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.

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.