Size suitable for framing

[Brenda]

I just don't know the answer to this question. I've looked for it but can't find it. I don't even know for sure how to phrase the question for sure.

Is there a standard size my paintings ought to be to fit in frames or mats or for printing? I don't mean standard frame size. I get those... I mean the paintings themselves.

I've read where Bill draws his a specific size to allow for framing. And some people tape the edges to get a clean border for printing. Do you just make an 8" x 10" painting exactly 8" x 10" to fit in an 8" x 10" frame or mat? Or do you make it slightly smaller or slightly bigger? Is it different if you plan to make prints later?

I hate showing my ignorance like this but I figure I won't know the answer until I ask the question.

[glo]

Brenda,

Really good question. I'm pulling up the proverbial chair. :D

Gloria

[Arlene]

i paint to whatever size would be best for my drawing. Because I frame everything myself (well my framer does with the materials I buy) i buy custom sizes as needed from a wholesaler. I always add at least a 3 1/2" mat all around the drawing, so if you take a standard frame size, say 16" x 20" then my painting would be 9" x 13"

some people leave a white border around the edge of the drawing, and others (me) mat to the edge of the drawing. hope that helps answer the question. here's a pic of me with one of my paintings.

[artfulscribe]

(First, awesome picture, Arlene!!)

The only thing I'll say about why you might possibly want to make your art a specific, standard size is it would eliminate the need to cut a custom mat. If you've got an 8 x 10 work and need to frame it on the fly, well...go out and pick up an 8 x 10 mat and presto, you're done. The only problem with that though, IMO, is that you should let the subject dictate the size of your piece instead of trying to fit your subject into a ready made box...know what I mean? It's convenient, but there are trade-offs.

But nope, your art doesn't have to be a standard size...not by a long shot! Remember, a mat can be cut to any size within a tiny fraction of an inch. You're not limited in any way, there. You can still use a standard sized frame and cut the opening of the mat as needed. (I also mat right up to the edge of the artwork, no white space between the art and the mat...anything else looks weird to me!)

Roxana

[artfulscribe]

IAnd some people tape the edges to get a clean border for printing.

Oops, also forgot to say I always mask/tape the margins of my artwork with low tack tape from the art supply store (it's white, not blue like I've seen a lot of people using...I'd find that distracting). The finished product looks so much tidier that way, and I don't have to worry about overshooting margins when I'm working. I know exactly where my artwork ends and don't have to tread as gingerly around the perimeters...the mask will keep me from overshooting the margins and producing ragged edges :D

Roxana

[Dee]

Brenda,

These are the mats I ordered that fit standard frames. It tells you the frame size and the opening (drawing) size.

http://www.dickblick.com/zz172/21/

[Arlene]

Dee those i believe are not archival mats. it's best to use archival matting whenever possible so that the mat itself doesn't stain the artwork.

[Nancy]

Brenda, you asked a really good question. One I hadn't thought about until recently.

I used to let my subject determine the size, but I found that it became VERY expensive because I had to have it custom matted and/or custom framed. I've had two framers and they both told me that the artists they frame and mat for try to do their pictures a standard size so they don't have to have things custom made. Matting isn't too expensive, but the framing gets up there.

What my framers told me is that you should have at least a 2 1/2" (preferably 3") mat around the picture/painting. The frame will take up about 1/4 to 1/2" of the mat. So, I figure that when I sell an 8x10" commission, I will get it matted and framed to 11x14". An 11x14" commission would become 14x17" matted and framed, etc. It really depends on you and how you want your pictures to look; and how much money you have to spend. :p . In my case, that's never much.

When I begin a painting, I draw a frame on the paper the maximum size I want to picture to be in order to mat and frame it to a standard size. The times I don't stick to that is when a picture really requires something custom. I am working on a painting for a competition for next month. Turns out it's one of those exceptions and I will have to get it custom matted. However, Dick Blick's has frames you can order where you buy the frame in two sets of pieces and put it together yourself. That way, you can get a frame that's basically custom made to the size you need. You just have to have a framer do the custom matting (unless you're very talented and have the equipment to do it yourself). Here's a link to the "framing sections and parts" (http://www.dickblick.com/categories/framing%2Dsections/) at Dick Blick's.

I'm not an expert at all of this as I am just learning myslef, but I hope I helped a little bit. :)

[Nancy]

BTW, Arlene, how do you do that little metal plate on your matting?

[Brenda]

Oh, gosh! I KNEW you all would know the answer. Thank you, thank you, thank you each of you! All these are getting printed off and kept in my color pencil book. :D

Arlene, Illusions looks so wonderful framed and hung on the wall. It's gorgeous! And you don't look so bad yourself... ;):p

Thank you, Arlene, Roxana, Dee and Nancy!!