It is useful to understand the evolution of the picture frame. Today frames have become ‘stand alone’ items of mass production. Frames evolved from painted decorations of architraves and cornices that surrounded frescoes on walls and ceilings.

The great decorators and designers of past eras were usually universally consistent in their style. Paintings may be objects of great beauty or of historical importance, providing an important cultural link with the past. Traditional paintings are finished with a coat of varnish. Contemporary paintings, naive, or folk art may not have a ground layer or varnish coating. From an artists point of view this allows you to paint a frame before the framer gets his hands on it. The paint can be applied on a wide variety of supports.

Although the most common are canvas and wood, other supports include paper, cardboard, pressed board, artist's board, copper, ivory, glass, plaster, and stone. Paintings on canvas are usually stretched over an auxiliary wood support. An adjustable support is called a stretcher; a support with fixed corners is called a strainer. When structural damages occur in a painting such as tears, flaking paint, cracks with lifting edges, or mold, consult a conservator to decide on a future course of treatment for your painting.

Characteristics and functions of picture frames

• Protect the painting
• Combine the painting with the architectural style of the room as in repetition of color style or other design elements.
• Separate the painting from the wall.
• Burrow the attention to the painting so it will become the central point of a room or do the reverse.

There are a vide variety of frames available in the market to choose form which include the hand made frames, wooden frames, acrylic frames, silver frames, golden frames. All these frames are available in different colors, shapes, sizes. One can select the type of frames available from a vide range of frames available in the market such as the hand made frames, Acrylic frames, ready made frames, designer collection frames, wooden frames, silver plated frames etc. The various types of hand made frames are wooden frames, metal frames, and colorful frames etc which can be done by an individual who joins the courses of frame making. There is a vide range from which one can select the frames.

Some variety of frames

• Antique Gold Frame
• Red Wood Frame
• Red and Gold Frame
• Antique Grey Frame
• Gray Silver Frame
• Stone & Gold Frame
• Econo Frames
• Gold Frames

Framing paintings can be very expensive. So, is a professional frame worth the money, or should you make your own frames for your paintings?

Frame your canvas painting

• Make a strip frame for each painting.
• Don’t bother to cut the corners on an angle, but just butt them up.
• Apply a neutral paint to the frame.
• Tint it to the neutral you want.

Frame your paper painting

• Take your artwork to the biggest table that you have in your home, and get ready to be dazzled as you unroll it.
• Wear thin cotton gloves when framing.
• Using some heavy books to hold down the corners, carefully unroll your art on your table.
• Leave it this way for about 24 hours.
• ” Dry mount” your artwork.
• Just take your art to the store and have them measure your art and cut the custom matting for you.
• Attached artwork to the mount board with some acid-free cloth or paper tape.
• Use "photo corners" to mount your art.
• Attach your art to the hinges
• Place your matting, art, and mount board assembly into your frame.
• Take a look at your fine-looking finished product.

Professional Framers

“I had the tools so I gave it a shot. I was very pleased with the outcome. I used 1"x2" pine for materials. I painted the finished frame with satin black and it looked very good.” – Brian

“I don’t frame mine. I make my own stretchers mostly, so the edges are gallery-wrap, and I either continue the picture onto them or I paint them in a neutral color.” -- Taffetta

“I am a professional framer as well as an artist. There is a reason framing is expensive. It's worth it and it is time consuming. If you placed your effort into painting (presumably what you do best) and let someone more efficient with their time at framing, you might come out ahead. There is more to framing than just wrapping a canvas with wood or metal. Framing is an art and as with any art it takes much learning and practice. Even if a client wants a different frame they will buy the painting in the first place only if well presented. - Gerard

“I usually do not frame all of my paintings. But I have demo frames that I use to show what my paintings look like into a frame. I frame only those I show to sell.” – Gdexartiste

Conclusions

It is very important that one chooses the right frame. The frame should praise the canvas painting. A good frame is definitely going to make your painting look remarkable. There are various agencies which help you in selecting the right frame for your painting.