Quote:
Originally Posted by AMB444
Over the years I've collected many watercolors and drawings. I'd like to start framing and am well aware of the cost.  Couldn't help buying these wonderful pieces.
Anyone have experience in framing DIY?
Or at last resort...anyone recommend a place to take them for framing? |
I have about fifty paintings on my walls, many over a century old. I’ve cut my own mattes a number of times. (The photo below shows what I use.) However, I don’t always do that.
1. I paid to have anti-UV film applied to all my windows to protect the art, keeping it from fading.
2. For valuable watercolors I use Museum Glass, which is anti-UV and anti-glare. This is startlingly expensive. When I need it, I generally buy glass and matte and frame in a discounted package, custom made, at Michael’s. (I haven’t done this in five or six years, as I’m not buying art these days, usually.) Ask and they’ll often give you a deep discount, like 50% for the package. Cheaper than just the glass. Just buy one of the plain, simple frames. Then I mount the art in the matte myself.
2. Oil paintings that arrive without frames I often hang as is.
3. Some paintings are a size that fit frames and mattes available off the shelf at Michael’s. If that’s possible, it’s usually the cheapest option.
4. Some oils I frame, sometimes with inexpensive frames and sometimes with rather good ones. I used to buy these at Michael’s, but I’ve been very pleased with purchases on eBay or Amazon. There are companies that offer many size and frame and matte options. I’ve never had a problem with these.
5. Sometimes I cut my own mattes. I’ve done it with the kit below for about twenty years. I have bought matte board at Michael’s. However, when preparing a number of old watercolors, I bought a box of ten large sheets of ArtCare Microchamber Archival Matting. Expensive, but where the mattes at Michael’s have acid in the cardboard that can discolor paintings over the years, this stuff releases alkaline stuff that prevents acid discoloring. That’s all I use for matting now. All a creamy color. If I want a colored matte, I but a layer of the expensive stuff between it and the painting.