hjoseph7 Posted September 2, 2018 Share Posted September 2, 2018 Anybody have any experience with Walmart Picture frames ? The reason why I asked is that today I went to my local Michael's to try to get this 18X22 picture framed and Michaels tried to charge me $225 ! The frame was nothing fancy, plain black with minimal decorations. The picture I was trying to frame cost me $50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Vongries Posted September 2, 2018 Share Posted September 2, 2018 I have several antique Japanese prints where the custom frame was as much as the print. You might look at these folks Link SnapFramesDirect.com - the leading online supplier in the USA (I have no relationship with them). Another thought, if you are handy - mitre box & hand saw, plus framing jig and moulding. I framed a variety of shows in past days - not difficult. Buy the glass cut to size, or even cut that yourself. Best of Luck with it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjoseph7 Posted September 2, 2018 Author Share Posted September 2, 2018 Thanks guys, I'll take a look... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian_niemi1 Posted September 2, 2018 Share Posted September 2, 2018 I have bought a few frames from Michaels. They are frequently on sale so I wait until they 50% off regular price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tholte Posted September 2, 2018 Share Posted September 2, 2018 You may want to print on metal next time as an experiment. An 18x22 would run less than $100 from Nations Photo Lab (wait for one of their numerous sales). No matt or frame required, light weight to hang and pop a little off the wall for some dimensionality. Not all types of photos look good on metal but most do. If you don't like prints on metal, ignore this advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Kahn Posted September 2, 2018 Share Posted September 2, 2018 You might also try Hobby Lobby, which has a 50% off frame sale every other week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warrenburton Posted September 2, 2018 Share Posted September 2, 2018 As a budget photographer I use frames from thrift stores and even corkboards. its not that hard to find an old frame that could somewhat fit your print. you might need to find a 18x24 frame and use a paper backing or trim it to 18x20? I use Big Prints at Super Low Prices! Fast and easy! Up to 30x50 inches! for my prints. (a 18x24 is $7) Its alot cheaper than walmart or other hobby stores if you dont have a prefrence for the frame. But if you want a specific kind you may need to fork over a little more... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_bergman1 Posted September 3, 2018 Share Posted September 3, 2018 It sounds like you wanted a custom frame in the correct size. Does Walmart have frames in this specific size? I signed up for Michael's account. They send out incredible email discounts on their frames. I got two standard sized 20x24 frames with a 13x19 inch mat for under $30 total. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnelson Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 I got tired of the exorbitant prices for simple frames and have started making my own wood frames and make my own mats. I can now say it is a lot less expensive, However, I also work in wood and have accumulated the necessary tools. It is now worth it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen_h Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 I don’t quite understand why any photographer would want to shop around for the cheapest possible frames to present their prints in. Since the photographer printed the image to begin with it must be assumed that the image itself is important enough to be printed and framed. The image as such in its physical form is the culmination of all the work, time, cost of equipment, etc…that went into it. I’m not saying that one needs to go for the most expensive framing or presentation or that affordable frames can't look good but the way the image is finally presented also communicates to the viewer how you as the photographer regards it as a final work. If you as the photographer doesn’t care enough about the image to give it the presentation it deserves then why should any viewer care? Custom frames are somewhat expensive, even if not so much labor is required. I suspect that the OP's quote of $225 isn't unusual, but not all prints deserve a $225 frame. Lately my favorite are the ones that have clips that hold a backing board to a sheet of glass, such that there is no "frame" around the image. They are available in a range of sizes, snap together, and otherwise look as nice as the wall they are on. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077GLHNB5 shows one in 18x12. Seems that the smaller ones use glass, and the larger ones plastic. Clips come a tiny bit over the front, and are mostly not visible. Some years ago, my mom's favorite, and maybe still, are the floater frames. You mount the picture, such as dry mount or a spray glue, onto a board, and then glue it into the rest of the frame. The print itself is borderless, visible to the edge. There is a gap around the picture, with black behind it, and then a simple wooden (usually) frame around that. Floater Frames - Framing4Yourself came up in a web search, and shows how to put one together in a custom size. But standard sized ones are easy to find, too. But yes, if you put some amount of work into a picture, you might find it deserving a more expensive frame, But not all of them. -- glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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