Picture sizes

[Don Fischer]

Been printing my own photo's a good number of years and something that occured to me recently was the photo sizes. seem's I've always done 8x10, 4x6, 5x7 ect. Reason far as I can tell is that is the size paper's you can buy and pretty much the size frames if you don't make your own. Got out of that recently and cropping my photo's to what I like and simply cutting my paper to size. Did a 7x14 for my son today. Where do you get that paper or frame? Simple, cut the paper yourself and make your own frame! Go to many frame shops with a 7x14 photo and the frame immediately become anexpensive custom frame. Build it yourself and it's nothing more than a different size frame. Cut out the wood and mill it as needed then measure and cut sides, glue it, nail it and finish it took about 1/2hr or less! Also been doing some 8x16's, 6x18's ect. ordering a 24x100" roll of paper and 24x30 will give me two 10 by 30 sheets! Or 12x24 0r even 36 will also get me two sheets! Looking at the different size's I find I liike them better. Kinda of like my old twin lense camera. Gives me a neg that is 2"X2". So do you blow it up to 8x8 or 10x10? Ya could but most people crop something else out of them! Been a long time since I printed a photo other than 13x19 that I could buy pre cut paper for! And a side is that I think cropping the photo's I can crop out what doesn't help it all that much! Even my dog's don't get standard size paper's anymore. 8x16 photo of one of my doge looks a lot better to me than an 8x10!

 

[Grandpa Ron]

I go to the re-sale shops, buy a larger larger size frame. Then a trip to Walmart for some white poster board.

I cut the posted board to fit the frame, then lightly spray glue the photo to the center of the poster board and frame it. It makes kind of a faux masking. Plus, I get to crop the photo to any size it want. I am a fan of square photos.

This is not archival quality, but it will outlast any of my needs,

 

[Don Fischer]

I go to the re-sale shops, buy a larger larger size frame. Then a trip to Walmart for some white poster board.

I cut the posted board to fit the frame, then lightly spray glue the photo to the center of the poster board and frame it. It makes kind of a faux masking. Plus, I get to crop the photo to any size it want. I am a fan of square photos.

This is not archival quality, but it will outlast any of my needs,

I wasn't aware Wal Mart had poster board! Gonna have to go look.

 

[smoke665]

I have a shop full of woodworking equipment and the ability to create any frame I might need. The problem is the glass. Buying custom cut glass is expensive, you can buy a full sheet and cut your own, but then you run the risk of breaking, and you always have waste.

Buying a frame (new or used) in a standard size larger than you need is generally more economical. I buy mat board by the sheet and cut my own mats as required.

 

[Don Fischer]

I have a shop full of woodworking equipment and the ability to create any frame I might need. The problem is the glass. Buying custom cut glass is expensive, you can buy a full sheet and cut your own, but then you run the risk of breaking, and you always have waste.

Buying a frame (new or used) in a standard size larger than you need is generally more economical. I buy mat board by the sheet and cut my own mats as required.

I found a place on the internet to buy foam core I can afford. Still looking around for matt board and figure sooner or later I'll find it. As for glass I do cut a lot of my own but it's not picture glass. I go to remodel job sites and pick up windows they are going to throw away. I run low I go to a glass shop and glass cost's me about .06 cents per sq inch. had a guy in another town in the past that got me non glare picture glass by the case and I cut my own. My wood for frames I also pick up off trash piles. Recently the new next door neighbor tore out a very old picket fence badly in need of pain and I got all the pickets for free. With the right B/W photo they make a really nice frame. Haven't come up with a color photo I much care for in the old picket's but have other styles I like.

Started doing these years ago when I shot film. Couldn't afford having frames made, wanted to many! So started out with a 2x8 on the scrap pile out back. got one 11x17 frame out of it after cutting out all I couldn't use, more careful about what I take these days!

This next frame has 1/8" steps on the clear side and sometimes the steps go to the inside.

Then some are actually two frames like this.

Of course I didn't do these, no idea how to. Stumbled onto a site on line that does them. I did print the photo's to do them with though. All of these have a white vignette to help cover the otherwise harsh line around the photos.

Best thing I ever did was to make that first frame, got me pumped! next best thing I ever did was go digital with a printer, do most everything myself now, lot less expensive. Use two Cannon printer's, a 13" and a small 8 1/2" and can print from wallet photo's to 13x39 photos.

 

[snowbear]

A mat does more than give it a finished look and adapt a photo to the frame; it keeps the photo from sticking to the glass which can damage the photo.

Mat board can be picked up at the chain art supply stores: Dick Blick, Jerry's Artarama, Plaza Art, if you have any of these in your area. Plaza would cut a sheet down if I needed - something like 50 cents per cut.

A basic mat cutter is not that expensive, especially if it's something you plan to use a lot. I took a 1/2-day course on cutting mats at a Plaza Art store - It think it was $25.

It can also be ordered but the size might not make it an economical delivery.

 

[Grandpa Ron]

The magic of frame making, is that the wood choice is almost endless. Routing in the glass and photo recess is the biggest problem.

Though I usually scrounge around resale shops, If I need a custom frame, I have used a table saw to cut in the glass recess. On smaller frames, I have even used just a sharp chisel.

 

[smoke665]

. Still looking around for matt board and figure sooner or later I'll find it.

Adding to Charlie's list of sources, Hobby Lobby carries a good selection of mat board.ive also found some good deals on frames when they run their 50% off deals.

For custom frames built to order I use what ever is most convient, from salvaged wood, to store bought moulding, to custom milled. I have a nice supply of Cherry and Walnut in the barn, and the tools to shape it to the right profile. Though I admit I've gotten less ambitious as I've aged, preferring simple black gallery style frames, or canvas wraps as they're much easier to swap out.

 

[Don Fischer]

The magic of frame making, is that the wood choice is almost endless. Routing in the glass and photo recess is the biggest problem.

Though I usually scrounge around resale shops, If I need a custom frame, I have used a table saw to cut in the glass recess. On smaller frames, I have even used just a sharp chisel.

I use my table saw to cut in the glass recess also.

 

[Don Fischer]

Problem with those stores around here. Closest I'm aware of is 70 mi! Next is in Portland and that's about 150 mi! But I have been scrounging around so long and doing my own frames I really like doing them! I live pretty much out in the country. 32 mi to madras but no where there to get anything other than regular window glass.

 

[Don Fischer]

A mat does more than give it a finished look and adapt a photo to the frame; it keeps the photo from sticking to the glass which can damage the photo.

Mat board can be picked up at the chain art supply stores: Dick Blick, Jerry's Artarama, Plaza Art, if you have any of these in your area. Plaza would cut a sheet down if I needed - something like 50 cents per cut.

A basic mat cutter is not that expensive, especially if it's something you plan to use a lot. I took a 1/2-day course on cutting mats at a Plaza Art store - It think it was $25.

It can also be ordered but the size might not make it an economical delivery.

I have a matt cutter but no where to get the matt around here. I have a very old photo that did stick to the glass and really bugged me. If I could find matt in Bend it's 140mi round trip. Used to get my matt in Redmond in bulk but the guy quit. Even so that was about 120mi round trip. Always got the same color off white because you can use it on most everything. Also bought glass in I think it was 16x20 pieces. Had to junk some but wasn't that bad. Have a harder time cutting the older stuff I get now but it is free!

 

[snowbear]

I have a nice supply of Cherry and Walnut in the barn.

If it's in your way, I'd be happy to clear it out for you.

 

[Grandpa Ron]

While the Walmart and other stores are just a few miles away. I use the internet for most of my photo needs.

The internet allows me to see what product are available and the prices. I find it particularly handy for 4x5 film, photo papers, and chemicals. They are shipped to my door.

I complained when my wife sighed up for movies through Amazon Prime, until I discovered "Prime" included free shipping on most of the products Amazon sells.

 

[RacePhoto]

Much to the horror of some people on "other" photo forums, most of my frames come from rummage sales, estate sales or resale shops. I have a stack of stock frames, for future use, out on the porch. I wish I had space to make my own from scrap wood. There's some really nice bits, that people would toss or burn, that could make a nice rustic frame.

The reason for writing is, although not officially mat material, Dollar General and Dollar Tree sell poster board. Sometimes 2 for a dollar. (oops, two for $1.25 now?) That can be used for backing or making a mat. I'd think that someone handy, with a metal straight edge and an Exact o Knife, could probably do some nice work?

 

[smoke665]

@RacePhoto I've done this with old frames on occasion, but of late I tend to use 11x14 plain black gallery style frames from Walmart $9 plus tax, even cheaper if you buy them in packs. Includes a white precut 8x10 mat or throw out the mat and you have an 11x14. Makes it easier to rotate out my wall hangers. Poster board doesn't qualify as archival. LOL Hobby Lobby has some standard precut mats in various colors pretty cheap, if I need something special, I buy a full sheet and cut my own. I bought one of these several years ago when it was cheaper that works well for me with a straight edge. Amazon.com