What are frames made from?
The framing industry has a wide variety of material used to create the finished product. The first thing to consider is the substrate, or the material used beneath the finish. WALL ART uses Larson-Juhl moldings that use natural wood as a substrate. The wood used comes from all parts of the world and are not typically indigenous to the United States. In addition to natural woods, some galleries and frame shops will use a manufactured wood, or MDF. This type of material is not necessarily inferior to natural wood, but generally does not accept the finish that is applied on top of it. Simply put, this material may crack, peel, fade or split over the life of the finish. It is best to ask if the finish has a warranty when purchasing this type of material. Lastly, resin, plastic, or foam frames are available through a lot of lower end print galleries and frame shops. This type of frame should be used only if you are looking for the cheapest frame possible. The longevity of these frames is minimal and if you feel that your budget cannot handle a slight increase in cost for a better material, and then use this type.
In addition to the substrates, the finish on top of the substrate is the next thing to consider when deciding what to purchase. It would be impossible to describe all of the different finishes on every frame, but we will attempt to give you a basic understanding of the most popular. The finishes by Larson-Juhl used by WALL ART carry a lifetime warranty. The finishes used by them vary greatly. A mixture of gesso or compo is used as a base before laying the top finish. Some woods have a thin wood veneer applied by hand, while others sport a ten-step process called water gilding. Simply ask your framer to show you the cross section of the wood and you will see the layers of finish. Another finish used greatly by framers is called a paper-wrap finish. This type is just like the name: the wood or MDF is wrapped by a machined paper and made to look like real wood or any other design. You should ask about any warranty when choosing this type of finish. Generally there are no warranties because this finish will not last as long.
We hope that these considerations will help in deciding your choice of frame when designing your project. Try to choose a design that will look just as good 20 years from now as it does the day it is created. "Steps to Dynamic Design" gives some great ideas to consider when creating your custom framed piece.
Why is custom framing so expensive?
When you take into consideration the cost of anything you have purchased to decorate home, dollar-for-dollar a custom framed piece adds so much to the "Finished Look" of your home. Think of the material involved; frame, glass, mat board(s), mounting board, and hanging material. Also, the time involved to measure, cut, join, mount, and fit all the material together. The frame is typically the most expensive cost, and labor comes in close second. Be sure to shop apple-for-apple when comparing costs. WALL ART offers the highest quality material at prices that are in-line or better than the frame shops that offer lesser quality merchandise. We welcome any competitive pricing and ship worldwide. In addition to Larson-Juhl wood frames, we offer nothing but acid free mat boards. These mats have typically been reserved for limited edition or irreplaceable art because of the lack of lignin or acids that could cause damage to the art. Paper mat boards that are not acid-free will have a bevel (where the mat is cut) that yellows or turns brown over time. Because of this, we have chosen to drop our line of paper mats and use nothing but Artique acid-free. Whether you frame an inexpensive poster or your high end original, we use the same high quality mat boards.
Why are some limited editions more expensive than others?
There are two major factors that dictate the cost of limited editions. First, the method of printing determines the cost incurred by the artist or publisher. See our section on "Methods of Printing" to understand the difference between a lithograph, serigraph, or Giclee. Labor and materials used to create the different forms of print vary greatly and have a direct impact on the selling price. Secondly, the notoriety or "following" of the particular artist. If you are purchasing a limited edition created by someone is not well known or perhaps known within your specific region, the price of these limited editions tends to be much less. Conversely, an artist that has national or international exhibits and is marketed on a much larger scale will sell for more money.
In the past five years, the art industry has seen a lot of artists creating limited editions in the giclée format. The process has become so affordable that the limited edition market has been flooded by artist’s that have minimal or no collectability outside their local market. Yet, they seem to carry a price tag of an artist that is collected in multiple states, and/or internationally collected. We would suggest looking and negotiating with these artist’s original works. The collectability factor is non-existent, so why not pay a little more for his/her original work.
The framing industry has a wide variety of material used to create the finished product. The first thing to consider is the substrate, or the material used beneath the finish. WALL ART uses Larson-Juhl moldings that use natural wood as a substrate. The wood used comes from all parts of the world and are not typically indigenous to the United States. In addition to natural woods, some galleries and frame shops will use a manufactured wood, or MDF. This type of material is not necessarily inferior to natural wood, but generally does not accept the finish that is applied on top of it. Simply put, this material may crack, peel, fade or split over the life of the finish. It is best to ask if the finish has a warranty when purchasing this type of material. Lastly, resin, plastic, or foam frames are available through a lot of lower end print galleries and frame shops. This type of frame should be used only if you are looking for the cheapest frame possible. The longevity of these frames is minimal and if you feel that your budget cannot handle a slight increase in cost for a better material, and then use this type.
In addition to the substrates, the finish on top of the substrate is the next thing to consider when deciding what to purchase. It would be impossible to describe all of the different finishes on every frame, but we will attempt to give you a basic understanding of the most popular. The finishes by Larson-Juhl used by WALL ART carry a lifetime warranty. The finishes used by them vary greatly. A mixture of gesso or compo is used as a base before laying the top finish. Some woods have a thin wood veneer applied by hand, while others sport a ten-step process called water gilding. Simply ask your framer to show you the cross section of the wood and you will see the layers of finish. Another finish used greatly by framers is called a paper-wrap finish. This type is just like the name: the wood or MDF is wrapped by a machined paper and made to look like real wood or any other design. You should ask about any warranty when choosing this type of finish. Generally there are no warranties because this finish will not last as long.
We hope that these considerations will help in deciding your choice of frame when designing your project. Try to choose a design that will look just as good 20 years from now as it does the day it is created. "Steps to Dynamic Design" gives some great ideas to consider when creating your custom framed piece.
Why is custom framing so expensive?
When you take into consideration the cost of anything you have purchased to decorate home, dollar-for-dollar a custom framed piece adds so much to the "Finished Look" of your home. Think of the material involved; frame, glass, mat board(s), mounting board, and hanging material. Also, the time involved to measure, cut, join, mount, and fit all the material together. The frame is typically the most expensive cost, and labor comes in close second. Be sure to shop apple-for-apple when comparing costs. WALL ART offers the highest quality material at prices that are in-line or better than the frame shops that offer lesser quality merchandise. We welcome any competitive pricing and ship worldwide. In addition to Larson-Juhl wood frames, we offer nothing but acid free mat boards. These mats have typically been reserved for limited edition or irreplaceable art because of the lack of lignin or acids that could cause damage to the art. Paper mat boards that are not acid-free will have a bevel (where the mat is cut) that yellows or turns brown over time. Because of this, we have chosen to drop our line of paper mats and use nothing but Artique acid-free. Whether you frame an inexpensive poster or your high end original, we use the same high quality mat boards.
Why are some limited editions more expensive than others?
There are two major factors that dictate the cost of limited editions. First, the method of printing determines the cost incurred by the artist or publisher. See our section on "Methods of Printing" to understand the difference between a lithograph, serigraph, or Giclee. Labor and materials used to create the different forms of print vary greatly and have a direct impact on the selling price. Secondly, the notoriety or "following" of the particular artist. If you are purchasing a limited edition created by someone is not well known or perhaps known within your specific region, the price of these limited editions tends to be much less. Conversely, an artist that has national or international exhibits and is marketed on a much larger scale will sell for more money.
In the past five years, the art industry has seen a lot of artists creating limited editions in the giclée format. The process has become so affordable that the limited edition market has been flooded by artist’s that have minimal or no collectability outside their local market. Yet, they seem to carry a price tag of an artist that is collected in multiple states, and/or internationally collected. We would suggest looking and negotiating with these artist’s original works. The collectability factor is non-existent, so why not pay a little more for his/her original work.
