What Are Picture Frame Spacers & What Is Their Relevance?

Everybody loves clicking pictures; they are the best form of visual representations of a captured moment and to cherish them lifelong, framing is practiced. They not only form a protective layer around your picture but also beautify it in the process. Picture framing is an intricate task that involves assembling of several components. If you've ever taken a closer look to a frame, you must have noticed there is a thin space between the picture and the glazing. That space is created with the help of a frame spacer. Talking about picture framing, most of the people have heard of terms like matboards and glazing. Frame spacer is something not many people are aware about even though they play an important role in the framing process. This blog focusses on the use and importance of the component.

As the name implies, frame spacers are used to create a definite space between the glazing material and your artwork. It is a tool you'll find in every picture framer's store. If you are going for custom picture framing, then frame spacer is something you should definitely know about. There are a variety of models available in the component, and the generic ones are described below.

Types of Frame spacers

S-Shaped

The spacer holds the artwork and glazing material together forming "S" shape. The closed curve is what holds the backing (art or picture) in its place. An important thing to consider while going for this spacer is thickness of the glass and depth of the rabbet.

Tube-Shaped

Tube-shaped spacer have shape of a rectangular hollow tube. These type of spacers have adhesive on one side which is stuck to either the glazed layer or backing board. The other side, that is the visible portion, can have glossy or matte finish depending on the frame and artwork chosen.

Custom shape

Custom shapes are preferred when any of the above mentioned spacer doesn't fit perfectly for a frame. The best application of a custom frame spacer is in deep shadow box. Popular material prefered for designing this spacer model is foam board.

Importance of Frame Spacers

Prevents wave formation across the paper

With continuous variation in the temperature and humidity of environment around the frame, the glass expands and contracts accordingly. However, there are other sections in the frame which stay unaffected. Due to this imbalance, buckling or waves are formed across the paper. Using a spacer ensures uniform distribution of heat in your picture frame, thus, avoiding creation of bucklings.

Protects artwork from moisture

Frame spacer makes sure the artwork doesn't come in contact with the moisture that is condensed on the glass. Normally, this condensation is observed under extreme temperature changes or when the ink of the artwork is not given sufficient time for drying.

You can design your memories in your own way with the online picture framer like PaintBox Soho. We have years of experience and expertise in the field of picture framing. This is a one-stop solution for all your needs pertaining to custom designed frames, hand-crafted frames, floating frames. Come add color to your artwork with utmost care and precision.

Preserve The Beauty Of Your Artworks: Professional Picture Framing

Everybody needs a little memory trip down the lane once in a while. When you come to think of it, pictures are the most effective way to time travel in a jiffy. Picture frames have been used by people since the ages to protect and preserve their memories. Innovative picture frames are used not only to protect your artwork but also to enhance their look and feel. These picture frames build a protective layer around your captured memories. Sometimes these frames cherish the master-piece you had created during your golden days, other times they just reflect your old-self caught up in a moment.

Professional picture framing has always held considerable importance in our lives, after all people never cease to perfecting their collectibles. Even in this era of digitization, people still prefer conventional wooden/metal frames for decorative purposes. There are countless picture framing stores available to get your work done. However, you must be familiar with the generic frame anatomy and picture framing process. Here are a few must-follow steps that you must implement when opting for professional picture framing.

 

Selecting right frame

The very first question that you must ask yourself is whether you want a wooden frame or a metal one. Wooden frames usually go with traditional looking background. They add warmer and natural touch to your pictures. On the other hand, metal frames reflect more of a contemporary look. They are usually preferred for artwork with a tinge of dullness (maybe even pictures with shades of black and white) in them.

Deciding about matboard

Whether to use a matboard or not is completely dependent on the look of your artwork which is to be framed. Matboard is the material which is to be kept amidst your frame and artwork to create space in between. However, you need to ensure that it enhances the overall look of your frame. While choosing a matboard, select the one with appropriate grade, that is, how well it can preserve the quality of your artwork in the picture frame. Also, select a mat color that enriches the overall look of your picture frame. Take care that the matboard doesn't outshine your picture.

Opting for durable foam board

Foam board is the support system of your picture frame. It forms the back-end of a frame; your picture is attached to it. An ideal foam board(or mounting board) should be impermeable to water, and must prevent yellowing of the artwork.

Quality glass protection

Glass or glazing is a process that consists of covering your picture frame. It is not mandatory to glaze your artwork; however, it protects your artwork from wearing off due to external factors. Picture framing stores provide a variety of glazes, inquire about each one of them and choose the appropriate one.

You can design your memories in your own way with the online picture framer like PaintBox Soho. We have years of experience and expertise in the field of picture framing. This is a one-stop solution for all your needs pertaining to custom designed frames, hand-crafted frames, floating frames. Come add color to your artwork with utmost care and precision.

When is the right time to change your picture frame?

If you have never been to a picture framers in nyc, built a picture yourself, or even looked at picture framers in nyc online then you need to understand that the frame materials can change a picture drastically. When you walk into a custom shop you will see hundreds if not thousands of frame materials on the wall made by many different manufacturers. The only way you are going to know whether you like a frame is by bringing in the actual picture itself. You can then hold each picture framing materials to the picture itself to see how it will look once framed.

Modern frames come in all shapes, different picture framing materials and sizes. In many cases the best looking modern frames come with sleek lines and occasionally additional add-ons to the frame itself. Things like mini-mirrors attached to the frame itself can be considered a contemporary style. There are so many different modern picture framing materials that it is difficult to classify them all, but typically you will be looking for a frame that will compliment your photograph or painting with a modern twist.

Traditional frames and picture framing materials

Traditional ones also come in many shapes and styles. When you go into a museum you are typically looking at the museum quality picture framing. Think of the typical museum quality gold and wood as what you would typically expect to get when looking at a museum quality picture framing. The one nice thing about picking a traditional style is that it will never go out of style because people have been using these frames for hundreds of years. But if you are looking to frame a photograph then avoid traditional frames.

Large frames are going to be essential for large pictures or photographs. For instance, if your picture starts going above 18" by 18" then you should consider a larger frame. A small frame will look very out of place with your large picture. A little stick next to a huge picture is really not the look you are going for.

Small frames can be perfect for small photographs and pictures. You can usually save quite a bit of money on the smaller frames and they will look perfect on smaller pictures. Just keep in mind that artwork may require a large frame so if you have a $5000 small Picasso then you should consider a large museum quality frame.

Just because you got a recommendation from a custom framing shop does not mean that you still cannot buy the picture frame online. You usually can pick out a nearly identical frame online or sometimes they will even have the exact same frame that you saw in the store. You might want to give online retailers a chance as well.

Picture Framing Trends For The Frame Making Industry In 2016

Like fashion trends, picture framing trends come and go. 2016 is an exciting year for many reasons and the picture framing trends for this year will definitely excite you. Below are the trends you may expect from picture framing services today:

• Snow White

Minimalist palette has been very popular during these days and it has been taking frame making industry by storm. For this reason, the most probable base in picture framing today is snow white, which is often paired with pastels in the world of fashion. Although fashion doesn’t have any connection with the changes of picture framing trends, it still plays a role for many consumers.

The best thing about snow white color is that this works well with majority of palettes. Too much may make rooms look stark, yet once used properly as an accent, it is inviting and crisp. Ty to pair it with a red, magenta, canary or turquoise mat to offset the artwork even more with the hot fashion color predictions this 2016. You may also make use of rosy lilac, minty green and baby blue.

• 3D Picture Frames

With today’s technology, there’s no doubt why many people would consider using 3D picture frames. 3D picture framing services will be very popular. It is different from other regular sculptures as it comes with an exceptional beauty that other picture frames can’t offer you.

• Simple But Not Ornate

When looking for various art shows and competitions, it is definitely clear that the pieces for 206 are futuristic and modernistic. Abstract art is also famous today. The general rule of thumb when framing this kind of artwork is to keep the frame much simple. While Renaissance and Baroque style paintings often work fine in much elaborate frames, abstract art may quickly overpower one’s eyes. It is essential to keep the picture frames classic and basic. Oftentimes, metal picture frames work well with the abstract art, provided that the usual primary color choices.

When you are purchasing picture frames in advance, you should remember about clean lines. Concentrate on the picture frames that do not have embellishments. It is better to use a picture frame with simpler cut. The best thing about this trend is that it’s perfect for any season of the year and will definitely blend well on your home décor. You can also reuse such picture frames for some projects you have in mind.

2016 will absolutely be a good year in frame making industry. If you are an art lover, you will love the picture framing trends this year. If you want to take advantage of such trends, it is always best to work with the best picture framers NYC. With their help, you can quickly choose which trend is much appropriate for your needs and what trends you should avoid. Just make sure to know what your needs are as these will help you make a better decision when choosing a picture framing trend this 2016.

Choosing the right picture framer can be a daunting task which calls for much calculative approach on your side. There are many available however there are only a few which are worth giving a try. You can design your memories in your own way with the online picture framers like PaintBoxNolita, PaintBoxArt Framing , PaintBox Soho. They have years of experience and expertise in the field of picture framing. This is a one-stop solution for all your needs pertaining to custom designed Frames, hand-crafted frames, floating frames. Come add colour to your artwork with utmost care and precision.

Tips to help you with picture frame selection

Whenever you want to frame the most memorable moment of your life, you might get confused while making a picture frame selection. It is quite a difficult task to select the perfect frame for the picture. The main reason behind the difficulty of frame selection is due to the confusion created by the numerous framing services. In the stores, you will find various kinds of picture frames and all of them look elegant. But you may think that choosing particular framing services is quite difficult. Here in this article, we will help you with some tips which can help you next time when you visit the store.

3 Tips for best picture frame selection

In the modern times, we will find that there are numerous kinds of materials available in the markets which are used to design the picture frames. These materials are quite different from the ones which were used in the old times. These are light and durable materials. The designs are elegant and spectacular also in the hand finished frames. So you must keep in mind some criterion while making a picture frame selection.

1. Color and design of the frame

The first and foremost criteria are the color and design while choosing the most Affordable picture framing. You must decide the position where you will place the image while making a picture frame selection. If you want to set the frame on the walls of your room, then the color selection must be made keeping the combination of the color of the walls. On the other hand, if dust is the issue, then choosing the dark color photo frames is the best option. Light color photo frames are quite prone to the dust. While choosing the design, it totally depends on the taste of the person. Some people like simple designs and some may prefer the most decorated and crafted designs. The only thing which must play in the back of your mind is the fact that you are going to see this particular photo frame daily. So do not try to choose any design that might make you bore or you get frustrated after a while.

2. Material of the frame

The sole criterion while choosing the material for the frame is the nature of the material. These days all the materials are very light weight and durable also. The matboard, glass, and metal, each of these metals are quite good as a photo frame. But the glass frames are more prone to damage than the metal frame. On the other hand, if you consider designing of these frames, then you will find it easier to design a matboard frame which is a type of hand finished frames. Sometimes the cost also plays a significant role while choosing an Affordable picture framing. Cheap Framing Service may not be the best option also.

3. Air circulation

You must check the particular picture frame which you have chosen has the perfect air gapping and thus allows the images to breathe. The material of the picture do not gets stick to the picture and does not ruin the texture of the picture. Added to this, it must also prevent the moisture deposition on the picture. These features are not available in the Cheap Framing Service.

A good picture framer will help you with all the small details that goes into custom picture framing. Picture framers at Paintbox Nolita offers you the latest techniques, designs and products in the picture framing industry. Select the best custom picture frame not on the basis of price but on the basis of the effect it will produce on your artwork. Custom picture framing can be expensive but it is definitely worth every single penny spent on it.

Learning The Right Way To Clean An Ornate Frame

An ornate frame is the most beautiful and attractive thing you can receive/purchase. The ornate frame along with its beauty brings a responsibility of cleaning it. Cleaning the ornate frame with all its embellishments intact, is a task in itself. Ornate picture frame has an intricate design which calls for extra care while cleaning the frame. 

 

There is no one-size-fits-all concept while cleaning the ornate picture frame. The method chosen for for cleaning the ornate frame depends on the style and design of the frame. The style and design of the ornate may vary from country to country. It's always better to take help from professional picture framer because your mistake may damage your artwork permanently.

The steps to be followed while cleaning an ornate wood frame is listed below. Follow them to bring out the best look without causing any damage to your prized artwork.

1. Frame should be removed from the towel.

2. Soft and clean cloth can be used to wipe off the dust and dirt.

3. Dry toothbrush should be used to scrub the frame and get into the crevices.

4. Use a fresh clean cloth to get rid of any debris loosened due to scrubbing.

5. There are crevices which cannot be reached by toothbrush, use cotton buds to reach there.

6. A patch test can be conducted with orange oil. The oil should be applied on a soft, dry cloth and its effect should be tested on the frame. This oil is safe for most types of wood picture frames.

7. The orange oil should be scrubbed throughout the entire frame's surface with cloth.

The steps to be followed while cleaning an ornate metal frame is listed below. Follow them to bring out the best look without causing any damage to your prized artwork.

1. Since metal ornate picture frames are more prone to scratch, pressure should be applied gently.

2. Go for a slightly damp, clean microfiber cloth to remove any unwanted tarnish or corrosion. Make sure that you use either water or an anti-tarnish product for this process. While using an anti-tarnish product, a test is advised on the small, inconspicuous patch before going for the front of the frame.

3. If you have intricate frames, use cotton buds for removing the tarnish or discoloration in crevices. If you are an admirer of the aged look of dark embellishments, you can wipe it with a cloth for cleaning the surface gently.

4. If your frame is exquisite, silver plated, you should use silver cleaner for best results.

There is a huge difference between polishing and cleaning. Polishing uses abrasives which can cause part of the original surface to be removed. Cleaning removes dust and dirt which has been accumulated over the period of time.

Choosing the right picture framer can be a daunting task which calls for much calculative approach on your side. There are many available however there are only a few which are worth giving a try.You can design your memories in your own way with the online picture framers like PaintBoxNolita, PaintBoxArt Framing , PaintBox Soho. They have years of experience and expertise in the field of picture framing. This is a one-stop solution for all your needs pertaining to custom designed Frames, hand-crafted frames, floating frames. Come add colour to your artwork with utmost care and precision.

Choose the Best Shade for Your Frames - Using Color Wheel Tool

There are various techniques that are present today which professionals employ to shorten the process of choosing the right color for frames, especially matting. A color wheel is great tool to make correct decision about the right color to choose. With this color wheel artist and framer can choose the correct color for their Mat or color for other components of the frame.

A color wheel also known as color circle is a pictorial representation of colors arranged according to their chromatic relationship.

Primary Colors: They are the basic color and are used to create other by mixing them together.

Secondary Colors: They are attained by mixing two primary colors.

Tertiary Colors: They are achieved by mixing primary and secondary hues.

Complementary Colors: As shown below they are located opposite to each other on a color wheel.

Analogous Colors: Colors that are located close together on a color wheel are analogous colors.

Active & Passive colors
A color wheel can be further divided into ranges that represent active or passive color. When passive color are placed against active colors they seem to advance and passive colors seem to recede.

• Hues that are advancing have less visual weight than the ones that are receding.
• Warm, saturated, light value hues are "active"
• Cool, low saturated, dark value hues are "passive"
• Tints or hues with a low saturation appear lighter than shades or highly saturated colors.
• Some colors remain visually neutral or indifferent.

Color Relationships

They are represented on a color triangle on a color wheel

Painter’s Triangle: In this red, blue and yellow are primary hues. This triangle is most often used in art classes.

Printers Triangle: This color is used in printing process and magenta, cyan, and yellow are primary hues.

Nine-part harmonic triangle of Goethe: They are basically printer's primaries; the secondaries formed are the painter's primaries; and the resulting tertiaries formed are dark neutrals.

Complementary Colors

A color wheel is a great tool the see the relationship among colors. The colors that are opposite to each other are complementary colors.

Complementary colors when used are able to bring out the best in each other. When saturated complements are used they create vibrant and interesting effects.

For framing use color wheels to choose the right color balance between the art and framing that surrounds it. The best idea is to identify secondary color in the art and use it as the value and temperature of the art as a whole.

Custom Mirror Frame Reflects Your Style

Custom framed mirror can be used as decorative mirror, floor mirror, full length dressing mirror, bathroom mirror which reflects your style. With the help of custom mirror frame to enhance the look of any room or wall. Wherever placed mirror reflect and bounce light around the space and deceive the eye into thinking a room is larger than it actually is.

Custom Mirror Frame

Particularly, mirror are inexpensive home accessories to decorating a home, office and other places that can use to make a small area look larger. Explore wide range of shapes like rectangle mirror, square mirror, round mirror, oval mirror and more with variety of size and color. whether you are looking for a wood, glass or metal mirror frames to dress up your wall. We can custom frame a mirror according to your specification.

Here some stylish custom mirror frames to decorate your room:

www.houzz.com

In the living room, Mounting a huge mirror with stylish frames on the wall to decor and create a cohesive look in this room. For the security purpose, place a sofa in front of the mirror. Also mirror reflect and bounce light around the room. The position of mirror is closer to window, allowing the mirror to reflect sunlight from it.

www.houzz.com

The bathroom is the places at your home that need a big mirror. Select a mirror that inflate the style of the room. In this design, the wall mirror has placed in such kind that can make a small area look larger. The position of the mirror is front of light allowing the mirror to reflect lights.

You get a quick and easy custom frame mirror at affordable price from paintboxnolita.com. Even offering free shipping in neighborhood and Installing your custom frame mirror in 3 easy steps: measure, assemble and mount with easy installation.

Image Source: www.houzz.com

Amazing tips that can help you when framing a painting

Picture framing is like a science, custom picture framing takes some really good skills and a lots and lots of patience. Picture framing is also very vital to the art collector and to the artist in maintaining the value of art. According to a research, it is said that mostly everyone has had something framed once: a piece of art, a degree, a football jersey, you name it and you can get that framed.

Custom photo framing can be the best comrade or the worst foe of the art.  Imagine your best artwork not framed properly, and the damage it can do. Here are some tips for professional framers so they can avoid some very serious mistakes.

• Use Good quality materials:

This is one of the most important aspect of framing. If you are using low quality materials then beware, they will affect the art in more than one ways in addition they will also reduce the value of your art. When using mat boards or papers in framing then care should be taken that acid free materials are used.

• Select the glass:

Use UV protected glass always and suggest your customers to go for UV glasses. Ultra violet rays harm your art work, even if you have used UV glass then also try to avoid exposing the painting to direct sunlight. There are also options available in glass like the museum quality glass which is heavy.

There are also alternatives for the glass like the Plexiglass(Acrylic) which has got some good benefits over regular glass and picture framers are suggesting the use of plexiglass as it is safe and light weight.

• Selecting the proper mats:

Selection of proper matting should be done, you should match the mat with the frame or according to the picture type and texture. Make it look good not weird. Matt are supposed to keep the distance between the art and the glass. There needs to be some space between the art and the glass so that the art does not stick on the glass.

• Don't use tapes:

Using a tape is a big no. Don’t use the regular brown tape that you use around the house to fix things on the painting or the photograph they might damage the painting after a long run. When you will try to remove the tape from the painting then you can see the large amount of damage that has been done by the tape on the artwork.

Museum quality custom framing shops should avoid using tapes and if you want to then go for the framing specialty tapes. Don't damage some precious museum quality art.

These tips can be kept in mind to avoid turning your artwork into a disaster. The custom framers keep these things in mind and always try to make your artwork more beautiful, But as we can say that precaution is better than cure.