Artists, pay close attention! Even if you graduated because if you did, you probably Mastered in an arts course. Not business advertising. And even if you did, the world’s forever changing. Consumers are more knowledgeable now, paying attention to local businesses and their practices for sustainability. People are interested in knowing if canvas paintings are done on hemp or linen-based canvas and supplied with FSC certified wood stretcher bars, or if you just did a painting on a canvas. The details sell your work. The more information you can give your fans, the more they’ll be inclined to support your work. That applies to the frames too.
The Best Types of Frames for Artists are Minimalist
The minimalist style of framing is nothing new, nor is it likely to become old-fashioned. It’s the time-tested framing technique employed by family photographers, and artists of all manner of paint techniques, and charcoal drawings. The frame takes a backseat to the art that’s housed within it. The mouldings are uncomplicated. No ornate designs, fancy stamps, or intricate wood carvings. Just plain, natural wood grain or a smooth finished aluminium picture frame.
Minimalist Frames are Perfect for Online Portfolios and Social Media
Artists today are more likely to find interested customers online than they will locally. Customers are finding it beneficial to interact directly with artists online, rather than attend events. In the context of social spaces, art is the most accessible it ever has been. The downside is that your work will be viewed differently online than it will be in person at an event. You need to frame your work in an appealing way that’s photo-worthy and has shareability. The minimalist style lets you do that, and it doesn’t have you take an eternity to make samples for marketing. Scale your work down and photograph framed miniatures. A sample sized painting of what you’d normally do.
The Best Materials for Miniature Artwork
There’s no right and wrong answer because the best material for a picture frame for your art will be the one that helps it stand out. Minimalism doesn’t mean there’s barely a visible frame. It can be if that’s what helps keep eyeballs on your work instead of the frame. What to consider is the feel of the piece. For soft toned artwork like watercolour paintings and pastel drawings, a traditional wood photo picture frame that’s up to two times the size of the artwork with the interior toned down with a neutral picture mount will still give your art a minimalist appearance.
If you wanted to make a bolder statement, perhaps with a strong charcoal drawing, a thick black frame would make the art stand out, first by the overpowering dark aesthetic of the frame commanding attention, and then the drawing holding the attention of the viewer, getting them thinking about what it is, what it represents, and noticing the finer details up close. The same may not work in reverse, like using an overpowering dark frame to showcase a soft pastel drawing of a songbird perched on a bird feeder surrounded by a natural landscape.
The picture frames you use to showcase artwork really do frame it. They add to the context of the narrative your art is displaying. The better you can frame your art, the more connected people can feel to it, and that can only help you drive your business forward.