Picture: spray painting mat - what to do w/ frame?

12 years ago

I don't care for the mat and frame of this picture. I dislike the mat even more than the frame. I'm not looking to spend any money on this which is why I'm going the direction I am.

I was planning to spray paint the mat off white (Rustoleum Heirloom White) and figured I should makeover the frame too. If the underside of the mat is white, maybe I'll just flip it.

{{!gwi}}

Paint it black, dark brown, dry brush? It currently is a goldish green color with a gold leaf look.

{{!gwi}}

Here's a few mock ups I did on allposters.com.

I think the all black looks kind of harsh.

{{!gwi}}

I like the wood look but since I'm not replacing the frame I'd have to use paint or stain somehow.

{{!gwi}}

Thoughts?

Featured Answer

User

12 years ago

Just flipping the mat will leave you with a harsh white.

Try the mat in an off-white, and see what the frame looks like then. It's a nice frame, but the mat is way too gussied-up.

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Comments (9)

natal
12 years ago
You might be happy with the frame once the mat is white.
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The best I can suggest is to take the painting to the frame or craft shop and try it with the different mats. As others have pointed out, if you are going to use a colored mat, it should be a color that is in the painting so that it doesn't compete with the colors-- or darken the brightness in your painting. The colors you have used thus far are darker and less brilliant and suck the life out of your painting-- and the life is what makes it so special. I know this is counterintuitive, but I'd try a thin inner mat of gold-- not yellow gold but a metallic gold. It sounds like it would be too formal but I am thinking it might bring out the bright in your painting. It would have to be thin-- and still it could be an awful idea. You just need to try it. It is so hard to view and share opinions online because color and brightness are lost both in the photo process and on different monitors.. I really think you need to just try different combinations and when you have the right one, you'll just KNOW it. The painting will jump out at you and sing. Trust yourself-- as a painter, you can see and sense the right color combos. Don't be intimidated by matting.. just treat it as an extension of your painting. When the combo of mat and painting "works" you'll see your painting take on the life that you imagined when you painted it. Of course that is vague and provides no solid direction for you-- but what i am saying is to trust your artistic eye. When you have the right combo, it won't matter what any of us say because you will know it is right. :)
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I think the key to hanging a lot of photographs of people without the clutter effect is four-fold...any or all of these things can help. The first helpful thing is to put each picture in a frame much larger than the photo with a lot of white mat around it. The second is to copy all the color photos to black and white. The third is to make the group make sense either by using the same simple gallery frame type for all; or by painting all the differing styles of frame the same black or taupe or cream, or three shades of gray or taupe or tan; or by carefully matching each frame style with its photo, and then balancing the group so that each type is spread equally through the group. And the fourth is to lay out the group so that the outside edges of all the bordering frames create a box that's even along the top and bottom and sides of the composition. Then there is the now-for-something-completely-different idea, and my favorite of all...which is to take your three or four or six best-looking favorites (or the best one of each person in your family), blow them up big in black and white, put them in very wide white or cream mats and big simple frames, arrange them like a museum wall down a hall, and put everything else into a beautiful leather-bound photo album on a table.
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rockmanor
12 years ago
I've recyled quite a few old frames by using Rub N' Buff on them. You might like your frame done over with a bronze or copper finish combined with your newly painted off white mat. One tube of RnB has been enough to redo up to half a dozen frames, depending on their sizes, so it's pretty economical.
DLM2000-GW
12 years ago
shee - just so you know, you're not limited to what you can get in a spray can. I paint mats with plain old acrylic craft paint, even doing mottled finishes with multiple colors and glaze. Works like a charm.
ratherbesewing
12 years ago
Was this print orginally "professionally" framed? I am asking because I attempted to change a mat and couldn't assemble the picture and frame back together.There weren't any metal tabs to fold down to keep the glass, mat and picture in place. Do you framers understand what I mean? Is there something I can purchase to reassemble?
User
Original Author
12 years ago
I didn't get to mess with the picture today like I wanted but hopefully tomorrow. I honestly really don't love the picture anymore either. Its one of those "until I find something I love to take it's place." I had planned to do a makeover ever since I bought it but didn't get around to it.

Natal - Good point. I'll start with that first.

Lazygardens - Another good point about flipping the mat.
I actually think the colors in the picture and frame clash with the mat (greens).

Rock - I didn't even think about Rub N Buff. I currently only have the gold and patina but have been wanting to get the copper one for a long time.

Dlm - I didn't even think about craft paints. I do have a quart of SW Antique White I figured I'd also take a look at. It's good to know other people do paint mats. Cheap fix. :)

Ratherbesewing - It looks like this was professionaly framed. How was your picture/frame held together? I have another double mat framed picture I took apart once. The picture fell down and I just used tape to move it back up. It was so long ago I don't remember how it was together. I was crossing my fingers I could figure out the one above.

I'll let you know how it goes.
ljwrar
12 years ago
ratherbesewing, you can reassemble a frame with glazier points from a hardware store. They are metal points with tabs. Just use a flat screwdriver to push them into the frame.

Here is a link that might be useful: glaziers points
ratherbesewing
12 years ago
Glazier points! Who knew?? Perhaps now I will dig that half finished project out of the back of my closet. Thanks.
User
12 years ago
If you paint the frame a medium to darker brown, you could use shoe polish or acrylic brown paint to "antique" it and give it a ORB look.

Picture: spray painting mat - what to do w/ frame?

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natal

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Picture: spray painting mat - what to do w/ frame?

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