This article will reveal steps to frame a watercolor painting. The main job is to choose the right frame for the correct painting as we would see in museums or art galleries. So let’s learn the 5 tips to frame a watercolor painting:
- Pleasing frame or not: A frame can be too large or too small. A too small frame doesn’t allow the watercolor to “breathe”; not giving the painting needed space for the artistic flow of the image to be viewed. On the other hand a frame that is too large has the bad effect or overpowering effect. Choose the frame that’s deep enough to hold the painting with matte or glazing in appropriate proportion. Our eye is the best evidence proof that will detect whether the frame is proportionate or not.
- Frame should complement the painting: A very common mistake usually occurs by using a very loud frame on a painting. Sometimes it happens that the views first place their attention is on the frame and then on the painting inside. For example a discord is created when an ornate gold frame fights against the bold or subtle colors of painting. It could remind the viewer of a beautiful song with an off key played note. The frame may be beautiful in and off itself but its pairing with ‘off beat’ painting spoils the appearance of the entire piece of art.
- Frame color should complement the painting: Should a frame color be gilded with any precious metals like gold, silver or natural wood? The answer isn’t easy because there isn’t any hard or fast rules in it. Toning can make the gold frame look old, distressed or brand new at times. Golds generally look great in portraits. Silver generally portraits the monotone piece, photograph or most prints. But again to emphasize and repeat the words that there are no hard and fast rules in framing colors.
- Choice of Subject: Choosing a frame in the museum for a piece of art, one should always consider the both artist and the piece of work provided. As many artists generally frame their own work the naming is not so necessary, but as an artist travels from place to place they should name the subject properly for proper identification. For example an Italian countryside should always be framed in the form of an Italian style frame or landscapes of Netherlands should have a dark ripple moulding in its frame.
- Matting matters and Glass: Generally on visiting the museum, one must notice that loud colours or strong colours are never applied for the matte on any piece of artwork. The curators feel that a colorful matte s is a distraction to the art, therefore go with neutral and light shades as light colours will make the image in the frame look more important. The plexiglass or real glass choice, both have advantages and disadvantages. Plexiglass is very light weight but it gets scratched very easily. But both of them offers the UV protection and comes in varieties and advantages. No matter which you choose, plexi of glass it is important for preservation of a watercolor to use UV Protection Glass. UV light fades colors in watercolor paintings quickly, especially reds. And never hang a painting in direct sunlight.