Framing question...

[ottor]

16x20 photograph.. Never done this before myself - I'll get it matted, what size frame should I search for ?

tks,

r

 

[ann]

Most of my 16x20 images are put into a 22x24 inch frame.

Framing (imho) is a skill set of it's own. The frame should not compete with the photo, it just holds things together.

 

[chuckdee]

16x20 photograph.. Never done this before myself - I'll get it matted, what size frame should I search for ?

tks,

r

Not sure. In the future, you may want to purchase a frame before you get a print. It's more difficult to find a frame you like and at a good price then it is to get a print.

 

[KmH]

If you're going to put a mat in front of the photo you want the photo printed on a paper as big as the rabbet in the frame.

So if your going to use a 22x24 inch frame, have the 16x20 printed on 22x24 inch paper.

The best way to accomplish that is to put the image on a 22" x 24" canvas using your image editing application.

Convention is to always state the width of an image/frame first, so a 16x20 would be a vertical image/frame and a 20x16 would be a horizontal image/frame.

Because of normal human perception wall prints often get matted with an offset, bottom-weighted mat window. In that case you would need to be sure and offset the print on the appropriate size canvas.

 

[Derrel]

I agree with the bottom-weighting of mats...it looks MUCH better to have more mat space at the bottom of a print. I like a 1:1:1: to 1.5 ratio...which is exactly what KmH's illustration shows If there is not extra space at the bottom, the image often looks as if it has no "base". It's kind of hard to describe, but a perfectly-centered image in a mat and frame does not look quite right.

 

[ottor]

You guys are absolutely right ... not something that I would have thought to do, but it certainly does look better !!

Thanks,...

r

 

[Robin Usagani]

I tend to figure out the frame first (premade, cheap) and then figure out the size of photo. It is always a lot more expensive if you do it the other way around.

 

[ann]

I too am a fan of the tradition museum mount, bottom heavy. I also like a lot of white space around the image

If you have a top heavy border the print will look like it is going to fall off the wall

 

[KmH]

For photographs I prefer simple metal frames, like Nielsen frames.

I use archival (acid-free) mount and mat materials too, not the less expensive pH neutral or economy materials.

Which brings us to mounting the print. Having it stuck to a mountboard or foamcore is not an archival mounting method, but hinge mounting is. Mounting Techniques for Matting and Framing Images

Hinge mounting allows the mount and mat to be replaced as they become more acidic over time. Good framing technique extends the time between mat/mount replacement, but even archival materials gradually absorb acids from the air.