How To Choose The Best Frame For Oil Painting?

Framing an oil painting is an artwork that takes in-depth knowledge about the painting techniques and different art forms. Also, the skills that dexterous individuals acquire after good practice! Different types of frames provide a more finished look to the painting, and also define the clear demarcations of your masterpiece. Choosing the correct frames adds immense value to your work if you are probably looking to sell it because of its neater and more finished appearance.

That’s not all! While the well-chosen frame add-ons and highlights the best features of the beautiful paintings, the poor and unattractive one can ruin the entire appearance of the complete masterpiece. Apart from the frame’s aesthetic features, there are a lot more factors that should be taken into consideration when choosing a frame for your priceless acquisition- a lovely oil painting!

Oil Paintings Frame

The first and major question to ask yourself for the picture frame is – how important is it to add exquisite borders to the masterpiece? Will the frame accentuate the painting or is it going to alleviate the stunning look of the artwork? And how to frame the piece of art!

This is because, most oil paintings are created on canvas with stretchers, and they tend to look much more beautiful without the picture frame. Especially, if the painting is continued around the edge of the canvas, it creates a mesmerizing three-dimensional illusion from the side giving it more stunning looks. And you would not want to ruin this look, would you?

Types of Frames

If you have made up your mind on framing your oil art, you might come up with a question that what kind of frame suits the painting. How to choose the best frames that gels with your painting depending on how the artist has stretched and painted the canvas?

Honestly, there are infinite choices when it comes to streamlining the frames for your oil painting. Oil paintings frame provides you with a wide range of flexibility in choosing bulkier wooden frames or lighter ones. Traditionally stretched oil paintings have the canvas’s sides attached to the stretcher bars with nails or staples. These paintings are framed in larger frames to give the painting presence.

On the other hand, if you use smaller frames for these types of painting the effect will be very disappointing and can completely ruin the masterpiece itself. To be specific, large wood-toned frames and antique gold or silver frames provide a traditional look to the painting and they tend to look incredible with such painting.

If your painting is a very contemporary or abstract one, then you should probably use a floater frame to add to its value. A floater frame is a very cost-effective style of framing to create a neat as well as modern look to your artwork. Floater frames come in various sizes and colors which you can match with the colors of your painting or even equalize with the furniture of the room. The abstract painting tends to create a 3D illusion as the artist paint around the edges of the canvas as well. Therefore using a floater frame also helps to not degrade the 3D effect of the painting.

Whether To Use Glass Frames or Not

Besides the frame aesthetics, personal taste, subjectivity, protection of the painting also plays a vital role in the framing choices. Whether you frame or hang the canvas on the wall, protecting your piece of artwork should always be the top priority. Surely, glass frames are always the first choice of every one of us while framing a picture.

But this painting you are going to frame is not just a regular piece of art done on a drawing sheet. The oil or acrylic paintings should not be framed with glass since the frictions caused due to the contact of glass and canvas can create irrevocable damage to the painting. There have always been arguments that the glass should not be used in framing oil paintings as it traps the moisture behind it. In the worst-case scenario, the oil painting behind the glass might even lead to canvas rotting if the painting cannot breathe due to insufficient drying.

However, if your work is done on a thin sheet of paper, then a glass shield becomes important. You might also notice oil paintings behind the glass in museums and art galleries. This is done to prominently to provide extra protection against vandalism and touching. And if you want to do the same for your painting, be sure you add a mat in between the painting and glass shield. Mats, also called framing mounts, provide as extra space between the painting and the glass. This extra space allows airflow and prevents the condensation of oil or acrylic and further damaging the painting.

No matter what kind of painting you are absolutely in love with, you should ascertain whether the possession requires a frame or not. Buying the best frame that suits the artwork may be pretty difficult but taking professional assistance will make it a walk in the park without you worrying about how to frame.