Picture Framing Supplies For Today's Artist

Photographers and painters use picture framing supplies to create the finished look in their artwork.  By framing your artwork yourself, you can save money and time, both of which are important considerations for fine art gallery owners as well as artists who offer their photographs and paintings for sale to the public.  There are some basic picture frame supplies that you will often use, and these include frames, mat board sheets, acrylic glazing sheets, mount board, hinging tape and photo corners.

The basis for your picture framing equipment is the frame itself.  The choice of this crucial picture framing equipment will likely set the tone for the other selections of supplies you make.  You can choose from wood or metal frames.  While wood frames are more commonly used to frame paintings, metal frames are the traditional choice of fine art photographers.  Frames also come ready made, and these offer great selection at excellent prices.  Custom frames are also available when you have a specially sized project that demands a unique touch to bring it to perfection.  These types of picture framing equipment are available at better online fine art photography framing suppliers.

You will also need mount and mat board sheets.  These picture framing supplies allow a smooth base upon which your artwork will lie, and then a outer edging to draw the viewer's eye to the center of the frame.  Both mount and mat board sheets are available in non-archival and conservation qualities, depending on your needs for your artwork.  Non-archival mat and mount are inexpensive to use and come in a wide array of colors.  Conservation-quality boards are made from acid-free products, so that discoloration and yellowing of the artwork's surface are more likely to not occur.  

Other picture framing supplies that you will need include glazing.  This can be made from glass, or you can select acrylic glazing sheets.  Your choice of products will depend how you will display your artwork as well as where.  Glass is very scratch resistant but heavy, so if your artwork is large and the intention is to hang it on a wall, you might be better off with acrylic.  Acrylic is lightweight, and it also can provide archival elements, in that the acrylic is prepared to combat the destructive elements such as sunlight and airborne pollutants that can damage your artwork's surface.

Other picture frame supplies are hinging tape and picture corners.  Hinging tape is used to attach the art to the mountboard, or the mat to the mountboard.  Picture corners keep your artwork smoothly positioned under the mat board.

Online frame suppliers will carry a full range of these picture framing supplies for your perusal.