Frames for galleries and/or sales

[januaryman]

I need to get inexpensive frames, black, thin, measuring 12x16 to accommodate an 8x12 print and mat. These seem to be hard to find or non existent. Does anyone have a source they might share? Online would be nice. Thanks in advance.

 

[furcafe]

You should try Apex in Alexandria (6464 General Green Way, (703) 914-1000, apexmoulding.com). They're a wholesale framing shop, so they're almost as cheap as doing it yourself w/mail order frames. Cash/check only IIRC, though.

I need to get inexpensive frames, black, thin, measuring 12x16 to accommodate an 8x12 print and mat. These seem to be hard to find or non existent. Does anyone have a source they might share? Online would be nice. Thanks in advance.

 

[emraphoto]

not sure if this is applicable but i have long been an IKEA shopper for cheap exhibition frames. the ribba series, with glass, is cheap as chips. more often than not i re-cut my own matt.

 

[dfoo]

not sure if this is applicable but i have long been an IKEA shopper for cheap exhibition frames. the ribba series, with glass, is cheap as chips. more often than not i re-cut my own matt.

How do you mount the print?

 

[gns]

Have you looked at Light Impressions?
http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/index.action

I never bought from them and don't know if their prices are good, but they send me their catalog and they seem to have a lot of stuff.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[emraphoto]

How do you mount the print?

i buy acid free matts via a local art supply and cut both the matt and backing on my own.

http://www.inficad.com/~gstewart/photo_mounting_101.htm

voila!

 

[dfoo]

i buy acid free matts via a local art supply and cut both the matt and backing on my own.

http://www.inficad.com/~gstewart/photo_mounting_101.htm

voila!

Thanks! What do you use for backing? Also, is the dry mount tissue easily available in art supply stores, or is that something specific to photo mounting?

 

[Sparrow]

The problem with the IKEA range is the proportions, in Europe they are all in the A size paper ratio so a 2:3 print looks a bit odd. I have some in my house and never been truly happy with them. Can you get different ones in the US?

 

[emraphoto]

i don't think so and you really have to be able to cut your own matts otherwise you and up with odd size prints.

dfoo - you mount on the same (or cheaper) matt board you use for cutting matts.

the tape should be readily available via a local art supply store or ask your local framing store as they might have a mail order supplier.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

A. C. Moore, and cut your own mats...that's my method

 

[dfoo]

I used foam core in the past with 3M spray, and wasn't very happy with the results. The core was too thick for the frame and the spray was a pain because if you screwed up the positioning then it was game over for the print.

 

[back alley]

i also use the ribba frames from ikea.
i dont use mats at all, i put 8x10 photos in the 8x10 frames, image goes in with no mat is the frame is the only boundary.
they also have frames that fit 8.5x11.

i use the paper, the mat and the stiff backing that comes with the frame as backing for the print, stays flat.
i hang them gallery style on my walls and i think they look sharp.

joe

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

i also use the ribba frames from ikea.
i dont use mats at all, i put 8x10 photos in the 8x10 frames, image goes in with no mat is the frame is the only boundary.
they also have frames that fit 8.5x11.

i use the paper, the mat and the stiff backing that comes with the frame as backing for the print, stays flat.
i hang them gallery style on my walls and i think they look sharp.

joe

I did do a show at a coffee shop where there were no mats, I just printed the images 6x9 in the middle of a larger piece of paper, and let the border of the paper serve as a "mat." It looked pretty decent.

 

[bob338]

I need to get inexpensive frames, black, thin, measuring 12x16 to accommodate an 8x12 print and mat. These seem to be hard to find or non existent. Does anyone have a source they might share? Online would be nice. Thanks in advance.

i had a customer bring in 13 Ribba frames from Ikea over the weekend. they are approximately 16x20 and i'm matting photos that are 9x15 to fit into them.

she paid $15 for each frame and is now paying $49 more to have them matted and fitted properly for a total of $64.

had she come to me with 13 photos and said she has $845 to frame 13 pieces, i would have figured out a way to do the order for her. as it stands, she has 13 ikea frames with cheap thin glass, cardboard backing and easily damaged frames that add nothing to the value of the prints.

if i were in your shoes, i would either reprint the photos to fit into the ribba frames(print should be 12x16,) or find a small owner-operated frame shop and go directly to the owner to try to strike a deal. none of us are doing a lot of business right now and an order for 13 pieces is one that frame shops can usually make a good deal on.

good luck.

bob

 

[januaryman]

Thanks all for the excellent ikeas ... err... ideas. As for mats, I found an ebayer who cuts acid free12x16 mats for 8x12 photos and if you order a certain number, they ship free. I haven't received them yet, but ordered from this person: http://myworld.ebay.com/buy-great-frames - no relationship, no recommendation, but I'll let you know how they look when I get them for anyone who is looking.

Thanks again.

 

[bob338]

Thanks all for the excellent ikeas ... err... ideas. As for mats, I found an ebayer who cuts acid free12x16 mats for 8x12 photos and if you order a certain number, they ship free. I haven't received them yet, but ordered from this person: http://myworld.ebay.com/buy-great-frames - no relationship, no recommendation, but I'll let you know how they look when I get them for anyone who is looking.

Thanks again.

$5 each for acid free mats is a pretty good deal. you may want to buy the frames from him too, 12x16 readymades are pretty difficult to find.

bob

ps--i forgot to add above that you do not need to mount the photos. you don't have the proper $4k press to drymount themwith tissue and using Super77 spray glue without a press is pretty hard to do well. i would suggest hinging the photos with Scotch Magic tape. i use Filmoplast P90, but it's not easy to find and fairly expensive.

 

[januaryman]

Thanks Bob! I have some frames from another ebay-er, but the damn width of the molding is very wide -- I wanted something thinner.

 

[Sparrow]

$5 each for acid free mats is a pretty good deal. you may want to buy the frames from him too, 12x16 readymades are pretty difficult to find.

bob

ps--i forgot to add above that you do not need to mount the photos. you don't have the proper $4k press to drymount themwith tissue and using Super77 spray glue without a press is pretty hard to do well. i would suggest hinging the photos with Scotch Magic tape. i use Filmoplast P90, but it's not easy to find and fairly expensive.

3M spray mount on the back of the print, stick it roughly in the middle of a large piece of mounting board, cover with some layout paper and go over it with a rubber roller, measure and cut mounting board to fit the mask with a Swan-Morton knife, prefect every time

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

if you have a michaels in town, they carry good mats and frames

Michaels is VERY, VERY expensive. Like 4 times what the same frames can be bought at mail order.

Try American Frame and but the Neilsen metal frames. Style 11 is the most popular for photographs. I buy them without glass or matboard because I cut my own mats from Museum board and I do a better job than most frame shops, and its A LOT cheaper to do your own. But if you can't, they offer matting. LIke Fred said, plastic glass sucks, so I buy my glass from a local glass shop, its not expensive.

 

[raindog61]

Since you're not making large print, I would suggest using photo mounting corners. You can make them yourself, or you can purchase them direct. As mentioned. Light Impressions out of Rochester, NY is probably one of the best.

I've been using this method since the early 90's and never had a problem.

Also, check out youtube for plenty of ideas on how to mat a print.

Here's a link for photo corners:

http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/item.action?itemGroupId=365

Harry.