| Framing watercolor pictures is now a huge | | | | Half full-sized standard sheets [555 x 375mm] are |
| widespread industry. | | | | Normal painting sized sheets. Use this Normal |
| As education has been made available to children of | | | | Standard size for most of your work. |
| all ages drawing and painting have been found to be | | | | Only cut this size down if you need a smaller painting. |
| useful tools to engage their attention. These children | | | | Keep uncut full Size Sheets in a special portfolio. |
| grow up with a first hand acquaintance of the joys | | | | A painting is often framed as if seen through a |
| and satisfactions to be founding in the graphic arts. | | | | window. This to me is wrong - the frame with its |
| An industry has developed supplying painting materials | | | | mount and the picture should read as a single object. |
| for this huge market for specialist painting products. | | | | The following mount sizes below are approximately |
| Picture framing is part of this wider industry and | | | | balanced to achieve this unity but are rounded for |
| serves painters of all types and all levels of ability | | | | convenience and perhaps memory. |
| with high quality mass-produced framing services and | | | | These sizes have been used for many years and |
| products. | | | | have not been selected for the purposes of this |
| Framing watercolors is necessary to their | | | | text. |
| preservation. How this is done is a personal thing but | | | | FULL SIZE PAINTING [In International mm] |
| adopting the following suggestions will be more than | | | | Paper 760 x 555 mm |
| helpful to set off your work in the best possible way | | | | Window 720 x 520 |
| to avoid later disappointment especially in the medium | | | | Mount [overall] 900 x 700 |
| and long term. | | | | Glass [overall] 900 x 700 |
| The object of framing a watercolor is to present the | | | | Mount width ninety mm |
| painting at its best and to protect it from damage by | | | | HALF FULL SIZE |
| dust organisms dampness and toxins in the air. The | | | | Paper 555 x 375 |
| effect of framing therefore is to preserve the work | | | | Window 520 x 360 |
| and retain its value for its owner in the many years | | | | Mount [overall] 680 x 520 |
| to come. | | | | Glass [overall] 680 x 520 |
| During the life of the painting reframing will probably | | | | Mount width eighty mm |
| be necessary to stave off deterioration from attack | | | | QUARTER FULL SIZE |
| - let the frame system absorb the attack instead of | | | | Paper 375 x 275 |
| the painting ground. | | | | Window 360 x 260 |
| Framing is also necessary for selling work at | | | | Mount [overall] 500 x 400 |
| exhibitions and framing also helps your own personal | | | | Glass [overall] 500 x 400 |
| selling. | | | | Mount width seventy mm |
| Framing too has undergone its own development and | | | | For watercolor paintings the frames are best when |
| there are a number of dos and don'ts best adhered | | | | small section medium or blonde tone natural wood |
| to until you know better. | | | | matt finish hardwood timber is used. Please do not |
| The framing system consists of the following parts | | | | use colored frames. Black frames cause too much |
| put together in a sort of sandwich with the painting | | | | contrast and therefore glare between the frame |
| as its central filling. These parts are: | | | | edge and the glass or the wall behind. Simple small |
| The surround Frame. | | | | section classical molded wood frames are good. |
| The picture Glass. | | | | Bulky wood frames should not be used. |
| The Mount. | | | | Glass should be picture grade [not window glass] |
| The Picture. | | | | glass. Never use photographic non-reflective glass - |
| The Backing. | | | | ever! |
| The Taping | | | | Mounts should be warm white for warm toned |
| These are put together to form a single object - a | | | | paintings. Use cold white mounts for cool toned |
| framed watercolor painting. | | | | pictures. Mount should be of purpose made mount |
| There is a very important additional reason for | | | | quality with the window cut on the bevel. It is |
| framing the watercolor painting under glass. This | | | | unnecessary to use multi-frames and double mounts |
| relates to the very nature of watercolors. It is not | | | | or built-up frames. If you feel this then probably the |
| generally appreciated a watercolor when complete | | | | picture is not finished or too small for the size of |
| before drying the colors are much brighter than when | | | | picture frame you wish to use. |
| dry. In drying the color loses impact. This is because | | | | Backing should be hardboard - but not oil-bound |
| the water acts like a brightener. As the still wet | | | | hardboard. Sealing tape used should only be special |
| picture is the effect the painter wanted to achieve if | | | | framers' tape. Defer to framer. Never use self |
| this is degraded in any way then the way to recover | | | | adhesive tape unless it is purpose made for the job. |
| the color strength is to display it under glass. | | | | The ground will slip in very hot weather. |
| There is a way to mitigate this loss of brightness and | | | | There are two grades of professional framers. The |
| that is to paint as near dry as the medium will allow. | | | | first is the professional high street framer or framing |
| Low tones though will not retain transparency if they | | | | workshop owner whose aim is to give you the best |
| are laid too dry | | | | framing service he can within the competition |
| The work therefore must be given frequent checks | | | | environment in the locality. |
| under glass during actual painting to confirm how the | | | | The second is the framing artist who designs |
| impact of the color is progressing. | | | | purpose tailor-made or bespoke frames to exactly |
| Frame sizes should be consistent to save paper and | | | | suit a picture's unique individual character. Such a |
| time lost when mix-ups occur if different dimensions | | | | framer demands high prices but to see each painting |
| are frequently used for each painting. Also exhibitions | | | | complete in its own unique way is a great joy. This |
| can look very untidy if there are too many sizes. If | | | | approach to framing was at one time the only way |
| this is the case the pictures themselves have to be | | | | pictures were framed. It was the norm. The framing |
| displayed in a kind of abstract layout to achieve unity | | | | costs then must have been high |
| of presentation. | | | | Only museums and auction houses will now meet the |
| Consistency in sizes will also convey some | | | | expenses expected by the framing artist. |
| consistency in your work. | | | | Please do not frame your own pictures. Even if you |
| Sizes are defined by halving a full-sized sheet of | | | | are a handy with tools it is better for you just to |
| paper into two standard half-sized sheets. Halve one | | | | paint. |
| half full-size sheet to obtain two quarter-full sized | | | | My very best wishes. |
| sheets. | | | | |