How to Frame an Oil Painting (with Pictures)

Table of contents:

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Oil paintings on canvas give the formality of a museum to the art collection of a house. Framing an oil painting protects it from damage as well as allowing it to be admired. If you want to show an oil on canvas, you have to use special techniques to frame it, so that the painting can breathe in the open air.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Finding a Frame

Step 1. Get a tape measure

Measure the height and width of your oil painting.

Step 2. Find out if it's a standard size

If it is 5 x 7 inches (12.7 - 17.7 cm), 6 x 8 inches (15.2 - 20.3 cm), 8 x 10 inches (20.3 - 25.4 cm), 11 x 14 inches (27.9 - 35.6 cm), 16 x 20 inches (40.6 - 50.8 cm), 20 x 24 inches (50.8 - 61 cm), 22 x 28 inches (55.9 - 71, 1 cm) or 30 - 40 inches (76, 2 - 101, 6 cm) you should be able to find a frame by yourself. If it's a different size and you can't find the right size in an art shop, then you will need to have it custom made to a size by a framer.

If you have a non-standard sized canvas, it will cost you significantly more to have it custom framed. You may want to think about hanging the picture on the wall without a frame

Step 3. Search local art stores, frame stores, and online

Choose a frame that matches the style of your oil painting. The following are the most common types of frames.

The molded plastic frames. They are made of black plastic, colored or in faux antique finishes. They must have a wooden back so that you can mount the irons to hang it.
The wooden frames are there in different shapes and sizes. They can be antique or very modern. They may also have grooves. The more elaborate the frame, the more it can distract from the picture or enhance it.
Metal frames. Silver or gold frames can brighten a painting, but are generally chosen to compliment a room's antique decor or style.

Part 2 of 4: Framing the Picture

Step 1. Discard the frame

Remove the glass and the back board. You won't need them to frame an oil painting, because this type of painting has to breathe.

Step 2. Remove the glazing bits with fine-tipped pliers

You will need to be careful and have strength to remove these small metal spikes which are used to hold the glass in place.

Don't frame an oil painting with the glass tips still in the frame, or you risk damaging the paint and canvas

Step 3. Remove the serrated hook, if it is already mounted in the frame

Since the canvas will extend beyond the frame, it will not hold the painting up. You will need to fit a cable hook later.

Step 4. Turn the frame so that the front rests on a flat, clean work surface

Place the oil painting face down in the space. Lift it up to see if it is well centered.

Make any changes to the positioning now

Step 5. Insert the frame clips below the frame but above the wooden plank on the back of the frame

Frame clips are sold in art stores and online.

If the frame clips do not fit around the wooden axis of the canvas, you will need to buy a pack of offset clips. These are the clips used by professional framers. They need to be screwed into the canvas and wooden plank as well as the frame, so they require a more permanent change

Step 6. Check that the painting is firmly fixed to the frame

Part 3 of 4: Making a Dust Cover

Step 1. Apply strong-hold double-sided tape around the back of the frame

Cut 4 strips of tape and place them just outside your canvas.

Step 2. Cut a piece of brown duster paper that is several inches larger than your frame

It will have to cover the tape and the painting.

Step 3. Remove the patina from the double-sided tape

Step 4. Place the dusting paper on the back of the canvas

Measure it and press firmly to attach the dust cover. A dust cover creates a barrier between the air, the wall and the canvas.

Part 4 of 4: Fit the Irons

Step 1. Purchase a set of cable mounting irons

Step 2. Place 2 support rings on each side of the back of your frame

Place them 4 inches (10 cm) below the top and 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the side edge. Use a line to be as accurate as possible.

Step 3. Secure them to the frame with a screwdriver

Step 4. Pass the cable through the clips

When the cable is straight, wrap the extra cable around the clips and loop it into the rings.

Step 5. Immediately turn the picture over after mounting

Objects may stick to the still adhering surface of the paint. Hammer a nail into your wall and hang your oil painting.

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