Poster Framing Tips for a Virgin Framer?

walkunafraid

I've been thinking about framing some of my EV/PJ posters for a long time, but have never fully committed to doing so to this point. But my fiancee and I just bought our first house, and now that I have a room that I get to do whatever I want with (it's going to be the coolest room ever), a few framed posters are a MUST.

I'm a bit overwhelmed, however, with the whole process. I've read on here that a place like Michael's is not a safe place to go for framing -- but I certainly don't want to do them myself, and I don't know of any small, specialty framing shops in the area. I also know pretty much nothing about mounting, matte (?) types, etc. And, I don't have an endless supply of money to spend.

So I was wondering if anybody who is experienced in getting posters framed can throw me a few tips. Namely:

- what places have you gone to that seem reliable and/or unreliable?
- what advice can you give in terms of mounting, mattes, or any other specs of framing?
- how much money can i expect to spend for a decent frame job?
- what else should i know beforehand?

I know there are probably a bunch of other questions I should be asking, but I honestly don't know what they are at this point.

If it helps, the posters I know I want to frame include:

- EV Kenyon Hall
- EV Chicago (signed by EV and Brad K.)
- PJ DC Klausen
- PJ Santa Barbara 06

Plus maybe a few others.

Thank you ahead of time for any advice!

twojawas

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=101678

MayDay10

Check out the DIY instructions on expressobeans.

Get your package from americaneframe.com. You can upload your poster's image and build your setup on that site.

Order.

Wait.

Get your delivery.

Frame it yourself.


I think it looks just as good. My first time was pretty easy. It save many dollars too.

eldarion75

expressobeans.com has excellent resources and a forum dedicated to this..hit it!

NYbenben

depending on how fancy you want to get... i have done a few myself and had some done... Michaels is definitly not a bad place to go... i have had them cut mats for me and i put the rest together in the frames myself.. .and i have had them do the whole job... they do a good job at a good price... you can go to a local framer too... you will probably pay a but more, but its all on how you feel.

walkunafraid

twojawas wrote:

http://community.pearljam.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=101678

Thank you!

MayDay10 wrote:

Check out the DIY instructions on expressobeans.

Get your package from americaneframe.com. You can upload your poster's image and build your setup on that site.

Order.

Wait.

Get your delivery.

Frame it yourself.


I think it looks just as good. My first time was pretty easy. It save many dollars too.

Thank you!

eldarion75 wrote:

expressobeans.com has excellent resources and a forum dedicated to this..hit it!

Thank you!

NYbenben wrote:

depending on how fancy you want to get... i have done a few myself and had some done... Michaels is definitly not a bad place to go... i have had them cut mats for me and i put the rest together in the frames myself.. .and i have had them do the whole job... they do a good job at a good price... you can go to a local framer too... you will probably pay a but more, but its all on how you feel.

Thank you!

Plankton

From a lot of the PJ poster frames I've seen around, I think a lot of people go too crazy with the mounts, often I don't think they're even needed. Also, that makes it a lot cheaper because it's so much less frame.

HermanBloom

Get the wallet out and pay nicely. Michael's does a good job, but they are expensive. Find a good local framer that you can establish a relationship with.

Better Dan

HermanBloom wrote:

Get the wallet out and pay nicely. Michael's does a good job, but they are expensive. Find a good local framer that you can establish a relationship with.

What can I expect to pay at Michael's for a poster that is around 16 x 24?

Ok

Don't over pay....(not trying to be sarcastic), but over the years I've got the best deals for the best product (quality materials and craftmanship) from mom and pop shops. Especially if you do two or three at a time, generally you can negotiate a bigger discount. shop around.

Ok

DS114969 wrote:

HermanBloom wrote:

Get the wallet out and pay nicely. Michael's does a good job, but they are expensive. Find a good local framer that you can establish a relationship with.

What can I expect to pay at Michael's for a poster that is around 16 x 24?

it will depend on a number of factors, like what glass you choose (uv, reg), how many mats, stock materials, etc.) I would expect to pay probably north of $200 (maybe a little conservative).

PillowPants

i need to frame my stuff

thanks for the info

CJMST3K

I own a frame shop and began doing it 20.5 years ago in my father's frame shop. I've worked in 2 "big box" frame stores as well as mine and my father's independent ones.

The "sale" gimmicks are just that - gimmicks. Don't assume that when Michael's says "$500 retail, $250 on sale" that you can't find a similar frame for $250 at a local frame shop.

I've found that many big box stores hire less experienced framers, and the only time I've seen people butcher artwork and prints has been at big box framing stores. One customer told me that Michael's cut off the bottom of their limited edition print and taped it to the back of their framing because they didn't know the difference between a cheap poster and a limited edition.

I also have a part time employee who used to work at Michaels. She said they were trained to put tape on the back-side of the mat, and put the mat on the artwork - thus getting tape ON the face of the artwork (though hidden under the mat so the customer's were none the wiser).

In another big-box frame shop I caught an employee drymounting an OIL PAINTING!! This is one of the biggest no-no's in the business... he did it because "the customer will never know".

Another time a newbie framer put glass on the artwork, then slid the glass down to get a piece of dust off, then slid the glass back up, thus skimming the printing off of the print.

Design-wise, many times at BB stores, there is no training... so you have someone who has never been trained giving you advice on what to use.

There are too many stories of problems at big-box stores. I'm sure there are some decent framers mixed in at a big-box store. Just don't count on them working on your piece for sure.

I'm a fan of big-box stores for TV's and buying pants, but framing is a whole other ball game, unless you are not concerned about the value of your print being lowered by an inexperienced framer handling your art.

I recommend going to a DECENT independent frame shop. If you have a budget, tell them what it is!! When people come to me, I'm glad to find them a frame that fits their budget, as long as it's reasonable.

My 2 cents! Carry on.

PJammer4life

I just took 7 posters in to frame over the last 2 days for the first time. Mats are needed to keep the poster off the glass which can harm the poster. UV glass protects the poster from fading..but is about 6 times more expensive I was told than normal glass. Double mats have a large outer color(2-3 inches) and an 1/4 inch color mat that matches something from the poster inside. Bigger the print the bigger the cost. If you don't want to use mats then you can ask to use spacers to keep the poster off the glass. This could save money on mats and glass..but is for those who don't like mats..which most framers won't recommend.

PushinPaint

Hi,

I too am not very experienced at framing but have got a few framed. I have used hobby lobby for all of mine and here is what I have learned:

-many PJ posters are odd sized and require custom frames, which can be costly
-matting adds to the price also and looks good, but to me, a nice custom frame flush with the poster looks greaet also
-uv glass is super expensive and i opted not to get it

i have framed PJ little rock, an EV, and CCFA poster I really liked. Average cost is around 50 bucks a piece. Not too bad actually relative to what others spend. But if you are like me and have 10 to frame, 500 bucks is alot of money! To me, my posters look really good and I am super happy with them. I found that the sales person at hobby lobby seemed pretty knowledable, but at the time, most everyone was more knowledgable than me. In the future, I plan on selecting a larger frame and getting a mat, or if possible, get a frame that fits it perfectly (most of the EV posters are standard sizes, therefore, no custom frame or mat is really necessary (unless you want the mat)). But like i said, i feel as though they look great with no mat. i know I didn't help so much, but these are my experiences. Good luck!

CJMST3K

JM174075 wrote:

Hi,

I too am not very experienced at framing but have got a few framed. I have used hobby lobby for all of mine and here is what I have learned:

-many PJ posters are odd sized and require custom frames, which can be costly
-matting adds to the price also and looks good, but to me, a nice custom frame flush with the poster looks greaet also
-uv glass is super expensive and i opted not to get it

i have framed PJ little rock, an EV, and CCFA poster I really liked. Average cost is around 50 bucks a piece. Not too bad actually relative to what others spend. But if you are like me and have 10 to frame, 500 bucks is alot of money! To me, my posters look really good and I am super happy with them. I found that the sales person at hobby lobby seemed pretty knowledable, but at the time, most everyone was more knowledgable than me. In the future, I plan on selecting a larger frame and getting a mat, or if possible, get a frame that fits it perfectly (most of the EV posters are standard sizes, therefore, no custom frame or mat is really necessary (unless you want the mat)). But like i said, i feel as though they look great with no mat. i know I didn't help so much, but these are my experiences. Good luck!

Museum Glass (or as Michaels sells, "Masterpiece" glass which is imperfect "Museum" glass seconds) is expensive, but has 1% reflection, so it's very clear and protects 99% of UV light.

Conservation Glass looks the same as regular glass, but it also protects from 99% of UV light, but is very reasonable in price.

If you are putting your own frames together, you want to make sure that the backing is acid free foamboard (not the shiny kind, AF foamboard has a slightly fuzzy feeling to it). You'll want to install spacers if you don't use a mat. If your prints are touching glass directly, over time it's very possible for the printing to stick to the glass... if you don't care about value, then save yourself a few bucks (though the sticking may be visible after a while). The more shiny the surface, the more likely the sticking is to occur (eg, if you're framing a piece of fabric with no printing, I wouldn't worry about it, but with printing on paper, definitely think about it).

decides2dream

PJammer4life wrote:

I just took 7 posters in to frame over the last 2 days for the first time. Mats are needed to keep the poster off the glass which can harm the poster. UV glass protects the poster from fading..but is about 6 times more expensive I was told than normal glass. Double mats have a large outer color(2-3 inches) and an 1/4 inch color mat that matches something from the poster inside. Bigger the print the bigger the cost. If you don't want to use mats then you can ask to use spacers to keep the poster off the glass. This could save money on mats and glass..but is for those who don't like mats..which most framers won't recommend.

just like to point out, untrue.
my framer totally 'recommends' such if indeed you do not want mats, and agrees, depending on your purposes....can be ideal/preferential to mats. it's all personal perspective. mats can add to a print's display, but also can detract. also, if you are displaying a lot of work close together, it is sometimes preferential or 'cleaner' to go with no mat, or very neutral mat. one needs to consider their OVERALL their desires...not just one print, but your design needs for all the work/display.

if you do not want it matted, ask for spacer bars. all my pj posters are archivally framed: UV glass acid-free backing board, no dry-mount nor mat and spacer bars! i have a lot of posters and one display wall. mats take up far too much room for my purposes/aesthetics, therefore....spacer bars. just want to put that out there.

i echo the sentiments of either doing it yourself with archival materials (if you do indeed care about such things) or going to a local shop. i have cut mats and framed numerous prints of my own photowork, but since i do not want mats and utilize spacer bars, i leave my pj prints to pros. i've used the same shop for all my pj posters and have developed a nice reltionship with my framers. on average, i spend about $100 per poster. some more, some less, obviously depending on the size of the print. each and every one of my posters is framed identically.

walkunafraid

Thanks for all the advice, everyone!

I've decided to go with americanframe.com.

A few more questions for people in the know (or who have used the site before):

- Does the type of mat matter? (I see the Crescent Berkshire is free, and the Crescent Select is about $12...is there any reason why I should use the Select?)

- What type of black do you typically use for mat color? (I am looking at "jet black" under the Crescent Select right now, but it's really hard to tell the exact color that is on my computer).

Thank you (again).

PJStatTracker

walkunafraid wrote:

Thanks for all the advice, everyone!

I've decided to go with americanframe.com.

A few more questions for people in the know (or who have used the site before):

- Does the type of mat matter? (I see the Crescent Berkshire is free, and the Crescent Select is about $12...is there any reason why I should use the Select?)

- What type of black do you typically use for mat color? (I am looking at "jet black" under the Crescent Select right now, but it's really hard to tell the exact color that is on my computer).

Thank you (again).

I would go with the Crescent Select...my understanding is that those are the 100% acid free ones, where as the Berkshire only have an acid free core or something like that...

For $25, American Frame will give you a sample of all the Crescent Select mats...if you are going to be doing additional framing beyond this one, I recommend doing that, as you can get the exact color you are looking for without any question...

The jet black will probably be fine...which poster are you framing? I have the sample set, and quite a few posters, so I might be able to tell you if the jet black matches well...

walkunafraid

Eduardo Veduardo. wrote:

walkunafraid wrote:

Thanks for all the advice, everyone!

I've decided to go with americanframe.com.

A few more questions for people in the know (or who have used the site before):

- Does the type of mat matter? (I see the Crescent Berkshire is free, and the Crescent Select is about $12...is there any reason why I should use the Select?)

- What type of black do you typically use for mat color? (I am looking at "jet black" under the Crescent Select right now, but it's really hard to tell the exact color that is on my computer).

Thank you (again).

I would go with the Crescent Select...my understanding is that those are the 100% acid free ones, where as the Berkshire only have an acid free core or something like that...

For $25, American Frame will give you a sample of all the Crescent Select mats...if you are going to be doing additional framing beyond this one, I recommend doing that, as you can get the exact color you are looking for without any question...

The jet black will probably be fine...which poster are you framing? I have the sample set, and quite a few posters, so I might be able to tell you if the jet black matches well...

Thank you!

I will definitely be ordering the samples...great tip. I didn't even see those on the site until you mentioned them.

I am framing the Santa Barbara '06 (Ames).

Your help is greatly appreciated!

Oh yeah, one more question (for anybody)...do you always use the UV glazing? I know it's recommended, but the poster has pretty sparse ink (it is mostly white/blank space), and will be in a room with little sunlight...would it be bad to save a little money and not get the UV on this poster only?

decides2dream

walkunafraid wrote:

Eduardo Veduardo. wrote:

walkunafraid wrote:

Thanks for all the advice, everyone!

I've decided to go with americanframe.com.

A few more questions for people in the know (or who have used the site before):

- Does the type of mat matter? (I see the Crescent Berkshire is free, and the Crescent Select is about $12...is there any reason why I should use the Select?)

- What type of black do you typically use for mat color? (I am looking at "jet black" under the Crescent Select right now, but it's really hard to tell the exact color that is on my computer).

Thank you (again).

I would go with the Crescent Select...my understanding is that those are the 100% acid free ones, where as the Berkshire only have an acid free core or something like that...

For $25, American Frame will give you a sample of all the Crescent Select mats...if you are going to be doing additional framing beyond this one, I recommend doing that, as you can get the exact color you are looking for without any question...

The jet black will probably be fine...which poster are you framing? I have the sample set, and quite a few posters, so I might be able to tell you if the jet black matches well...

Thank you!

I will definitely be ordering the samples...great tip. I didn't even see those on the site until you mentioned them.

I am framing the Santa Barbara '06 (Ames).

Your help is greatly appreciated!

Oh yeah, one more question (for anybody)...do you always use the UV glazing? I know it's recommended, but the poster has pretty sparse ink (it is mostly white/blank space), and will be in a room with little sunlight...would it be bad to save a little money and not get the UV on this poster only?

if you really want to preserve the print, i would go with the UV glazing, always. even in a low light room, perhaps one day you'll move it to a new spot? better to spend the cash now and it's always *safe*.....just my 0.02 there.

CJMST3K

decides2dream wrote:

walkunafraid wrote:

Oh yeah, one more question (for anybody)...do you always use the UV glazing? I know it's recommended, but the poster has pretty sparse ink (it is mostly white/blank space), and will be in a room with little sunlight...would it be bad to save a little money and not get the UV on this poster only?

if you really want to preserve the print, i would go with the UV glazing, always. even in a low light room, perhaps one day you'll move it to a new spot? better to spend the cash now and it's always *safe*.....just my 0.02 there.

Prints fade with GENERAL exposure to sunlight (sunlight just coming into the room will fade it over a period of years - but if direct sunlight, your print will fade in just a few months) and also flourecent lights. With TruVue brand Conservation Glass it will protect it from 99% of UV light (except direct sunlight, that will still fade it no matter what glass you use).

Only if you are hanging it permanently in a room with 0% window light and 0% flourecent lighting would I feel comfortable recommending regular glass.

(also beware that plexiglass can scratch and can be difficult to clean)

walkunafraid

Alright...the pros have spoken...conservation glass it is.

One more thing...when inputting the measurements for the poster on americanframe.com, do I put in the actual poster size or do I need to account for mat overlap?

CJMST3K

walkunafraid wrote:

Alright...the pros have spoken...conservation glass it is.

One more thing...when inputting the measurements for the poster on americanframe.com, do I put in the actual poster size or do I need to account for mat overlap?

Since I've never used the website, you'll probably want to call them to ask. A pro framer (like me) takes the opening size I want to accomplish, enough to retain the poster from falling out of the opening.

Kilgore_Trout

walkunafraid wrote:

- what places have you gone to that seem reliable and/or unreliable?
- what advice can you give in terms of mounting, mattes, or any other specs of framing?
- how much money can i expect to spend for a decent frame job?
- what else should i know beforehand?

dont listen to the poster snobs... theres nothing wrong with going to michaels or hobby lobby to get your framing done... if you go to a specialty store youre gonna pay out the ass and in the end the quality is not much different... found the same to be true of americanframe.com frankly... wherever you go you should hold onto the print yourself until they call and say the frame is finished, then bring it in and supervise as they put it into the frame... i always feel safer that way and you can monitor quality control if youre a real stickler

i always go to hobby lobby when they have 50% off their custom frames (like every other week), get a simple light wood frame & solid white matte (ive seen alot of people around here do some REALLY cheesy things with matting and frames but just look at how any fine art piece is hung in a gallery or museum and you realize that extra shit just takes away from the art), and then get some museum-quality, non-reflective glass (more expensive but a good investment) - if you go for no matte then make sure they put spacers in so the posters not right up against the glass

expect to spend $100-$300 depending on size and everything

not much else to know really... just go with what feels right to you... and my big things is LESS IS MORE

CJMST3K

There's a lot of generalizations and incorrect assumptions in your statement, so I just want to clear some things up:

sgossard3 wrote:

dont listen to the poster snobs... theres nothing wrong with going to michaels or hobby lobby to get your framing done...

It depends on who they have working there and what training they have. I've seen a number of horror stories, and heard even more from employees, and they were not rare at all - it was/is an ongoing issue for these stores... so take that info for however you want to.

sgossard3 wrote:

if you go to a specialty store youre gonna pay out the ass and in the end the quality is not much different...

Uhh.... well, I am a high-end art gallery and a frame shop with 2,000 styles, from $6 per foot to $250 per foot. Your comment that "if you go to a specialty store youre gonna pay out the ass" and "in the end the quality is not much different" doesn't describe my business, nor a number of my indie competitors. So, from my 20 years of experience in both big boxes and indie stores, your comment is just plain incorrect.



The only thing that would be worth mentioning is that if you buy online, you probably will save a bit of money... from any frame shop whether big-box or local indie.

Kilgore_Trout

in the business eh? sounds like an unbiased opinion

these posters are worth $20 regardless of the inflated market... its nothing to get bent out of shape about... i keep an eye on people as theyre framing my stuff - like i said - but theres no reason to pay an extra $200 for the exact same product and 5 minutes of "trained" labor... granted, some people here have spent close to $1,000 for some of these posters... i guess for an investment like that it may be different but thats never been the boat im in

no offense meant to you... just giving the OP an honest blue collar answer that i have found to be incredibly reliable and affordable... as usual i probably used stronger language than necessary to drive home my point

CJMST3K

sgossard3 wrote:

in the business eh? sounds like an unbiased opinion

these posters are worth $20 regardless of the inflated market... its nothing to get bent out of shape about... i keep an eye on people as theyre framing my stuff - like i said - but theres no reason to pay an extra $200 for the exact same product and 5 minutes of "trained" labor... granted, some people here have spent close to $1,000 for some of these posters... i guess for an investment like that it may be different but thats never been the boat im in

no offense meant to you... just giving the OP an honest blue collar answer that i have found to be incredibly reliable and affordable... as usual i probably used stronger language than necessary to drive home my point

I'm giving a fully EDUCATED opinion on the subject. This was meant to educate the OP, and others interested.

Unbiased? No - biased by the many, many, many, many experiences I've had and also heard of from people I know.

"5 minutes of trained" labor"? ...uh, sure. If you say so.
"exact same product"? ...if you say so.


There are a number of people who it doesn't make sense to spend a lot of money on framing, and if you read the end of my post, I said that he can save some money by buying online, so I'm definitely not trying to line my pockets.

So, I'm trying to give all the info that 20 years can offer.

I'm giving HONEST answers, based on a lot of info, and I posted specific examples. I'm not just making blanket statements, like you were doing.

...ok, off to be caned, you are! :P

Kilgore_Trout

CJMST3K wrote:

...ok, off to be caned, you are! :P

thank you sir may i have another! :shock:

didnt mean to question your knowledge... just think someone should play devils advocate to the museum quality framing people willing to spend $1,000+ on a frame... i have a dali print in a great, protective frame that i love and hope to pass on to many future generations... my PJ posters? no ones gonna give a fuck about them when i go so they only have to survive probably 50 years (10 if i get married and my wife says theyre stupid, 2 if im broke after college and need the money)

hope this banter has been helpful to the OP... but probably not :x

CJMST3K

sgossard3 wrote:

CJMST3K wrote:

...ok, off to be caned, you are! :P

thank you sir may i have another! :shock:

didnt mean to question your knowledge... just think someone should play devils advocate to the museum quality framing people willing to spend $1,000+ on a frame... i have a dali print in a great, protective frame that i love and hope to pass on to many future generations... my PJ posters? no ones gonna give a fuck about them when i go so they only have to survive probably 50 years (10 if i get married and my wife says theyre stupid, 2 if im broke after college and need the money)

hope this banter has been helpful to the OP... but probably not :x

haha... you never know. helpful for entertainment I'd bet.

I'd say that if you are framing them strictly for decorative purposes, most frame shops will do fine, and buying online will save you some dough (only if you really aren't picky on color of matting, and going in with no pro-advice, and are ok with installing it yourself). If you want it to be in good condition for the future, and you want to be able to remove it in perfect condition (for future sale, like in 10 years if it becomes worth $500 and you want to cash it in) then I recommend bringing it to an indie frame shop, and let them know your budget, and they'll work with you and probably have quite a number of years of experience to guide you on what looks nice and how to treat the print to keep it in great condition for your lifetime.




At my frame shop I handle frame jobs for $3,000 a piece, and frame jobs for $60 a piece. A good local indie frame shop will offer everyone a good selection, and good advice.

NoelMichael

i'm gonna try americanframe too... but i think i remember reading somewhere that you don't put in the exact dimensions of the print when you're putting in the print sizes for matting.. is that true? do you have to add or subtract a fraction of an inch or something? does anyone know? or do you just give the exact print size