Ready Made Picture Frames Vs. Custom Picture Frames: What Are The Options?

You are an artist and you have created your two-dimensional masterpiece. Now you want to put it on display for all to see in your home or in a gallery, so you will need a picture frame. There are so many different types of frames available, including ready made picture frames and custom picture frames, that it can get a little confusing, but if you keep these basics in mind they can help you get started in selecting the perfect frame for your painting or fine art photography.

Ready Made Picture Frames

If you have a standard sized piece of artwork that you wish to frame, you cannot go wrong with looking at the wide variety of ready made picture frames available. Ready mades are easy to find, and thus if you need a frame in a hurry they can make an efficient choice. They come in a huge gamut of different sizes. The better online frame suppliers may have up to eighty different sizes on hand and ready to send to you, so you have many options for finding a great frame for your artwork.

You will also find ready made picture frames made of inexpensive yet durable and elegant anodized aluminum as well as archival quality frames for greater protection for your valuable artwork. If you have several pictures that you wish to frame, it can be more cost effective to purchase ready made picture frames, because some frame suppliers also offer volume discounts.

Custom Picture Frames

If you have an exceedingly large picture, or unusually sized photograph that you wish to frame, you will want to take a look at the vast selection of custom picture frames available from quality online frame merchants. You can choose from metal or wood frames depending on the requirements for your project. Custom picture frames are also made from conservation-quality materials, and make an excellent choice if preserving your artwork is a primary concern.
Metal or Wood Frames?

Wood frames are often used for framing paintings as well as other types of artwork such as needlepoint. Wood frames can add a bit of color and even texture to your artwork as well.

Metal frames, on the other hand, are typically favored by photographers for several reasons. Especially if you are wanting to frame fine-art black and white photographs, the traditional look is to use a thin black metal frame with a wide white matboard. This is done so that nothing takes away the focus from the artwork in the frame. Also, the wide plain mat helps to draw the viewer's eyes to the center of the frame, bringing attention to the artwork.

Now that you know a bit more about picture framing, you can find any type of frame you need from quality online picture frame suppliers.

Susan Slobac is an avid photographer.Susan believes a picture frame is more than just fashion; it's a safeguard for something you love. In this article Susan talks about custom picture frames.