Personal Frame Shop Help

With the Personal Frame Shop at PictureFrames.com, you can upload and frame digital images of your art, see them with different frames, mats (even double matting with different mat borders), and framing kits. Additionally, everything is to scale at the Personal Frame Shop. That is, if you enter dimensions of 8x10, the frame, and mat borders are larger with your picture than for one that is 24x36. If you have artwork, take some digital pictures of it; upload, and try it with as many mat and frame combinations as you can imagine. The Personal Frame Shop is for you to see your art and pictures with different mat and frame combos. There's no need to go anywhere else: it's your own personal frame shop! Best of all, all the frames, mats, and accessories are priced at factory direct wholesale prices.

Please Note: We have made every effort to present the Personal Frame Shop mats and frames as accurately as possible, with high-quality photographs and color matching. The color of the product you receive should closely match what you see on your screen. Nevertheless, the Internet as a medium is challenged to convey a standardized color/hue due to the variance in the manufacturer, settings, and age of monitors; screen images even differ by computer platform -- a PC is darker than a Macintosh. If you are uncomfortable or unsure of a particular mat or frame color, please request a free sample(s) in the Online Store portion of PictureFrames.com. Also, natural wood products' grain, finish, and hue may vary slightly from the frames pictured.

For a step-by-step walk through of the Personal Frame Shop features, take our Quick Tour! Click on a link below for information and help related to the section in which you need assistance or have questions.

1. Picture

To get started, choose a stock picture, or upload your own picture. Set the artwork width and height, choose a wall color background, and then click "Select a Frame" or the "2. Frame" tab.

You have a maximum 5MB of storage space for your uploaded art. If you log in to your account, your uploaded pictures will be available for 60 days. If you don't log in, your pictures will stay here for 30 days, provided you don't delete your browser's cookies.

Your uploaded images will be listed under a category called 'Your Saved Art' they will be placed above the 'Stock Art'. If you want to delete the image you have uploaded, just click the Delete link below your image's name.

Uploading an Image

Please Note: We accept JPEG and TIFF files in RGB format only. CMYK support is coming soon. Please make sure your image is in this format before uploading it. With smaller image file sizes, you'll be able to save more pictures on our server (you have 5 MBs of storage space), and reduce your upload times.

PC User

1. Click the 'Browse' button.
2. Locate the picture(s) on your computer.
3. Click the 'Open' button; your picture is selected.
4. Click the 'Upload my Picture' button.

MAC User

1. Click the 'Choose File' or 'Browse' button.
2. Locate the picture(s) on your computer.
3. Click the 'Choose' button; your picture is selected.
4. Click the 'Upload my Picture' button.

To use an image from iPhoto, simply click and drag the desired image(s) onto your desktop or specific location on your computer. Follow the steps above to upload your image(s).

Mac OS 9 users: Please be sure all image names include file extensions.
For example, if your image is a jpg and is named 'sunset,' be sure the complete file name is sunset.jpg.
 


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2. What is Aspect Ratio?

Aspect ratio is the ratio between the width of your image and the height. Thus, a 6x4, 9x6, 12x8, 15x10, 18x12...image all have a base aspect ratio of 3:2 as they are the base multiplied. A square will have a 1:1 aspect ratio, as both the width and height are the same. Changing the aspect ratio of your image will result in the cropping, or cutting off part of it. For example, if you want a square image from your 3:2 aspect ratio image, you will lose part of your image because you can only get a 1:1 ratio.
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3. Frame

View your art with hundreds of different picture frames. You have five option menus from which to select different frames for your consideration. If you want fewer frame choices, and more specific results, select more options (Example: 'Custom-Made>Wide>All>Gold>Ornate' displays five frames). If you want more results, select fewer options (Example: 'Custom-Made>All>All>Gold>All' displays 73 frames).

It is possible to select too many options, increasing the restrictions, and get no frame matches. If this happens, you will receive a message that states you had no frame matches, and to expand your search by selecting fewer options. If you know the specific Item# of the frame you want, enter it in the box, and click 'Go' (Example: entering 1CT will display only that frame). Once the frames are displayed, simply click on the frame you want, and your picture will be framed. To change frames, click on another frame, and your picture will be framed by this selection. Next to each frame are symbols - see the legend below:

W: The width of the frame. R: The depth of its rabbet.
:Click to view frame corner. :Click to view frame profile.

After you have found a frame you like, click the "Select Matting" button, or the "3. Matting" tab. If you want neither matting nor a framing kit, you can just click the "Add to Cart" button, and your frame is added to your shopping cart.

Please Note:
Minimum Frame Sizes
For safety reasons, the minimum size for our custom-made frames is 4"x4" and the minimum size for our metal sectional frames is 5"x5”. Going any smaller brings our saw operators' hands too close to the blades.

When Frames Can't Be Shipped Assembled
Custom-Made frames up to a total of 90" combined outside dimensions (width + height, taking into account moulding width) are assembled free of charge.

For frames over 55" combined outside inches, an Oversized Frame Shipping Charge is added. This reflects our shipping handlers' higher rates for larger packages, as well as additional packaging materials required to keep your frames safe in transit.

Frames over 90" combined outside dimensions normally ship unassembled (with everything you need for quick and easy assembly). To order frames over 90" shipped assembled, please call us at (800) 221-0262 for a special shipping quote.

Oversized Frame Shipping Charges
< 50" no charge
50" to 55" $5
55" to 70" $10
70" to 90" $20
> 90 OR shortest side
is >= 43"		 OR any side
is >= 52"		 no charge
(ships unassembled)
How Frames Are Measured
All frame dimensions are measured from the inside of the frame. Your frame size should be exactly the same size as the artwork to be framed. DO NOT OVERCOMPENSATE YOUR MEASUREMENTS.


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4. Matting

In the Matting section, you can select either one or two mats from a wide variety of Crescent custom cut acid-free mat boards, choose a color, set your borders to exactly the dimensions you want, and view hundreds of options.

As a point of suggestion, you may want to have your artwork set to 1/4" smaller in height and width (this will add 1/8" on each side), to better hold in place your art when combined with a mat.

For a single mat:
1. Click the color grid for a pop-up window of colors, or select a color in the pull-down menu.
2. Set your borders to whatever dimensions you want.
3. Click the 'Update' button
4. The mat will be added to your frame package, and your frame size automatically adjusted to fit both mat and artwork.

To view your art with different mat colors, or different mat borders, make the changes you want, and click 'Update.' After every change you make, click 'Update' to see your changes. When you have the combination you want, click 'Select a Framing Kit' button, or the '4. Framing Kit' tab. If you don't want a framing kit, click 'Add to Cart.'

For a double mat:
1. Click the color grid for a pop-up window of colors, or select a color in the pull-down menu.
2. Set your borders to whatever dimensions you want.
3. Select a second mat color (this will be the top mat).
4. Select the mat offset (amount of the bottom mat you will see).
5. Click the 'Update' button.

To view your art with different mat colors, or different mat borders, make the changes you want, and click 'Update.' After every change you make, click 'Update' to see your changes. When you have the combination you want, click 'Select a Framing Kit' button, or the '4. Framing Kit' tab. If you don't want a framing kit, click 'Add to Cart.'

Please Note: Mat board is NOT available in sizes larger than 32x40. Minimum mat borders are 1/2".


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5. Framing Kit

A framing kit consists of clear or non-glare acrylic, wire, screws, hangers, and either Foamcore or Corrugated cardboard backing. When it’s added to your artwork, it completes your frame.

Please Note: In order to receive this picture frame with acrylic (clear or non-glare) and backing board, you must select a Framing Kit option.

1. Select the Framing Kit option you want.
2. Click the 'Update' button, and the price will be displayed in your Frame Package summary.
3. Click the 'Add to Cart' button when you are finished.

If you want to select another picture, but keep the same options of mats and frames, just click the 'Add & Frame Another' button. Everything will stay the same, (frame, mat colors, mat borders, etc) all you have to do is select a new artwork, and set the dimensions.


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6. What is a Rabbet?

The rabbet is the inside space where your artwork, and perhaps backing board, fits into the frame. The rabbet depth is the width of this space. This space is usually of importance to those framing a canvas; a deeper rabbet allows more of the canvas edges to be covered by the frame molding.

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7. Basic Framing and Matting Tips

Choosing The Perfect Mat Color

Getting your mat color just right can take an already beautiful work of art and, “BAM!” kick it up a notch.

Neutrals, The Never-ending Success Story

Neutral colors, like whites (very white, arctic white, manor white, snow white, etc.), cream, ivory, sandstone, pearl, grays (dawn gray, bar harbor gray, dark gray, etc.) and blacks (smooth black, raven black, black watch, etc.) are always great choices. Not only do they step back and allow the colors in the art to remain the star of the show, but they fit right into any room, whether your taste in decorating leans toward French Colonial or 70s Glam.

Don’t Be Afraid To Be Bold

If you really want to be dramatic, bold colors (that means pretty much anything that's not neutral – yellow, ivy, crimson, etc.) are a real playground. Before swinging out with color, there are a few questions to consider. Is there a color in your art that you'd like to bring out? Where are you planning to hang your art?

If you want to play with color, but aren't ready to go wild, then try working with double or triple mats. If you use a richly colored mat just for the inner mat, it will pick up colors in the art, without overpowering it.

The Big Picture

General rules of thumb include choosing colors that are no lighter than the lightest color within your art, no darker than the darkest and no brighter than the brightest. After all, you don't want your mats to outshine your art.

And, according to PictureFrames.com customer and tip-submitter, Howard, "Light colored mats seem to open up the picture and make it seem larger and your perception more "open" or outward. Dark colored mats seem to turn your eye inward, making the picture seem smaller and you perceive a more "tunneling" effect."

In the end, as long as what you do is a reflection of your own taste and creativity, you'll never go wrong.
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Working With Multiple Mats

If you're framing a subtle work of art, the use of multiple mats, also referred to as mat layers, will draw your eye in, like a flashlight in a dark room… like an exclamation point at the end of a sentence… or a piece of chocolate when you're on a diet. You get the idea. Basically, it makes your art something that you can't help but notice.

How Much Is Too Much?

Most people stick to two mat layers when they're working with multiples, but a general rule of thumb is to use no more than three mats for any given work of art. Go any higher than that and you're now sculpting, instead of framing.

Color Complications

You can try something monochromatic, keeping all your mats the same color, which softens the eye’s transition across the layers incredibly well. You can also be a bit more experimental and use different colors for each layer. Make sure that if you choose to go down this route, you steer clear of color transitions that are too extreme. For example, an inner layer in red, with a face mat of marine blue, surrounding a mostly purple work of art… wow! Of course, that might be your thing, so don't let us stop you, just don't claim that we didn't warn you.

Size Matters

Don't forget to keep in mind how much surface area of each mat you want to see. Rule of thumb on this is to keep your inner/bottom mat’s surface area much narrower than the outer/top mat (e.g. 1/4” border for the inner mat and 5” border for the outer mat). This way it'll remain the framing device it's meant to be. This becomes even more important when you choose an inner mat color that's darker than the outer mat.
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The Eternal Question: Foamcore or Corrugated

You may have noticed that we offer two kinds of backing board on our website – Foamcore and Corrugated. It's not because we're simply feeling whimsical. It's not even because we think it's nice to offer you a choice (which, of course, we do). There are actually very good reasons why Foamcore is the right choice at some times and Corrugated is the way to go for others.

Worth The Price For What's Priceless

While Foamcore is more expensive than Corrugated backing, it does have certain advantages. For one thing, it's acid-free, so if preservation and protection of your artwork is one of your highest priorities, then it's well worth the price. So, whether you're framing original artwork that Junior whipped up in 1st grade, valuable collector prints, limited editions, treasured family photographs like the ones from your Great-Grandmother’s wedding, documents with historical value, or important family documents, then Foamcore is the way to go.

Light Vs. Dark

Additionally, because Foamcore is white, it's great backing for art that has any degree of translucence. Items like a collage on rice paper or an animation cell will be better served by Foamcore, than brown Corrugated backing, that will darken and detract from your art.

Keeping It Clean

Foamcore’s also a great time saver. Its finished appearance means that it can serve as its own dust cover, without any extra effort on your part.

The Upside Of Impermanence

On the flip side, Corrugated backing is great for anything that's not as precious. A professional license that gets updated every year or two doesn't need Foamcore, because it's simply not intended to be a permanent framing job. And Corrugated backing is the perfect compliment to an item like a commercially produced poster; poster paper is heavy enough that the dark color of the backing won't compromise your art. And, if you're looking to keep costs down, then working with Corrugated backing is an added bonus.
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8. Suggestions & Contact Info

The Personal Frame Shop at PictureFrames.com is a brand-new addition to the web site. While we have tested and tested the functionality, we can never be sure that we have everything right. If you notice anything confusing, or not working as you expect, drop us a line at GreatIdeas@PictureFrames.com Let us know if there are any features you'd like to have. We love to hear from our customers. We continually strive to make the process of ordering at PictureFrames.com as easy and fun as possible.


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