Once you receive your drawing, you will want to frame it as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the greater the chance something will happen to it. Your drawing can be safe and protected, but you must get it behind glass. Finalizing your drawing by preparing it for display can be a lot of fun. Just make sure that you are really happy with your choice of frame and mat. Changing the frame and mat down the road will only increase the chances of your drawing becoming damaged. Here are some things to consider when preparing your drawing for display.
Framing
- Selecting a frame: Stay away from white and colored frames (red, green, blue, etc.). Graphite pencil drawings look best when they don’t have to compete with color. Instead, choose a neutral-colored frame which will enhance the drawing. I typically use wooden frames of all natural color varieties. Black and silver work too. I even like rustic or barn wood frames with some drawings. Stay away from metal frames; they only seem to cheapen the look of a drawing.
- Un-matted frames: Go to any hobby/art supply store and pick out a frame to fit the drawing (i.e. 8x10 or 11x14). I will always lightly draw the border size around your drawing. However, you may have to gently trim any excess paper around the border to make it fit in the frame…but be careful not to touch the drawing or cut too much off!!
- Pre-matted frames: With this choice, no cutting of the drawing is necessary. Open the frame, center the drawing in the middle of the mat, and tape the outside edges to the back of the matting. *Make sure the opening on the mat is the same size as your drawing, instead of the frame being the same size. I have made this mistake before and I go home and realize the matting is cut too small for my drawing.
- Custom framing: Take your drawing to any frame shop and select your frame. This is usually a little more expensive, but the frames come in more varieties of styles and sizes. * Instruct the employee framing your drawing about the proper way to handle it (see my “Handling Instructions” page).
Make sure you have the glass cleaned and dried thoroughly on both sides before framing.
Matting
- Choosing the Color: I suggest choosing a mat that matches the paper of the drawing (white or off-white) or the graphite (shades of gray). Stay away from color (blue, red, green, etc). This ensures that the drawing is the focus instead of the matting.
- Double matting: This is when you have two mats, one placed on top of the other. The bottom mat, being cut smaller, will “peek” out beneath the top mat. Make the bottom mat darker than the top mat. I highly suggest double matting your drawing if you can. They really “dress-up” the presentation of the drawing.
Display
There are two ways to display your framed drawing, hanging on a wall or as a tabletop display. Either way is dependant upon your preference and space availability. If you choose the tabletop display, I recommend placing the framed drawing on an easel to create a more elegant effect.
How ever you plan on displaying your drawing, make sure it is in a place where it is safe from being knocked to the ground. You certainly wouldn't want the glass to break and damage the drawing.
