over. Even pictures hung on the wall take a knock every now and then - especially if, like us, they're hung on the wall all the way up the stairs.
A frame protects the edge of the picture as well as the front and back. A frame helps your valuable picture stay valuable (whether that's sentimental value or monetary value).
Picture frames separate the picture contained within from the room outside. A frame acts as a visual barrier so that when you're looking at a picture, you know immediately where the edge is and you aren't distracted by whatever surrounds it. The thicker the frame, the stronger the barrier. A frame helps you focus and concentrate on the picture.
One online article described a frame rather neatly as 'a perimeter that defines where the art ends and the rest of the world begins'. And in this sense, a frame lets you know what the artist wanted you to see - it's a boundary between what's important (the art) and everything else.
Picture frames help your pictures become part of the room where they hang. It's almost the opposite idea of 'separation' above. Pictures have a message of their own but pictures also exist within a larger space - usually a room (if you're thinking big the room might be a whole gallery).
The frame not only separates the picture from the space it's in, it also joins it to that space, so picture frames are an important part of the interior decor of a room.
Historically, according to the Met Museum, frames were determined more by the rooms in which they hung than by the pictures they contained. Art was regularly reframed according to the surroundings where it displayed. Frames were largely influenced by architecture and interior decoration: 'pictures have always been required to live unobtrusively among furnishings of a period not their own, and frames have always been the vehicle enabling them to do so'.
A picture frame can act as a compliment to the picture inside, so the frame becomes an extension of the artwork.
You can do this with colours; a gold coloured frame might compliment a picture that includes a visually important golden element.
You can also do this with the frame style (whether it is plain or fancy, for example). An artwork in a plain, simple, narrow black frame has a very different feel to the same artwork displayed in an ornate, extravagent, enormous golden frame.
Picture frames, like all home decor, say something about the person who chose them. Perhaps your personal style is higglegy-piggledy (a bit 'all over the place') or perhaps it's neat and tidy (where everything has to be 'just so'). Whatever, your choice of picture frames, as well as the pictures they display, shows your personal style. Frames, like wall art, make a statement.
If the picture is a gift, a frame is a lovely finishing touch as it means the recipient only needs to choose somewhere for the picture to hang, they don't need to go out and find a frame as well.
Yes, we can! And we often do! Most canvas prints aren't framed (but you can get a frame it you want). The same goes for acrylic prints and metal prints. All these forms of wall art are much sturdier than the kinds of artwork traditionally protected by frames.
Walk round an art gallery and you'll notice that older artworks tend to be framed while newer artworks are often not framed. So 'to frame or not to frame' is a personal choice.
For practical purposes, the very first reason on the list above - the protection of the artwork - is a very good reason to opt for framing, unless your wall art is made of material that can withstand a knock or two.
Personalised prints, like those designed here at elevencorners, are no different to any other wall art when it comes to framing. The subject matter of a personalised print differs from most artwork - it's about who we are, what milestones we've celebrated, what music we love, what places are special to us - but the framing choices remain the same.
Read more about the differences between personalised art and traditional art.
Read more about framing personalised wall art here
Frames art important, but they aren't all-important. A frame exists to support a piece of art - to protect it, to separate it from and join it to it's surroundings.
DO you have any other insights about the importance (or not!) of picture frames? Leave us a comment!
What caught my attention was when you said that a picture frame becomes an extension of an artwork because it compliments the picture in it. This reminds me of my mother because she is interested in shopping for two historic framed photos next Friday. She wants to choose photos with quality frames, so your tips are helpful. https://vintagecityprints.com/collections/san-diego
Hey! We meet again. Now, I keep on thinking of what you said about picture frames and their significance in keeping our artwork separated from its surrounding, making it looks more exclusive. I just bought an exquisite painting from one of the local markets last week and I plan to put it at my living room. I’ll use this info to find the perfect item later on.
Growing up, most of the pictures in my house were just in any frame we could find that would fit. Actually having a frame designed for a specific piece was rare, but for the few items like that in our home, it made a real difference in how nice the pieces looked. That the frame protects the piece is also important, but it’s not something I think about very often. Still, it’s much easier to clean or replace a damaged frame than it is a piece of artwork, no matter the medium. http://www.denaligraphics.com/art-gallery
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Every house has its personality and its definition. Everything in the home contributes to this personality and meaning, and if we say that wall art is the most important contributor, it’s not that wrong at all.
FramingMelbourne not only define the personality of the house, but they also depict the aesthetic sense of the people living in that house. The kind of art that you put up will describe your knowledge of creativity. Hence picture frames are an essential part of the interior design of the property. Usually, it is given the least importance and dealt with at the end of the whole decoration of the house, but the truth is that it should be a part of the entire décor of the home from the very beginning.
It’s great that you pointed out that picture frames protect the edges of a piece of art or photo. I would imagine that it would be a good idea to get a frame that has a glass cover on the front. That way you won’t have to worry about dust getting on your pictures. https://picassogallery.com/services/
The main purpose of the picture frame is to protect the picture within. They help to keep the picture intact for the years to come.
The secondary objective of a picture frame is decoration. They help to enhance the look of the photograph using different elements like shape, color, material of the frame, mat boards, etc.
Additionally, picture frames are used to decorate a room or wall space. With custom framing, it has now become pretty easy to select the best frame for protection as well as decoration.
https://www.mahoneysframing.com.au/
I liked how you said that a frame is a finishing touch to a gift since the recipient will only need to find a place to hang it. I’m Christmas shopping right now and I’m trying to figure out if I should get a frame for some prints that I’m giving to my daughter. It seems like it could be really helpful to only have one step before hanging these prints up. https://nainsookframing.com/services/
I was searching for content like this , That will help me a lot i was choosing a Frame Restoration in Uk i am so curious about gilded frames for one of my favuorite frame , and this guidance will help me a lot, thank you so much
It sure was helpful when you said that picture frames help your valuable picture stay valuable by protecting the edge as well as the front and back of a picture. With this in mind, I will consider shopping for custom picture frames that I can use for our family portraits. It is important for me to keep them preserved in the best possible way due to the priceless memories they bring, so I will make sure to have our photos custom framed. https://www.barrythepictureframer.com.au/specialty-matt-design
My son just recovered a number of old paintings from the storage garage that he bought in an auction a couple of weeks ago. I have to agree with what you said about how frames help keeping wall arts intact and in good condition. I’ll ask him to look further into this matter so the paintings will get proper preservation. https://www.theartofframing.com.au/custom-picture-framing/
Thanks for detailing why picture frames are important. I like that you said that they can be an extension of the art you’re displaying. I think it would help to get custom frames for some things to make sure it really matched what it was displaying. https://riveroaksframing.com/custom_picture_frames.html
I love how you said that picture framing can complement the artwork and become an extension of it. My sister recently purchased a beautiful piece of art that she wants to hang on her wall. I will suggest that she have it custom framed beforehand to add to the visual when she hangs it up. http://expressartandframe.com/store-services/
I appreciate you mentioning that a frame for a pedicure is the perfect finishing touch that allows the recipient to only need to find a place for it on the wall. My sister’s and I had a beautiful family portrait printed out for our mom’s birthday next week. We will have to find a reputable picture frame supplier to purchase one from that will add a great finishing touch to our gift. https://artoriginals.com/mirrors-%26-framing
It’s great when you mentioned that picture frames can protect your wall art because we want to preserve our belongings as long as possible just like how we preserve a picture in a frame. I also agree when you said that they become an extension of the artwork as they act as a complement to the picture inside. My mother is in the midst of decorating our house now and I will tell her to get good quality picture frames to protect the wall as well as displaying the photos in a nice way. https://clareframe.com/framing/
ellisonwilliams
February 28, 2024
I never realized the impact a well-chosen frame could have on the overall vibe of a room until I read your piece. Your anecdotes and examples were spot on – it’s like you were describing my own struggles with decorating! Now, I’m itching to revamp my space with some carefully selected frames. Your advice on mixing styles and experimenting with different materials was a game-changer for me.
I recommend you also visit this excellent store for photo framing – https://www.mahoneysframing.com.au/