How to frame a print for your first ever sale

Whatever size you like. A nice start might be a standard A4 size as it will not feel too big for your first attempt. Also A4 is relatively easy to buy an “off the shelf” sized frame, whether that be with or without a mount.

There are no wrong answers. However I wanted to sit my A4 photo in a white mount so I went for that option. This then required an A3 sized frame. Plastic sleeves backed with cardboard work well in artwork browsers.

Having a mount board behind your print adds some thickness to your artwork. It also means the back of the photo will not be touching the brown backing board which could eventually damage the print

Probably yes for longevity, plus it feels the “right thing to do”. Yopu can use acid-free hanging tape to attach both my print to the mount and also to add the mount to the acid-free mount board.

Adding all three adds a certain personal touch and can increase interest in your art via a scarcity factor. Some artists always do this as they’re proud of their work. Others feel sheepish if they’re not yet a big name. It’s your art so you portray it as you like, whether that be with a title, edition number and your name, or a combination of all three. The edition number generally goes on the left (1/25), the title in the middle and your name/signature on the right.

Some photographers think editioning can be a bit odd, especially if you only ever sell three of a ‘1 of 50’ edition with the other 47 never actually existing.

1/100 may seem too many. 1/5 could feel too few. A nice compromise might be 1/25 or 1/50. If you start the numbering at 11 it looks like you’ve already sold some. You can then always create numbers 1 to 10 if you ever sell the other 40, and possibly for slightly more money?

Now this lead to LOTS of Googling and MANY polarised views! Some people like to sign on the actual print in black pen; others in metallic silver or gold. Some leave a white border around the whole photo and then sign in the slightly larger white space below the photo (making sure they use the correct sized optional mount so as not to cover up any wording of course). Others print their image with just a white space below the photo for signing. Others dislike this as it gives a 3-sided closed look to the image.

Some artists/photographers just write on the back of the print so that the signature, photo name and any limited edition number go with the artwork. Some sign the front AND the back. Arghhh! I decided to sign the back of the photo in black pen and the mount with a pencil. Then even if they bin the mount my details are still available on the back of the photo. Read this good article about where/how to sign.

The Sakura Pigma Micron .45mm pen is a popular pen in online forums, with the .35mm version also being a good option. These pens are acid-free, don’t fade and won’t damage your artwork. If the paper isn’t shiny you can be more traditional and sign with a sharpish pencil. Pencil also can’t be forged if someone scans your photo.

You can add D-rings 1/3 of the way down from the top and then affix some wire to make it look more professional. This is in preference to simply leaving just the single saw-tooth attachment that the frame comes with in the top-centre of the backing board.

Wire feels more traditional but a local framer suggested white cord as it’s slightly less fiddly, a bit more modern but ultimately what they “liked using”.

You can use brown, framers’ masking tape to seal the back of the frame (to keep the dust out) and add little rubber/foam bumpers to the bottom two corners of the frame to prevent dust gathering on the wall behind the frame too.