Picture Frames make a Difference!

Picture Frames make a Difference!

Picture Frames! Sometimes the beauty of a piece of art is only truly appreciated once it's framed. I for one love to reuse old, vintage frames but it's also important to find the RIGHT frame for your art to really sing!

Depending on your taste and decor style - from modern to traditional, dark to light, high contrast to low contrast - you should find frames that highlight the art yet compliment the aesthetics of your space.

Because a lot of my art has a traditional feel and I love the look of dark mats to highlight the creaminess of the paper, I experimented with a few affordable styles from Amazon to find some possible options you can use for traditional styled art. These frames do not come with the black mats, but each of my originals do so to get the same look try these...

hummingbird Shannon Emmanuel 

Malden International Designs Classic Picture Frame, 8 by 10-Inch, Gold Bead

This one was my first choice for a classic look that works well in both traditional and more modern decor. It's clean lines with just a hint of patina and bead detail as well as solid crafting makes it affordable and easy to work with.

  two Gold Frames  

Vintage Photo Frames 10 x 8 in Gold, Wall and Tabletop Picture Frames

This link is for the ornate frame in the picture above and beneath the Malden frame. It is a heavy, metal frame which really is a stunner. The 8x10" opening is very snug to keep your artwork in place but does require a little squeezing to get the mat in and edges may get slightly bent but not anything that will show in the final product.

If you like a little more drama this one delivers!

 two thin frames Shannon Emmanuel  

Lawrence Frames Classic Bead Picture Frame, 8x10

An alternate to my first choice, the Lawrence Frame is the lovely version underneath. Similar in looks to the top frame, it is a plastic version with beading on the outer edge vs the inner edge. Affordable and good looking. It will look fabulous in many decors.

 

Don't hesitate to add a punch and change things up either - I've added a black molded plastic frame that comes across as a perfect modern nod with a vintage vibe. Using black matting makes it even more dynamic in my opinion and really sets off the simple lines of the nature sketches in my current series.

 

Two Black frame   One black frame  

Kiera Grace Georgia Picture Frame - Black, 8" by 10"

This frame, while inexpensive and lightweight plastic, takes traditional style into the future. I really like the matte texture and how it provides a different take on typical black frames for modern tastes.

The negative is the positioning of the glass and artwork is rather loose and I'd recommend taping your mats in place to prevent movement. You can use low tack artists tape if you are concerned about future removal of the mat.

 sketches by Shannon Emmanuel

A word about protecting your art...

The paper, mats and tape I will attach them with have been sourced to be acid-free and gentle for displaying your original piece. This is to prevent discoloration and damage. However, as paper artworks are inherently fragile it is always best to avoid storing or hanging them in areas of high humidity (ie: bathrooms) or direct sunlight to keep them in the best possible condition. And always have a glass protector between your paper art and the environment.

 

I'm so excited to share the 'Summer Memories' series of graphite sketches with you but these frames will also be great if you have and of my 5x7 art cards or 8x10 Fine Art Prints.

Happy decorating!

Shannon

 

If you would like to purchase your artwork framed please contact me for details.

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