The picture frame is one of the first things you need to decide upon since it will help determine your final canvas print’s style, look, and feel. This means that you need to identify which type of frame goes towards your desired outcome.
1) The traditional frame: Traditional picture frames are made out of wood, metal, or plastic materials – basically any sturdy material that can hold up a frame. These tend to be thicker than most other types, so they may not always fit within particular images depending on how thick they are (i.e., an image might have two people standing close together but not “fit” under the same traditional frame because the thickness of the wooden or metal bar sticking out). On top of this, traditional picture frames are usually pretty bulky. This makes them the least popular of the three types listed here, but that doesn’t mean they can’t or shouldn’t be used!
2) The clip-on frame: A more modern and sleek-looking version is the clip-on style. These do just as their name implies: they attach to your canvas on the sides with a “clip” and don’t require any hardware for installation – this means no unsightly holes or nails in your artwork made of either plastic, metal, or wood materials. Clip-on tend to be thinner than traditional ones, which is a bonus if you’re looking for something simple and unobtrusive (i.e., if you have two people standing close together in your photo, the clip-on is an excellent choice). Clip-on are translucent (i.e., they let light through) and come in various colors – think everything from black to natural wood colors.
3) The shadowbox: Also referred to as frameless or floated mounted canvases – these are extremely popular when presenting art pieces, especially larger ones that need “to breathe,” so to speak. Think of this style as a traditional picture frame with no backing material or front face. This means there’s nothing coming into contact with the canvas print itself, which often suggests museums where you can see paintings up close without any obstructions. Nowadays, various modern technologies have gone towards creating shadow boxes that are frameless and look like they’re “floating” on the wall. Some popular materials used for shadow boxes frames are aluminum, plastic, or wood.
Whichever style you choose, picture frames provide a way to complete your canvas print and give it that polished and finished look. Remember that the frame is just as important as the image itself – so take your time in choosing the perfect one!
