Frame ideas and information for prints

Canvas Prints

Canvas prints do not need a matt or a glass cover. The canvas print is stretched tight on wood stretchers like the original painting and is ready to be framed as it is.

When ordering a frame, you order a frame that is the size of the print that you have purchased. 

Firefighting canvas print sizes are 18"x24" and 24"x32", so you would order an 18"x24" or 24"x32" frame. ("Drafting" is 16"x24" and 20"x35".) Civil War canvas prints are 21"x35" so you order a 21"x35" frame.

Note, however, that the size of the frame refers to the inside dimension of the frame. The outside dimension will be the inside size, plus the width of the frame's sides pieces.

For example, a 18"x24" print will require a 18"x24" frame. Let's say the frame's sides are 2.5 inches wide. The outside dimension would then be 23"x29."  (18 + 2.5 + 2.5 = 23 and 24 + 2.5 +2.5 = 29.)

You can buy frames for canvas at a variety of stores, including A.C. Moores, Michael's Crafts, and framing stores. There are many online frame stores. You can get a good quality frame that is fairly inexpensive at Graphic Dimensions. Their online name and address is Pictureframes.com.

Paper Prints

Paper prints are best displayed and  protected with a frame or display case. Frames should have an acrylic or glass cover. A matt helps show off the print and stops it from touching the back of the acrylic or glass cover.

Antique white is a good color for the matt - it is not as harsh as the white border on the print and sets off the colors well. You can use a darker matt like maroon or charcoal, but it might overpower the print and will be quite bold on your wall.

When ordering a frame for paper prints, you order a frame that is larger than the size of the print that you have purchased. 

Paper prints have an image size of 15"x20."  A good frame size to order is 20"x25."  This size provides a 2.5" matt border around each side of the image. A good size for display cases is 18"x24" because that size is readily available in stores.

If you use a matt, the matt's outer size would be 20"x25" - the size of the frame. The size of the "window" around the image would be 14.75"x19.75." The matt window is slightly smaller than the image size so that the matt easily covers the edges of the image.

If you want to "double matt" the print - use a second matt over the first matt - the top matt outside size is 20"x25" and the window size is 14.25"x19.25" so that the window is .25" smaller than the bottom matt on all sides.

You can buy frames or display cases for paper prints at a variety of stores, including A.C. Moores, Michael's Crafts, and framing stores. There are many online frame stores. You can get a good quality frame, matt, and acrylic cover with acid-free backer board at Graphic Dimensions. Their online name and address is Pictureframes.com.

Note that when you use a matt with a paper print, you should only use acid free tape to tape the print to the matt. Acid-free tape is available at the same stores as frames. Do not economize by using regular tape because you will only use a little of the roll of acid-free tape. Over time, the regular tape will  stain the print and matt.

Tape the print using two pieces of tape at the top of the print. Tape only to the back side of the print and attach to the back of the matt. The print should swing from the matt like it is on hinges. Do not tape the sides or bottom - the print should be able to expand and contract without buckling. The print will stay in place when you assemble the "sandwich" - the backer board, print, matt(s), acrylic cover, and frame.

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