WHY BUY A CUSTOM FRAME?

It's easy to wander into a department or craft store and pick up a picture frame - so why do so many people still order custom frames? For a basic photograph, a standard sized, "ready made" picture frame is a suitable choice - and usually less expensive. However, when it comes to fine art or meaningful photos, there are many reasons a consumer may decide to forego their local Walmart and opt for a professional framer instead.

SUMMARY Discover the difference between ready-made frames and custom frames. READY-MADE FRAMES CUSTOM-MADE FRAMES Size Standard frame sizes only: generally 4x6", 5x7", 8x10", 11x14", 16x20" and 20x24" Any size, made-to-order based on the exact dimensions of the artwork/customer's specifications. Selection Many different frame styles, but each is available in a limited number of sizes. No store has a comprehensive collection of frame styles. Hundreds of frame styles in stock, with corner samples available for each style. Each moulding can be cut to any size. Choice of Materials Frames often come with glazing and backing, but it is generally low quality and the customer has no option. White is usually the only mat color option. Archival options are rare. Frame is sold separately from contents, so customer can choose type and quality of glazing (non-glare, archival), mat, backing and any other options (fillet, double mat, mat thickness, mounting style, etc.). Production Time Available immediately (unless ordered online), ready to load images. Generally two to three days for production, plus shipping if ordering online. Price Generally inexpensive, but a wide range of prices. Certainly less expensive than custom-made Moderate to expensive. Cost factors in the specialized, manual labor required for cutting and assembly. Quality Poor to average quality, and difficult to determine. No accountability from manufacturer (often mass produced overseas). Average to high quality, and customer can discuss individual materials with framer, who is accountable for workmanship.

READY-MADE FRAMES

A ready-made picture frame is any frame that is purchased off the shelf (or ordered online) exactly as is. Ready-made frames come in a wide array of shapes, sizes, and quality levels. What's Included Most ready-made frames come with everything you need to pop in your picture as soon as you take it out of the box or plastic. The glass or plexiglass cover will be cut to size and already inserted into the frame, held in place by a backing that is generally sturdy cardboard. Bendable or hinged pins hold everything in place so the backing can be easily removed and the picture placed inside. Some ready-made frames come with a pre-cut mat, as well. These frames will usually have two suggested photo dimensions - the one with the mat, and the one without (for example: 11x14" or 8x10"). Shapes Perhaps the most appealing aspect of ready-made frames is choice of shape. These frames come in heart shapes, circles, ovals, flowers, and triangles. Double and triple openings in a single frame is a common offering, or even up to eight or more spaces. It is true that most professional frame shops cannot offer these shapes. This is beneficial to anyone looking for this style, but it also means many of these shaped frames are mass produced in a factory with little care for quality. Because the glass may be hard to cut, they often have a very flimsy sheet of plastic as a clear cover, and may be constructed of fiberboard or even plastic. Sizes Generally speaking, ready-made frames are available with a limited selection of sizes. The common standard sizes for ready-made frames are: 2.5x3.5" (wallet) 4x6" (common photograph) 5x7" 8x10" 11x14" 16x20" 20x24" While other sizes can certainly be found, if an image you intend to frame is a size other than these - or essentially any fraction measurement - you will quite likely be looking at a custom frame order.

An 8x10" photo in a standard 11x14" frame

CUSTOM PICTURE FRAMES

So if there are that many options for ready-made frames, why choose custom? The answer is simple: selection and quality. Certainly, ready-made frames offer vast selection, and if your image is a standard size you can likely find many possibilities. But with pre-made frames, what's there is all there is. Imagine you have an 8x10" photograph that would look spectacular in an extremely wide, oversized moulding with ornate details. This could be very hard to find in a ready-made frame because most people want a moderate width for this image size - usually no more than 2-1/2 inches. When purchasing a ready-made frame, the customer is tied to the whims of the masses, or at least what the manufacturer imagines these whims to be. While high quality ready-made frames are out there, custom frames are generally guaranteed to be. This is the reason museums, galleries, and professional artists almost always order custom frames for their pieces. The gallery will be displaying the piece for decades, and must ensure the protection and preserve appearance. And an artist will be selling their artwork for a high price - they must give their customer a quality product. But custom frames are not only for professionals and corporations. More and more, individuals are seeking out framing shops for wedding memories or new baby photo shoots, original artworks purchased abroad (often removed from the frame for shipping), and even significant posters and prints they wish to permanently display. There are a number of specific reasons one would choose a custom-made over a ready-made frame: Rabbet Depth Though not something the average frame consumer necessarily considers, rabbet depth can be a major determining factor in the selection of a picture frame. The rabbet is the indented space below the lip of the picture frame - the space in which the contents (glass, artwork, backing, etc) will sit. If you are simply framing a regular photograph, a small depth of 3/8" or 5/8" will be suitable, but as soon as different components are added - making the contents thicker - the rabbet becomes an important measurement. Consider an artwork with a double or triple mat. While the rabbet itself only holds one mat (the additional mats are generally cut thinner to save material), the space between the glass and the backing has nonetheless been substantially increased. Thicker glass or a specialty backing can also require a deeper rabbet. Deeper rabbets also come into play in the case of shadow boxes, or the "float" framing, where the paper is raised from the backing to create a shadow. Regular frames have rabbets up to 1", while a shadow box can have up to a 3" rabbet. Frame Face Width Like the example above, sometimes a customer requires a frame that is not a "big seller" for that size, such as a very thin frame on a large image or a very thick frame on a small image. A custom frame moulding can be made in any size you wish. If you want a 1" frame around a 36x40" artwork, you can have it, though the framer may advise against this, for fear of the glass being too heavy for the frame. There is no difficulty in ordering a wide, 4" frame for a little 5x7" artwork. Selection Similar to the previous case, there is little more upsetting than finding the perfect frame only to discover it does not come in the size you need. Do you crop or shrink your image and lose valuable details in exchange for the ideal border? With custom framing, you don't have to make that tough decision. Custom frame mouldings come as 12 or 15-foot lengths, and are cut to exactly the size you need when you order it. If you fall in love with a corner sample, you know your size is available, barring stocking issues! At KeenART Media, we have a showroom with more than 600 frame moulding profiles, and we are continuing to expand. With this much selection, there is no question of finding the perfect frame for every image. Finishing Options Most framing shops have options for the type of glazing (glass or plexiglass) and backing you can select to accompany your framed artwork. You won't be tied to the questionable quality of your ready-made frame's glazing, or be forced to purchase new glazing in addition to prepared frame. At KeenART Media, we offer three different kinds of top quality acrylic glass that suits every need and budget from short-term home display to archival museum exhibition: Regular Non-Glare Archival, UV-Resistant We also offer three options for matboards: Regular: acid-neutralized for up to 100 years Conservation: acid-free cotton core and acid-neutralized face papers Museum Grade: 100% acid-free cotton core and face papers, safe for hundreds of years Our backing board options give consumers even more choice: White foam board Black foam board Acid-free foam board Cork board Orientation Want your square frame to hang on a slanted, diamond orientation on the wall? Just let the framer know, and they will apply all hardware to accommodate your request. If you decide to display a print of funky street art at a slant, the framer will be happy to do this for you, or simply supply you with a bag of hardware to attach yourself.

The rabbet of a picture frame Any frame width can be chosen for any image size Frame shops have extensive moulding selection Request any hanging orientation

Additional Services One of the big draws of a professional framing shop is the abundance of other services they generally offer, in addition to constructing beautiful frames. KeenART Media has distinguished itself as a one-stop shop, offering services and products that will ensure the proud display of your unique artwork for generations. Wood Picture Frames Metal Picture Frames Stretcher Bar Frames Wood Panels Mounting Boards Art Supplies

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