Framing · 5 min read
Choosing a mount: why the space around a work matters
The mount is the quiet part of a frame. Done well, it gives a work room to breathe and pulls you in. Done badly, it shrinks everything.
IThe note
Read
Wider than you think
Most people choose a mount too narrow. For a work on paper of A3 size, 7 to 9 cm usually looks right. Small works often look best with very generous mounts, up to twice their own width.
Weight the bottom
Our framers add a centimetre or so to the bottom of the mount. The eye reads a perfectly even mount as sitting low, so the slight extra weight makes the work look centred.
The mount is the quiet part of a frame.
Colour: start with white
Soft white or ivory suits nearly everything. Colour in a mount competes with the work; if you want colour, take it from the frame instead. Charcoal mounts suit photographs and bright prints.
Float or window
A window mount covers the edges of the paper. A float mount shows the whole sheet, deckled edges and all, raised on spacers. For handmade paper and textiles we nearly always float.
Try it before you decide
Use the frame studio to compare widths and colours on your own work, then come in and we will lay real corners on it under gallery light.
Written by the Gilded Frame workshop. General guidance for this demo.
IIQuestions
Asked in the workshop
Can you reframe a work I already own?
Yes. We take the old frame apart carefully, check the work and its backing, and reframe with conservation materials.
Do you collect from homes?
Within Abuja, yes, for an example ₦10,000 each way, free on orders over ₦150,000.
How long does framing take?
Most frames are ready in seven working days; gilded frames take about three weeks.
IIIRead next
Caring for art in Abuja: heat, light and the harmattan
A painting will outlive you if you give it three things: a steady wall, no direct sun and a little attention when the dust comes in December.
IVVisit
See it in the room, under good light.
The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday. Book a private viewing and we will hang your shortlist, with tea, and no pressure to buy.