As any framer will tell you, good framing brings out the best in any painting. There are many ways to frame an oil painting and it’s a subjective topic but there are a few things worth taking into consideration. The style of the piece, it’s size and where it will hang can all impact the effectiveness of the framing. Fashions change but there are certain framing styles which have stood the test of time.
Painting Style
Paintings with contemporary colours and techniques may work well in simple frames. The clean lines of a minimal frame make the work feel fresh and modern. More traditional oil paintings often benefit from ‘scoop’ or ‘spoon’ moulding styles. The deep, bevelled shapes of these frames give the work a sense of elegance.
Size
Small oil paintings can look great with wider mouldings. There is always the danger that small paintings can appear insubstantial or unimportant but bolder frames can give them a real sense of presence. Paintings smaller than 8x10’’ usually gain the most from this approach. Larger works will catch the viewer’s attention far more readily so there is less need to visually bolster their appearance with chunky framing. That said, when visiting museums showing old master paintings you will often see huge paintings with bold, ornate frames typical to classical painting styles.
Location
You should consider where you plan to hang the painting before deciding on framing styles. The furniture, wall colour, and even other art can alter the atmosphere created and determine whether the piece works in harmony with the setting. I feel that modern, minimal framing is usually a safe choice as it suits most spaces whereas the reverse isn’t necessarily true. An ornate, traditional moulding in a minimal, contemporary space can be conspicuous and unless that is the desired effect it’s probably a pairing best avoided. That being said it’s possible to find a happy medium between the two. For example when framing my own oil paintings I prefer to use traditional ‘scoop’ mouldings but without ornate detailing. These mouldings are painted in neutral tones in order to work in both modern and historic spaces.
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