Framing And Mounting Options
Personal taste is the single most important factor in choosing a frame. That said, there are a few guidelines that can help in frame selection. Generally, frames that mirror some color(s) in the image will enhance the finished work. For example, a sunset image might benefit from the natural reds found in a solid hardwood cherry frame. Neutral colored frames, such as the metal or ebony walnut frames, work well with all print colors, including black & whites, and may be chosen to balance the overall tonalities of an image. A black metal or ebony walnut frame, for instance, will balance an image with significant black or dark tones, whereas the same frame may overpower an image with predominately light tones. All of the available framing and mounting options have clean and contemporary designs to enhance the modern art of photography.
Traditionally framed prints include use of conservation materials and techniques for exceptional print permanence. Limited Edition prints are mounted on pure white rag (100% cotton), acid free museum board. A buffered, acid free mounting tissue is used to heat mount the print to the museum board. The process is reversible, ensuring the print can be removed or remounted if ever desired. A beveled window over mat, also cut from museum board, helps frame the image. Framed prints include an optical acrylic sheet on the front and acid free foam core on the back, creating a light weight and rigid sandwich to seal and protect the image. Traditionally framed prints are then set into the frame of your choice, include hanging hardware, and are ready for display. We offer a selection of three anodized metal and three solid hardwood frames that blend well with a wide range of photographic images as well as classic, contemporary, and modern decors.
Solid hardwood frames are milled and hand finished by Picture Woods of Colorado. They are among the finest wood frames available on the market. The select hardwoods are from renewable North American trees and include Maple with a clear lacquer finish, Cherry with a dark cherry finish, and Walnut with an ebony finish. The hardwood frames have squared faces and sides similar to those preferred by many gallery and museum curators. Hardwood frames come in several widths and are matched to the size of the mounted print to balance the finished piece. Frames come with hanging hardware installed and are ready for display.
Variations in wood grain and color are a natural and desirable consequence of using solid hardwoods as opposed to synthetic veneers or painted moldings. These slight variations add to the uniqueness of individually numbered and signed prints. Please use the frame previews as a general guide to frame selection, noting that the shipped frame is likely to vary slightly from the online graphics. The elegant simplicity and contemporary style of these frames is well suited to the modern art of photography.
Anodized metal frames include aluminum moldings from Nielsen Bainbridge and Designer Moulding. All metal frames have rounded faces and flat sides. The black and gray frames have glossy faces and brushed sides, while the silver frame has a frosted face and brushed side. Metal frames come in several widths and are matched to the size of the mounted print to balance the finished piece. Frames come with hanging hardware installed and are ready for display.
Anodized metal frames provide a simple, unobtrusive finish that does not compete with the image or local decor. The tungsten gray metal frame is the most neutral of all the available frames and works well with all prints, including color and b&w. The gloss black frame blends well with most black and white images, while the silver frame balances images with predominately lighter tones. All the frames were selected for their neutral and classic style, to enhance a wide range of prints.
Plaque mounted prints are a bold and modern alternative to traditional framing. Prints are mounted flush on either an aluminum or painted wood substrate with borders. Plaque mounted prints are first heat laminated with an acid free, UV filtering gloss polyester layer to protect them from handling, moisture, and light degradation. The prints are then pressure mounted to the plaque panel with an acid free, acrylic mounting film to create a permanent bond. Two types of mounting panels are offered, a laminated brushed aluminum panel with a polyethylene core and a black painted, two layer MDF wood panel. Plaque mounts include mounting hardware that sets the artwork slightly off the wall.
A modern and minimalist presentation, plaque mounted prints create bold accents in contemporary home and office environments. The mounts accentuate the image by making it appear to float on a smooth silver or black background. Since there is no acrylic or glass between the print and the viewer, plaque mounted prints have a presence not found in other types of mounting and framing. They are never-the-less quite durable, suitable for high traffic areas, and can even be gently cleaned with a damp cotton cloth. Finished pieces are signed and numbered on the print face, and come ready to hang.
Limited Edition prints are also available unframed and unmounted. While our selection of frames is chosen to go well with a wide range of images and decors, we realize they might not match your taste. Prints are therefore offered unmounted and allow for custom framing at your local frame shop. Since mounting and framing effects print longevity, we suggest you use a frame shop and materials that comply with conservation standards. Unmounted prints are shipped in rigid tubes which are considerably cheaper to ship than the large art boxes required for framed prints. The shipping cost savings can then be applied to your local custom framing. Prints come in protective sleeves and are also desirable for collectors wanting prints for dark storage.
