There are a huge number of ways to frame artwork, but they all focus around a few concepts: the frame, the mat and the glass. The right choice in these, in the right combination, makes for the perfect protection and display of fine art for living rooms, museums, offices and places of business.
Frames
The choice of frame is all about aesthetics. Frames not only come in a number of colors, but also in a number of styles. The style of frame is often chosen to match the décor of the room in which the piece of art is placed. The color will often coordinate with that style or echo colors in the painting. If the artwork is more important than the surroundings, such as in a museum or collection, the frame will be of a neutral color and design so as not to distract from the artwork.
Mats
Mats are also used to add extra protection, color and cropping to a piece of art. Mats are pieces of cardboard that separate the piece of art from the glass or frame. Oil and pastel paintings particularly benefit from the use of a mat because resting the finished painting against the glass or frame can potentially damage the painting. All mats should be acid-free. Any acid in a mat can potentially damage an artwork, as well. Most mats that can be purchased today will have labels insuring that they are acid-free or "archival."
Mats come in an unending amount of colors. Each one can be cut to have a bigger or smaller opening, so that more or less of the painting shows. A large field of white mat around a black and white artwork will have a different visual effect than a thin strip a red mat going around a farm painting. Many designers and framers will play with different mats to get the effect they need. They may even layer several mats on top of each other to get more depth and more elaborate results.
Glass
The sole purpose of the glass is to protect. Glass shields the artwork from dust and air pollutants. Certain types of glass can also be chosen to protect the painting from UV rays to prevent fading.
