How to frame art prints for a wall with character

Welcome to my blog, I am a professional cartoonist, illustrator, artist and writer. My site here is intended to promote a range of works that I think will look good on the wall. Included on my site is not just my own work, but some works by other artists whose work I love and hope to bring to a wider audience. I hope you enjoy your tour of my site and welcome any feedback. Prints are fulfilled by The Print Space for prints on paper, they are one of the UK's premier fine art print companies, and there is also the option of buying some images printed onto canvas, these are fulfilled by Printumo. All prints are available worldwide. When you frame art prints, the frame should support the picture rather than compete with it.

A good print can change a room, but it needs a little breathing space to do its job. This is not about trying to make every wall look like a grand gallery. It is about choosing a size, finish and position that lets the picture hold its own, whether it is a charcoal drawing of an old shed, a rural Gloucestershire view or a large Los Angeles sign caught in the hard Californian light.

How to frame art prints without losing their character

Start with the image, not the furniture. A detailed black and white drawing, for example, often looks best in a simple black, white or natural wood frame. The lines remain clear and the eye stays with the drawing. A lively digital colour piece may take a bolder frame, but there is rarely any need for something ornate. The print already has the visual interest.

The same applies to photographs. Some of my favourite images feature the huge advertising signs found around Los Angeles: painted lettering, faded surfaces, improbable scale and the odd bit of visual swagger. These work particularly well with a clean, narrow frame that does not turn them into a period piece. They are available as photographic prints and as canvas prints, so the decision can begin with the finish as much as the frame.

Before ordering, think honestly about the wall. A small print above a large sofa can look lost, however good the image is. One larger work can give a room far more presence than several little pictures scattered about. On the other hand, a pair of smaller pieces can make sense beside a doorway, above a desk or in that awkward strip of wall that needs some attention but not a visual shouting match.

A useful rule is to leave some clear wall around the work. Crowding a print between shelves, lamps and other pictures makes it harder to see. That said, a salon-style arrangement can be brilliant if it is deliberate. Mix subject matter carefully, keep a thread running through the collection - perhaps monochrome, landscape, drawing or a shared frame colour - and allow the differences to do the interesting work.

Mounts, glass and the matter of scale

A mount is not just a decorative border. It separates the image from the frame and gives it room to breathe. This is especially helpful with charcoal drawings, lino cuts and works where the edge of the paper is part of the appeal. A generous off-white mount can make a modestly sized print feel considered and substantial without making it look fussy.

White is the safe choice, but not the only one. Warm white or soft cream can suit countryside scenes and drawings with earthy marks. A pale grey mount can be very good with black and white urban photography. Strong coloured mounts are harder to get right. They can work when they pick up a small but important colour in the image, but they can also date quickly or steal attention. If in doubt, keep it quiet.

For paper prints, use proper picture framing glass and ask for an acid-free mount and backing board. It is a small detail that helps protect the paper over time. Non-reflective glass is worth considering where a picture will hang opposite a window or under bright lights, although it can slightly soften the sharpness of an image. Standard glass can look crisper, but it will reflect more of the room. There is no universal winner: the position of the wall decides it.

Scale matters just as much. If you are framing a print for a hallway, viewing distance is close, so a smaller image with detail can be rewarding. In a living room, where people sit further back, a larger format usually has more impact. The work should not need to be studied from six inches away just to be noticed.

Frames for sheds, metalwork and landscape

I have always had a weakness for old industrial buildings, sheds, corrugated iron and industrial metalwork. There is a lot of accidental beauty in a patched roof, a weathered door, a line of rivets or the faded paint on a workshop wall. These subjects have texture already, so I tend to favour frames that are straightforward rather than artificially distressed.

A slim black frame gives industrial subjects a graphic edge. Natural oak can bring warmth to a view of the Gloucestershire countryside, particularly where the image has fields, hedges, soft weather or the particular quietness of a River Severn site. White frames are excellent for charcoal work when you want a light, open feel. They also let the paper and mark-making stand forward.

Reclaimed timber frames can sound perfect for a shed or corrugated iron picture, but there is a trade-off. If the frame is heavily textured, the room may end up with too many competing surfaces. The subject should remain the star. Often, a plain oak frame does the job better than something that looks as though it has already had a life in a barn.

Canvas is a different proposition. A canvas print has a more immediate, object-like presence and can work well unframed in a modern room. For a more finished look, a simple float frame creates a neat shadow around the edge without hiding any of the image. This suits large photographic advertising signs particularly well, where the scale and surface of the subject deserve a bit of space.

Choosing work that stays interesting

The best wall art is not simply something that matches the cushions. It is something you still notice after the room has become familiar. That might be a landscape that reminds you of a particular kind of weather, a drawing with a strong line, or a photograph that finds poetry in a piece of industrial clutter most people would walk past.

New charcoal drawing images and new photographs have recently been added, alongside new exciting works by Steve Parker. The point of bringing in selected guest artists is not to make the collection bigger for its own sake. It is to offer work with a real point of view, chosen because it has visual character and deserves a place on a wall.

The works are not limited editions. That means you can choose a piece because you genuinely want to live with it, rather than because you feel you have to chase a numbered certificate. Good printing, a thoughtful frame and an image you keep returning to are what matter.

If you are unsure, begin with the picture that gives you an immediate reaction, then give it a frame with enough confidence to be noticed and enough restraint to let the work speak.