Framing pictures...HELP!!

Here is my problem. I have a wedding show this fall and want to have two large

framed and matted pictures on easels. I am totally confused on what size I

should do. I went to Aaron Brothers today and picked up two frames that are

20x28 with the thoughts of putting 16 x 20 matted pictures in them. Any ideas or

suggestions? What large size prints do you generally do and what size mattes do

you use (if any)? They will be viewed from across a booth so I want them large

enough to see. I know a lot of it is a matter of preference but I have never

framed any of my pictures that large. Please point me in the right direction.

Thanks!

Whatever size you end up with, make sure that they are dry mounted to a board..............

You defintely want to matte them. Ideally a double thickness which is 8-ply, acid free. My personal preference, and that recommended in sources I've read abnout displaying fine art photography is to leave a border around your print. I use 1/2-1 inch. This leaves you room to sign it and them cut your matte just inside the edge of the actual paper.

 

Hinge the print at the top only, with acid free tape. This will prevent wrinkling when the print swells and shrinks with humidity.

 

Paul

Thanks for the ideas. I hadn't thought about dry mounting them. I haven't done that since college but that is a great idea with the larger prints.

 

Thanks!

Katie ...

I've been doing some of this and I'd recommend Not Using any mounting tape that you have to moisten to attach your image to the matting: it will create the potential to create waviness in your image as weather conditions change.

 

In the image below you'll see a couple of images I prepared last week for a showing (one sold for $550: shameless bragging). The rule of thumb to use for matting is to give yourself about 4" of matting around the sides for a "comfortable" look. Of course it can be bigger or smaller according to your taste but 4" (inches) is a good place to start.

 

One image is 16 x 20 in metallic paper mounted on archival matting (purchase at a quality art store) and I've placed it on the matting using a dry adhesive made by StudioTac ... it's repositional, archival, and easy to use (but expensive yet there's a fair quanity of it). Take care not to get any of the studiotac on your image as you peel it off; I actually move several feet away from my table to peel the back off the this dry adhesive.. The frame I used for the 16 x 20 image was 22 x 26 which left about 3" of matting showing on the front with the image.

 

The other image was 16 x 20 and the frame was 29 x 37 which left a wider section of matting showing which is what I wanted.

 

You can see (in the image below) I've pointed out a nice wedding image (all on metallic paper) which is 11 x 14 and it went into a frame that is 18 x 22 and looks lovely.

 

I'd caution about using a mat that is to thin for your image but it's stricly a "taste" thing but be sure you're being sensitive to the potential taste of a customer and not the taste of your wallet because it can dramatically effect "the look" of your final product.

 

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