Tuesday 8 December 2015

Can your Artwork sustain the test of time without Picture Frame?

An artwork is the prized possession of you and it's your responsibility to take care of it. You should do everything to help it survive through the test of time. A picture frame is something on which you can rely as far as protecting your artwork from environmental hazards is concerned. A beautiful and quality picture frame can help your artwork both with looks and protection.

A beautifully designed and matted framed can protect and visually enhance your artwork. Beside this picture frame has a practical and economic consideration as well, a framed artwork attracts more viewers and can be sold more easily and quickly. A good picture frame selection is an art itself and requires both good taste and some basic knowledge of picture framing. The better educated you are about the protection and conservation of your artwork from environmental hazards, better it will be for your artwork. Some of the dangers to which your artwork is prone to is mentioned below:

Protecting against LIGHT
Though it may sound strange but light is perhaps the most common and greatest danger for artwork on papers. Ultraviolet radiation, the invisible short wave component of light is the most destructive element for your paper. The source of ultraviolet radiation is both natural and artificial in the form of natural daylight and fluorescent light. To avoid damage from light you should never hang your art directly in the sunlight or too close to a bright fluorescent light. Thus a good high quality picture frame can help your artwork survive the test of time.

Protecting against MOISTURE
The moisture which is present in the paper or in the environment can be the detrimental factor for your artwork. The moisture present can combine with sulphate ions in the presence of iron resulting in the formation of sulphuric acid. This acid destroys your paper and the artwork on it. Another danger that moisture can bring upon is the mould. Due to moisture, mould thrives and grows on the paper appearing as dull rust-coloured patches called “foxing”. So to avoid the impact of moisture on your artwork proper picture frame is required.

Protecting against INSECTS
Insects like silverfish, termite, cockroach, woodworm, etc can bring significant damage to your artwork. These insects thrives and grow with the passage of time and destroy your artwork. Though termites and woodworm usually grows on wood but they are enemies of anything which is made of cellulose, including paper. These insects will slowly and steadily get into your artwork and devour the flour paste and glue sizing. The damage these insects will bring is irreparable and you can only stop them by a quality picture frame.

Protecting against HEAT
Heat falling directly on your artwork can also destroy it completely. Exposing your artwork to heat will lead to deterioration of paper because of the high temperature. Never hang your artwork near direct or even indirect heat as even the ashes containing sulphate can damage the artwork. Keep your artwork away and safe from getting too much heat. A well designed and high-quality picture frame can help you with protecting your artwork against heat.

The next task in your hand is to search for an ideal framer who can give you right alternatives at an affordable price. Apart from choosing the right the right design, shape and size, proper importance should be given towards material used for the frame. You can trust the framer's professional advice if you have chosen the right one. Professional framers like PaintboxArt& Framing can advice you to choose the right frame according to your need and budget. Just remember one thing that there is no one-size-fits-all strategy in frame picking. You have to keep in mind that framing is a form of visual communication. The better your communication would be, the better it would be for your artwork. A better "finish" in framing is well worth the extra time and investment in the long run.

Wednesday 18 November 2015

Frame Sizes are Vital for Your Pictures – Learn More

If you take pictures, then understanding frame sizes are important. Picture frames help encapsulate your treasured memories and keep them alive for a long time. Using beautiful wooden or metal frames gives your photos an exquisite look and makes them wonderful pieces of art for your home. Pictures require perfect framing to get the best beauty out of them. With countless companies manufacturing hundreds of different picture frames regularly, the variety of picture frames are stupendous.

Frame sizes come in a huge selection of sizes, but they are generally categorized into standard and non-standard sizes. Standard means the sizes are more common and are typical photo sizes. Frame sizes are measured in inches in US and in centimeters in most other parts of the world. The frame size is intended to represent the size of the picture not the exterior size of the frame. The frame will always be a little smaller than your actual image.




Before you buy a frame always pay attention to whether the frame can be used vertically or horizontally. Often times you will find that the frame can only be used in one direction. One of the reasons is due to its frame size. For example a heart shaped frame can't be turned it on its side, otherwise it would be a sideways heart.

You may think that picture frame sizes are not vital for research, however photography enthusiasts are excessively careful to buy the right picture frame with the perfect size. A frame with correct dimensions and proportions help highlight the beauty of a picture to great effect.

Here are a couple of things to keep in mind while choosing the perfect sized picture frame:

1. Overall Size:

The overall size of the picture frame is directly related to the picture involved. The pictures that are meant to be hung on the wall look splendid in enormous picture frames. Smaller frames are best for pictures that are to be placed on a shelf or table.

2. Picture Dimensions:

Picture frames are available in different dimensions. You need to choose the picture frame according to the dimension of the picture. Frames with dimensions of 6 x 4 or 7 x 5 allow pictures to be placed horizontally as well as vertically. An 18 x 24 frame is a popular frame size choice among photography fanatics. These are used for posters, large family portraits or exclusive pictures.

3. Outside Frame Size:

This is the dimension of the outermost part of the frame. It is important when you need to  place the frame in a limited space.

What to do if your frame is of wrong size?
  • If your frame is the wrong size for your art, don't toss it just yet. There could be a way to solve your problem without wasting the whole frame!
  • If the frame is too large, add a mat. If you already have a mat and that is also too large, you can either add a mat reveal underneath or buy a new mat that is wider. Replacing the mat is more affordable than replacing the frame.
  • You can also choose to float mount your artwork. This involves mounting the art on a backing board which will be visible between the edges of the art and the frame.
  • If the frame is too small, your options get limited. If it's possible, you can crop the image but, this isn't recommended.
Photo framing is an art all of its own. Framing a photo or a poster requires an eye for aesthetics. Understanding the standard photo frame sizes, is a good start because these frames are most  common and affordable. Custom framing is usually expensive, so customers are well-advised to stick to standard frame sizes. Matting is a solution when irregularly sized photos or artwork need to be framed. It also makes photo look professional. There are special techniques for mounting and framing posters and other valuable collector items. Those framing posters often use special materials like plexiglass and handcrafted materials. There are a lot of custom framing shop that provide you with the best frames with all sizes. Some of them are Framebridge, Chemould Frames,  Framehouse, Paintbox Art and Framing, Paintbox Soho.

Whether you're looking for a cheap picture frame to display your child's drawing, or a fine museum quality frame, you can make your pictures look beautiful using perfect frame sizes.

Monday 16 November 2015

Get Your Picture Framed for Better Value

“The right framing is the final exclamation point on the finished artwork.”

Framing can make or break a work of art. It really does make a difference. Even a not-so-good painting seems to improve in proper framing. The chief reasons to frame your art is to enhance your work, compliment it, to protect it from damage from elements like moisture and dust and from physical damage from handling, touching and transporting. Often, a client will see piece of artwork, fall in love with it, and then say, “but that frame …...” Is there anything more discouraging than having to re-frame a piece when you put so much time and investment into framing it in the first place? Wouldn’t it be great if you could find exactly the right frame every time? And, of course, framing is also a matter of taste. What works for one painting may not work for another. And what one artist likes may not be appreciated by another as it is with clients purchasing artwork. There is so much to choose from in frames.


Its really a great job of accentuating your artwork. Some key issues that will help you choose a perfect frame-

Custom Framing...Is it really that important!-
Whether you are framing a poster, your kid's hand-prints, or a fine work of art, custom framing will reflect your personal taste and protect your piece for years to come.

Surroundings to be kept in mind- While you should certainly consider the room's decor, you shouldn't match the frame to the room at the expense of what looks good with the picture. Keep in mind that the room decor may change in the future.

Perfect frame to enhances your art- Thousands of different frame styles are available along with sizes, stains, glazes, and finishes.

Preserve and Protect with Archivals- Some common framing materials such as paper mats and cardboard contain acid that will gradually destroy your art. Using archival mats and backing boards will help protect art from the damaging effects of time and from common pollutants that cause yellowing, fading and deterioration of artwork.

Choose glazing to protect your artwork- Glazing refers to the glass or acrylic material covering the artwork as a means of protection.

There are many variations including regular clear glass, anti-reflective (chemically coated), non-glare (acid etched) and conservation glass (specially formulated to help filter UV light). Acrylic glazing products that come in the non-glare and UV filtering varieties are making a mark in market. It is lighter in weight and safer than glass but requires a soft cloth and a non-abrasive cleanser. It is ideal for oversized pieces, frames hanging in children's rooms, or items to be shipped. Market is overwhelmed with techniques that can be applied to your art work, such as hand crafted picture frames, fine art- Giclee printing, floating frames, picture enlargement, wet/dry mounting, face mounting photos, plexiglass box frames.

Everyone should aim for consistency. Sure, not all of your work can be framed in exactly the same way, but if you can keep your framing as consistent as possible, you will simplify the decision making process and your framing will become a part of your brand. Employ your artistic eye to find the perfect match for your work, or find a framer who also has an artistic eye and have them help you find the right frame.

PaintBoxNolita, PaintBoxArt Framing, PaintBox Soho have years of experience in custom designing Frames, hand-crafted frames, floating frames. They are a helping hand in providing perfect frames that will enhance your artwork and also protect it from external elements and with all the decisions that go into properly framing your picture.

Tuesday 6 October 2015

Why are Picture Frames Costly

Custom Frames can be a costly affair and especially intimidating for those who are getting it done for the first time. The frame, matting, glazing, etc. all adds up to an amount which is more than what the customer has in mind. It is not uncommon for customers to feel cheated or go for a much cheaper ready-made option after knowing the cost involved. Hence, it is important to understand the frame value chain, in order to fully appreciate the cost involved in framing.



Value Chain

To understand the framing value chain, it is important to understand how a wooden boards are turned into a molding and quality that is desired for custom picture framing.

Wooden board needs to be cut into shape on turning bit at a high speed. This way we get the desired shape and size of the frame. The benefit of this process is customized, intricate design which is as per customer exact specification. The uniqueness of this process and workmanship, therefore make it expensive to produce. There would be a visual difference between a hand cut frame and a mass produced frame. This is the primary reason hand cut frames are costlier than other kind of frames.

Post this process, the molding is providers a high quality finish by coating it with quality paint such as lacquer, gesso etc. The extra material and labor adds up to the cost, and the end product is an sophisticated looking frame with great aesthetics.

Journey from Manufacturer to Wholesaler

Once the molding is ready to be shipped, next in value chain lays the wholesaler. The packaging required for the molding depends on the size of the mold and brings an extra cost of packaging, transport with it. A framing wholesaler’s mark-up will be anywhere between 10% and 50% and often they sell their inventory in a very small area, thus charging premium for this facility.

Journey from Wholesaler to Retailer

This is where most significant mark-up happens in the whole value chain. i.e. between shopkeeper and consumer . On an average a store can mark-up the price to as high as 400% . So the question arises is Why?

We need to understand the economics of running a shop. In case of a molding manufacturer, they have the option to sell to the whole country from one place, but for a frame shop next door, who has a target consumer base of a neighborhood it is quite difficult to generate high volumes. Generating volume is a problem for these retailers, hence to earn profit and pay of their bills the prices are marked-up. This is especially applicable on a Mom and Pop shops who sell considerably less frames when compared to a huge retail chain, hence a Mom and Pop store sells frame for more money than a popular chain store.

In today’s day and age, there are other avenues to buy frame. Buying frames online can be a cheaper option but customization offered online is minimal. There is also very less assistance and guidance available online. These online stores may provide video or tutorials, but nothing beats a face to face interaction with an experienced framer. But then as we discussed this comes with a price tag.



Eventually a decision to buy frame should be made based on your requirement and budget. If customer does not have an idea about the custom picture frame, then buying online can be a bad idea. In that case, face to face sale is best form of option. Online option is only best when you want a reasonable frame, with no customization at a cheaper budget.

Monday 14 September 2015

Breakdown of a Picture Frame

In today’s day and age, digital picture has made taking, processing and viewing pictures easy. Along with the times, Picture frame has also seen some evolution. Digital picture frame can show multiple images like a screen saver. Classic picture frame seems like old age technology today. Indeed picture frame history dates back many years and have seen lot of evolution. However, there are some basic fundamentals of picture frame that has not changed ever since frame came into existence.

The Actual Frame
Picture frames essentially do the job of enhancing your image. Frames are generally made of wood, metal or plastic. The most common materials of which frames are wood and metal.

Wood Frames: Wood frame varies greatly from costly oak molding to bamboo molding. There are varied types of wood frame available in as many types of wood present in market. Wooden frames can bring old age feeling and sophistication to your photograph.

Metal Frames: Metallic frames are much simple to design when compared to wooden frames. Specialty designs can be obtained in Metal framing - such as brushed rounded corners (by using chemicals) and baded designs.


Glazing
Glazing can be made of Standard Glass or Plexiglas. Standard Glass is the most common glazing used and is inexpensive and readily available. Standard glass is the best option for reproduction prints, posters and artwork.

Plexiglas is lighter than glass, and less dangerous to handle. Plexiglas, in its most advanced form, provides most of the benefit of museum glass and has the ability to filter 50-75% of UV rays along with being anti-static and scratch resistant. Plexiglas is a great alternative and preferred choice of framers around the world.


Matting
Mats can be made of cardboard or other materials and serves as a frame within a frame. Mat separates picture from direct contact with the glass and creates a small air space between photographs. Glass also prevents moisture build up. A mat can be decorated as per photograph’s specification- colored, decorated or pure white. The more acidic the mat material quicker the artwork is bound to deteriorate. Normally mats made of cotton are great for preserving art work.


Mounting Board
This holds the picture against the mat. This is often the first step in framing process. Normally cardboards are used as mounting board material but framers normally advice against using them. Cardboards are acidic in nature, and this may be detrimental for the artwork over the years. Mounting board with polystyrene core are generally good as they are acid free, have smooth surface , warps less and can be cut smoothly


So these are the 5 major components of a frame. While selecting suitable frame, all the guidance should be taken into consideration. However, nothing beats the beauty of an experience framer. It is recommended to try various options before finalizing a frame. As this happens so often, even if thing do not look good, might just look great and provide valuable experience to user about choosing correct picture frame.


Monday 10 August 2015

The world of Jane Waterhouse












Jane Waterous prints has a vastly established sense of restraint using just enough imagery to evoke the sense of the found object with which she has chosen to work. Jane Waterous art touches upon the thought of objects with which we engage on daily basis but do not pay much attention to or those which we might keep by us as mementos or keepsakes.

JaneWaterous arts collect and record the natural and man-made objects using blind embossing techniques. This method helps in capturing the properties of the object which are too subtle to capture in a photograph. There are simple mono prints printed from the back of a copper plate whilst shadowy remnants from the Wayfaring series resurface beneath the new images for the Quiet Archive.


Jane Waterous is also touched by the tokens and keepsakes kept at the Foundling Museum in London. These are the objects that mothers have left with their babies in order to identify them in the hopes that the children might be returned to them in a better future. These tokens are drawn with a silverpoint on paper printed with soft Gamelin ink. The silver traces intensify with age.



Jane Waterous photographs of Speedwell blues and the intense greens of springtime coupled with the constant turning up of pipe bowls, rusty things and ever warring plastic soldiers from the vegetable and flower gardens are equally mesmerizing.




Jane Waterous also works regularly with the ‘irregularcircle’, which is a workshops run by three artist in the Cambridge area, which helps adults and children to explore their creativity side using drawing, mixed media and three dimensional art workshops.


PaintboxArtandFraming provide stunning amusements of art prints by popular Jane Waterhouse with museum quality framing services at quite reasonable price. We have been farming since 12years, delivering best money value work.

Wednesday 22 July 2015

What is wood molding

Frame was supposedly invented in 2nd Century B.C, when archaeologists found borders drawn on cave paintings in Etrusan. During the middle ages, frames were hand crafted and made out of wood and then were covered with Gesso and Gold Leaf. These frames were stunning looking, and increased the interest of on lookers in the display picture. In the modern era, 80s were the time when Framing industry took great leaps, and it was during this time that Wood Moulding started to take prominence. During 80s the Wooden Frame has started to move to rough oak, maple moulding to moulding that had beautiful finishes. These wooden frames are great for providing sophistication to the frames and had a grandiose feel to it.




Wood Moulding for picture frame is more commonly used in Custom Framing. These are the most expensive, but sophisticated option of framing and are generally used in wood base. Wood made frames are best used to preserve family heirloom or irreplaceable artwork. There are varied types of wood frame available in as many types of wood present in the market and vary from costly oak moulding to bamboo moulding. Wood Mouldings are the material of choice for many art lovers.  Although the make of frame is seldom mentioned or demanded by the buyers, but special attention is given to the design and finish of the frame. Wooden frame can be designed and cut in various designs and they have the option of built to buyers’ specification easily. Wooden frames can bring old age feeling and sophistication to your photograph.

There are many wood mould designs and shapes available, so it is important to have a good knowledge upfront. There is nothing quite like the style and warmth of wood for framing, everything from contemporary photo art to traditional oil painting. Wood moulding frame are best to preserve family heirloom and irreplaceable artwork. However care needs to be taken to choose acid free materials that can preserve the artwork for decades.





Storage of Wooden Frame
Wooden frame are susceptible to humidity and temperature changes. Best way to store wood frame is to place it horizontally with supports, at least every 24 inches or so.  It is essential to ensure that the wood is stored properly in a proper air flow and does not bend on its own weight. If in a scenario where wood needs to be stored vertically, it must be done with proper even support and kept few inches above ground.

It is best to use the services of a professional when you plan to display your photo in a costly wood frame. Wooden framing can be an awkward job, especially for pictures that are large or of dissimilar size. So always use a professional to help craft your framing as per your requirement and turn your picture into a wonderful memory that you can share with the world

PaintboxArtandFraming provide museum quality framing services at a quite reasonable price, free neighborhood pick-up & delivery, custom framing within a day,  stunning amusements of art prints by our popular artists and many more.

Monday 20 July 2015

Accurately Measure Artwork for Framing

Measuring your artwork for framing is often the first step in the framing process. This might seem like a redundant first step, but often the error occurs due to a missing tool or any unexpected disturbance.
Best approach to find the correct size of the frame is to work from the artwork size outward, adding measurements until you arrive at the frame size. This involves easy arithmetic and good concentration.

Following measurement needs to be considered while measuring artwork:
  • Window’s Mat’s size
  • Border of the Mat
  • Overall Mat size
  • Glass size and its backing
  • Frame’s size

As per popular belief, “Frame Size”, is not a measure from edge to edge of a frame, rather it is measure of the “rabbet” of the frame or recess at the back of the frame, the area that holds the modules that load into it.

The process to find the correct Frame size starts by finding the size of mat’s window. Normally this is decided by the way we plan to choose to display the artwork. There are three methods to display artwork:
  • Only the image is shown in the window of the mat.
  • Image and some of the border area surrounding the image is shown
  • Show the edges of the paper
If the plan is to show the edges of the paper, the best method is to allow the edges of the mat’s window to overlap the edges of the image by ¼” on each side. Since there are two sides to each dimension (one on either side of the width and one on either side of the height) the window can be determined by subtracting a half inch from the height and width of the image. If you plan to show only the image then the best approach is to allow the edges of the mat’s window to overlap the edges of the image by ¼” on each side.

Once the size of the window is determined, next step is to determine the size of the border around the picture. There are tools such as Border Finder available to simplify the process. For determining the size of the mat, you can add size of the window and border size. This will help in determining overall size of the mat, which is also equal to size of the glass and backing board and, most importantly, the frame size.

Write down these measurements in a way it is easy to follow as these will form the basis for cutting the mat and building the picture frame of a correct size. Hence, this is how to measure artwork for framing and make sure you have
  • Flat surface and a good lit up area
  • Good quality ruler or tape measure
  • A pencil, sheet of blank paper and an eraser
  • High concentration to avoid errors.

Monday 15 June 2015

Frames that turn heads

Every art is unique in its own way, and it should be displayed in a manner that represents the emotion or message that it is meant for. Given below are few unique ways in which you can frame your pictures and bring wow factor to your pictures.

1) Engraved Picture Frames
This is the most basic but the most loved frame. Engraved frames are a great way to frame your art. These frames can even make a mediocre looking art wonderful. Three most popular engraved frames are silver plated, solid pewter, and sterling frames.
It is essential to have a flat surface for engraving and metal to be engraved should be thick enough so that engraving is not shown with double type of material. A good rule of thumb for engraving your picture frame is that you should only engrave a high quality material frame which can sustain for years to come. Generally, a picture that is a family heirloom is used for engraved frames, as time and cost for engraved frame are quite high.

             Engraved Picture Frames 
2) Collage Frames
Collage picture frames are a highly creative way to display your images. This is an inexpensive way to display lots of pictures in a small area. This frame also gives flexibility to choose number of your favourite photo for display instead of settling for single photo. Collage frames come in various style, colors and sizes and are sure to enhance beauty of your images.

Collage Picture Frames

3) Scrapbook Frames
Scrapbook frames give the flexibility to combine your favorite images with favorite moments of your life and display them all together. Scrapbook frames help in bringing more personalized feeling to the images and share your joy of life with others in a different way. Wedding photographs are good example of scrapbook frames where you can take your wedding images and combine them with invitation card, wedding vows and other special items and display them to make a special frame for life.

Scrapbook Picture Frame

4) Shadow Box Frames
These frames are the best fit when you want to display various mementoes along with images.  Shadow box frames are the most suitable for using them with items that are thicker than a piece of paper and can generally be less than 2 inches thick (depending upon the frame). In shadow box frame, items are secured inside the frame and arranged in a variety of ways, and can be easily removed from the shadowbox frame at any time. Hence these frames are easily customized and can be used to display number of your favorite images. Shadow box frames are great for gifting ideas as well, as you can capture the joy and display it inside the frame in the most dynamic, yet secured way.

Shadow Box Picture Frames

In the end, the picture frame that you choose should be dictated by the type of art you plan to display and the place you want to keep it. Quality picture framing, however, can be an expensive endeavor and getting opinion of professional is invaluable. Take time out to discuss in detail about your requirement with the framer in order to make the right selection and bring pleasure through your art for generations.

Monday 25 May 2015

Brief History of Picture Frame

Frame was supposedly invented in 2nd Century B.C, when archaeologists found borders drawn on cave paintings in Etrusan. It seems, since the time people started creating art, they also started to look for ways to display them attractively.

During the middle ages, frames were hand crafted and made out of wood and then were covered with Gesso and Gold Leaf. These frames were stunning looking, and increased the interest of onlookers in the display picture. Frames later evolved from these carvings into even beautiful looking mosaics, which had decorative panels. Early Christian art form adapted these frames and these frames found their way onto ivory books and diptychs and finally into altarpieces.

The function of picture frames started changing during 14-15th century. Most of the designs at that period were modeled around church themes such as tabernacle frames. These frames although, could provide good protection from dust or water but their main purpose was symbolic. Theses frames acted like a shrine, and images inside were revered and worshiped. These eclectic designs were the first modern day picture frames and were commissioned by monarchs for purpose of boosting their status. These frames signified power and wealth due to elaborate and rich craftsmanship.

Frames created during 14th and 15th century Italy were inspired heavily by mediaeval cathedral in cross-section.

During 18th century, frames had become popular, and each country started developing their own characteristic frame form – the Italian Renaissance cassetta frame, the 18th century French Rococo frame.

Today these frames are also categorized by style of their era - renaissance, Mannerist, the polished wooden cabinetmaker's frame, Baroque, Palladian and Rococo, the Roman 'Salvator Rosa', Neoclassical frames, and the academic or artists' frames of the nineteenth- and twentieth-centuries.

The Italian Renaissance cassetta frame,

The Cabinetmaker's Frame





















Baroque Frames  

The Palladian Frame




 
Neoclassical and Empire Frames  
Mannerist Frames




















           
Rococo Frames

         
The Salvator Rosa Frame

Frames purely crafted by hand continued to be popular through many centuries, mainly due to absence of any modern technology. As each frame was handcrafted, each crafter provided its own unique sense of style to the frames. By 19th century with advancement in technology, handcrafted frames started seeing its downward trend as frames started getting mass produced. In today’s world, frame making is no longer a pure art form. Digital frames are being made and have features that people could have never imagined few decades back. People are able to upload picture to digital frames and show multiple pictures as slideshows. 

However, modern frames have their convenience but frames made in traditional style have their own look and feel which attracts art lovers to vintage frames till date.











Saturday 18 April 2015

Few tips and tricks that you can employ to make framing easier and attractive

Here are few Tips and Tricks that you can employ to make framing easier and attractive

Measure Twice and Cut Once
Always measure your artwork, mat, matting board and its borders meticulously. Measure it yourself and get it measured by someone else to be double sure. Make sure the numbers match and if not then work through any discrepancies to get the framing right.

Ensure Mat offset
To ensure that Mat border is not peeping from the sides of the picture make sure that you cut the Mat a little smaller then the artwork itself. To ensure mat fits properly use 1/4" - 1/8" on each side for a mat offset.

Use cellulose or tape when drilling hole for hanging picture
By using a piece of tape on wall at the place where nail will be placed can prevent chipping of your wall . So when you decide to remove your picture from that place in future the hole would be easier to fill.

Use sheet on the counter
While assembling the frame, put a sheet on the table you are doing your assembling. This will prevent your furniture and frame from being damaged.

Find the center of frame
It is always a good practice to mark the center of frame with a pencil before hanging it. This will help a lot in hanging the frame perfectly.

Order Mat Samples
It is best to order mat sample and check it in contrast to your picture. This extra step will ensure that no mistakes are made in choosing the mat color. Normally companies send mat orders for free or for a very nominal charge. This extra step will make sure that your picture perfectly matches with the mat color that you plan to use.

Use a good quality hanging tape
When mounting your precious artwork always ensure that you use good quality hanging tape. A low quality tape will sap and will lose its adhesiveness over time. Filmoplast is one of the good brand that can be used for such purpose. This tape is acid free and is easier to tear and paste. This is important because in a scenario when the artwork is pulled out of the frame the tape will tear first then the artwork

Always use good quality cloth and sprays to clean glazing
It is very important to use a high quality cleaning agent to wipe of dirt from glass along with a good quality cloth which does not leave scratch on your glass. To clean the frame glass, highly recommended is dish washing liquid with warm water. This works like a charm and is safe to use.

Always hang artwork from Top
It is always recommended to hang the frame from top only and leave it freely hanging at the bottom with gravity pulling it down. This prevents buckling of the frame in future.

While there are technological developments taking place regularly in framing industry these little handy tips and tricks if followed will lead to longevity of your frame and artwork.