Picture Framing Information

Comments on Gallery Style Picture Frames

We proudly specialize in serving the creative community - photographers, artists and dedicated hobbyist or art resellers. The bulk of their purchases are for galleries, art shows, and general retail of photo prints or collectible art. For this reason we specialize in “gallery style” custom framing and framing packages. It is not for everyone and its choice depends on your house décor and personal tastes. I will tell you a little about it and contrast it with what a custom framer will do in an effort to help make you aware of your options. In “gallery style” the goal is for the frame to set the artwork off from the wall and highlight it without detracting from the image. In general it relies on a simple, fairly thin black frame with a fairly large white mat.



Dimensions Explained

Dimensions for picture frames is not a simple topic; however, we get a lot of questions about it so I decided to clarify some of the common terms.

Artwork size: This is the size of your image and not necessarily the paper. For instance, an 8x10 from a photo lab will usually be 8x10, but you can print it at home on 8.5x11 paper.


Mat external size: A mat used to mount an 8 x 10 image in an 11x14 frame will have an external size of exactly 11 by 14 +/- 1/16 inch.

Frame size: This one is trickier. In the case of an 11" x 14" frame used to frame an 8 x 10 image, they might be referred to as an 8x10 picture frame or eleven by fourteen frame size (assuming the complete frame package contains the appropriate mat). An eleven by fourteen frame with no mat will always be the same frame dimension. So is the actual frame dimension 11 x 14 or 8 x 10? The answer is neither. If the frame size (not mat opening) is eleven by fourteen then it is referring to the inside dimension. However, the frame will be cut a little larger, typically 1/8 inch. That allows room for the glass, mounting board and mat to fit without binding. It also allows for up to 1/16 inch error on the mat and glass dimension, as well as for expansion and contraction due to temperature changes.

Outside frame size: This dimension is the very outside of the frame. It is seldom referred to unless you are concerned about placing the frame in a limited space. An eleven by fourteen frame might actually have an external dimension of 14x17 if the moulding is 1 and ½ inches wide.
