Parts of a Picture Frame: A General Overview for Art Students and Enthusiasts
Framing artwork is a lot like placing your hand into a glove. Except in this case, your hand is visible while still being sheltered from the elements. Each component in the framing process gives you different levels of protection and affects the longevity of your art.
Using this guide as a reference, you should be able to make informed decisions on the components needed to frame and display your artwork for a variety of different scenarios. Hopefully, you’ll also gain new knowledge and understanding of how to protect and preserve your own artwork — which is part of your legacy as an artist!
Framing art may seem simple on the surface. But it can be tricky. In this blog post, I’ll cover the basic elements of a framing package for works of art on paper or canvas. For those who want to go deeper, along the way I’ll sprinkle in some resources that go into more detail.
Table of Contents:
- Why Frame Your Artwork?
- Components of a Picture Frame
- Dust Covers and Hanging
- Framing Canvas
- 3 Levels of Framing
- Additional Resources
Why Frame Your Artwork?
There are three great reasons to frame art:
1. Display – Frames are the finishing touch for presenting art in an exhibition, a museum, or your home.
2. Protection – Frames safeguard art from damage and deterioration.
3. Aesthetics – The right frame enhances the beauty of the artwork.
Basic Components of a Picture Frame
1. The Frame Itself
Usually wood or metal, the frame is the structure in which a painting, print, or other object is enclosed to improve or enhance its appearance; to isolate it from a wall; to complement a décor; and to support and protect it.
Picture frames come in many different styles and their prices vary depending on the material and frame width/height.
Material – Wood is considered more traditional, while metal can add a contemporary flair.
Style – Gilded, plein air, barn wood, contemporary, rustic, ornate, gallery-style, etc. are just a few of the varieties of styles available.
Cost – In general, wood frames are more expensive than metal frames, wide frames cost more than narrow ones, and ornate frames are pricier than simpler designs.
Bonus Term: Rabbet Height/Depth. Rabbet is a woodworking term that refers the cutout portion on the inside of the frame. To ensure that your glazing, mat, and mount board properly fit inside of the frame, you must know the rabbet depth. If the thickness of your components is greater than the depth, they won’t fit.
2. Glazing
Glazing is the first barrier between the outside environment and your artwork. It protects against heat, moisture, insects, spills, inquisitive human hands, and most importantly — light! Light is artwork’s arch enemy. You can buy glazing with filters and coatings that help reduce ultraviolet (UV) energy and glare from natural and artificial light sources.
Two Types of Glazing:
Glass – Standard picture frame glass is approximately 1/8” thick and comes in regular, UV filter, non-glare, and UV/non-glare.
Acrylic – A lightweight alternative with the look and feel of glass, acrylic for picture framing is approximately 1/10” thick and comes in standard, UV filter, non-glare, and UV/non-glare.
To choose between glass and acrylic, ask yourself these questions:
“Do I want to help preserve it?”
If you do, then choose glass or acrylic with a UV filter to reduce fading.
“What medium of art am I using?”
Pastel and charcoal art are not suited for acrylic because of the static charge. Use glass, always.
"Which glazing is more optically pure?”
Acrylic, Artglass Anti-reflective Water White, and Artglass UV Anti-reflective Water White do not have a green tint like regular glass, so they provide more optically clarity for your artwork.
“Where will it be displayed?”
Condensation is less likely to collect in the frame with acrylic glazing. However, large pieces of acrylic may bow in high humidity.
“What kind of lighting will it be displayed in?”
If the art is a brightly lit room, glazing with a non-glare or anti-reflective coating — available in both glass and acrylic — will allow for a clearer image. But these coatings will reduce sharpness.
“How large is it? Will I be moving it a lot?”
Glass is heavy, so acrylic is a better option for large art, and it’s much less likely to shatter.
3. Mat Board
The mat board is a multi-ply board usually comprising a core, adhesive, facing, and backing paper. It’s available in a variety of thicknesses and colors. Mat boards have a window, also known as the exact mat opening, cut in the center through which the image can be viewed. Mat boards serve two purposes: as a protective barrier between the artwork and the glazing, and as a decorative accent to the artwork.
Bonus Term: Ply. High-quality mat boards are manufactured in various plies, dyed for color, and laminated together. Ply is also an indicator of mat board thickness, for example, 2-ply = 1/32”, 4-ply = 1/16”, 8-ply = 1/8”.
Three Types of Mat Board:
$$$ Cotton Rag Matboard – An acid-free, archival, or museum-quality mat board made with a cotton core and backing.
Regular Cotton Rag has face paper, which can be a color, while the bevel typically remains white. Face paper can become acidic, so some cotton rag mat board face papers are buffered with calcium carbonate to help reduce acidity. The core of regular cotton rag mat board is typically white.
Museum-Quality Cotton Rag has no face paper, and the process through which the cotton is colored keeps it safe for artwork. Because there are no face papers, the core is the same color as the surface.
$$ Alpha Cellulose Matboard – An acid-free mat board composed of alpha-cellulose fibers from wood and other plants like hemp, cotton, or straw. Treated to reduce its acidic compounds, alpha cellulose mat board can be considered archival, though not museum quality. The core is typically white.
$ Wood Pulp (Paper) Matboard – Not an acid-free mat board because it contains lignin, a natural material found in wood. Papermat boards come in a wide variety of colors; however, they are not recommended for long-term preservation of art pieces and should be used as a temporary solution (fewer than five years) if you want to maintain the quality of the image or art. The core is typically cream or white.
Common Questions About Mat Board
“How wide should a mat border be?”
The standard mat border width is 2 to 4 inches. When choosing a border width keep these things in mind: the frame’s lip will cover part of the mat board, and the wider the border, the greater the overall cost of the frame package.
“Color or white mat boards?”
If you are exhibiting an original at a juried show, I suggest sticking with a white or off-white mat. If you are framing artwork for a customer, discuss their budget, color preferences, and style of décor first. Color mats can make a beautiful design statement in a home or office; however, they have to be chosen with care.
“What is bottom-weighting?”
It’s when the bottom border of the mat board is wider than the other three borders. Bottom-weighting is derived from the optical center of an artwork, where a viewer's eye tends to linger. The optical center is slightly above the true geometric center in the rectangular region.
4. Mount Board
The final basic component of a frame package is the mount board, also called mounting board. It’s a rigid, sturdy backing that supports your artwork and keeps it from moving or warping in the frame. It is where artwork is commonly attached. Mount board comes in regular and acid-free, along with different types and thicknesses.
Two Types of Mount Board:
Foam Board is a substrate with a core made of foam — often polystyrene — with a smooth, sometimes paper-based face on either side. It’s the standard backer for framing, and used if the artwork covers it.
Uncut Mat Board is any mat board minus the window opening. Also called “blank” mat board. Used if the artwork is “floated,” which reveals the backing board behind it.
For more information on mount boards, see our article Choose Your Mounting Technique.
Dust Covers and Hanging Hardware
Dust Covers – Also known as frame backing paper, dust covers add a professional touch to your framed art and protect it from dust, air pollutants, and insects. Dust covers can also help keep humidity levels from fluctuating within the frame. Read about how to attach a dust cover.
Hanging Hardware – Framed artwork can be professionally hung with a picture hanging kit, a sawtooth hanging kit, or even Velcro strips. Using a picture hanging kit, however, gives you more flexibility and a lower chance of uneven hanging than brackets because it is wire-based and can easily be adjusted. Frame Destination sells all types of picture hanging hardware for both wood and metal picture frames.
Framing Works on Canvas and Wood Panels
Canvas is a type of woven fabric on which artists can paint or even print on with specialty printers. There are two ways to purchase them: stretched onto a wooden frame or rolled. Canvases on stretcher bars require another frame to finish the piece: either a standard wood or mental picture frame or a canvas floater frame. Rolled canvas must first be stretched and placed into these wooden stretcher bars before they are framed. Wood panels are available primed and unprimed for various art media. They are an alternate support to canvas, and usually cheaper.
Two Ways to Display Art on Canvas:
Picture Frame – Before purchasing a picture frame for your canvas, make sure the frame’s rabbet is deep enough to accommodate it.
Canvas Floater Frame – This type of frame allows the entire front canvas surface to be visible. Floater frames are cut 1 inch larger than the canvas to allow 1/2 an inch float space between canvas and the inside edge of the frame on either side. Any color applied to the canvas that wraps the sides of the stretcher bars will be somewhat visible in the “float” space.
For more details, see our article titled How to Frame Canvas Prints.
Displaying and Transporting Non-Framed Art For Sale
Framing artwork is expensive, especially if you are framing multiple pieces for an exhibit or gallery show. And not everyone visiting your show will have the budget to afford one of your framed images. However, there is an alternate way to get your artwork in more collectors' hands — sell matted and mounted prints in see-through bags.
Protective Crystal Clear Bags™ are museum quality and ideal for protecting, storing, and showcasing your prints and artwork during storage and display. They feature a peel-away adhesive strip on the bag — not the flap — so that your artwork won’t get stuck to the adhesive when being inserted or removed. They make a great substitute for shrink-wrapping.
Our most commonly sold bag sizes:
• 8 7/16" x 10 1/4“ (8x10)
• 11 7/16" X 14 1/4“ (11x14)
• 12 7/16" x 18 1/4“ (12x18)
• 16 7/16” x 20 1/8” (16x20)
• 18 7/16” x 24 1/4” (18x24)
• 24 7/16” x 36 1/4” (24x36)
Three Levels of Framing: Pros and Cons
$$$ Preservation.
This premium method of framing uses museum-quality materials and procedures that do not alter the condition of the art. It protects art from hazards (including acid and UV light) and is completely reversible. By reversible, we mean that the artwork is mounted in such a way that it can be reframed without sustaining damage.
- Pros – Excellent protection. Museum-level framing is designed to preserve your artwork for many years.
- Cons – High cost, and may require the expertise of a certified framer, depending on the artwork.
- Best for – Priceless and one-of-a-kind works of art, historical documents, irreplaceable heirlooms and photos.
$$ Archival
At this level, we use archival materials or products to reduce the damage to artwork from environmental factors such acid and UV light.
- Pros – Very good protection. DIY framers can create an archival frame package using acid-free components, UV glazing, and reversible mounting methods.
- Cons – Medium/high cost, conflicting information on how long archival materials last.
- Best for – Original artwork and limited-edition prints, important documents, non digitized family photos.
$ Non-Archival.
This economical method of framing uses standard glass or acrylic, non-reversible mounting methods, and/or products where the acid has not been removed.
- Pros – At the lowest cost, DIY framers can use a wide variety of frames, mats, standard glazing, and methods like spray mounting.
- Cons – Artwork may begin to deteriorate within months.
- Best for – Mass produced posters and prints, family photos printed from digital copies, grade school, and community art projects.
Transporting Framed Artwork
How can framed artwork be damaged while transporting it to an exhibit or a client? Let us count the ways. You could drop it on the way to your car, it could knock around inside your vehicle, or you could ding it on a wall, doorway, or elevator. (Ask us how we know!)
We couldn’t find any solutions we loved, so we invented one. Our GalleryPouch™ bubble wrap bags are crafted from a high-quality, heavy-duty bubble wrap. Double lamination surrounds sealed 3/16” air bubbles that are actually smooth, not bumpy, for easy insertion and removal. They’re made to safely and efficiently transport your art.
Where to Go From Here
If you’re an educator or a student, you are welcome to utilize this picture framing components guide for academic purposes. Please cite Joely C. Rogers as the author and add a link to this blog in your resources section.
In addition to the section below, please check out our Framing Glossary, a comprehensive list which contains over 200 framing-related terms and definitions.
Further Resources
Frame Destination’s Blog – Monthly posts on framing, displaying, and selling art.
Expresso Beans Forum – General art discussion forum with a framing section.
PPFA Corner – Professional Picture Framing Association’s framing forum.
Aardenburg Imaging and Archives – Website dedicated to image permanence research focused on prints and photographs.
Last Updated February 8, 2023