If you have ever had a poster or art print professionally mounted, there is a good chance you spent more on the service than you did on the art. Regardless of the cost, pictures and artwork that have been professionally set look great on a wall. Here are a few tips for picture framing that will get you an attractive looking piece for a reasonable price.
Wait For Deals
Many of the larger, chain art shops offer exclusive perks and deals to members. All you have to do is fill out an information card with your name and email address. The company will then send you weekly sales and discounts. Sometimes they offer nothing much in the way of savings and other times they can be tremendous bargains. Some common sales are buy one get one free for all different styles of mounting, free picture framing with the purchase of the setting itself, and free matting with any purchase. These deals can greatly reduce the entire cost of the mounting process, giving you a professionally set piece for a fraction of the price.
Find Your Own Material
When you have a piece of art professionally hung, you pay for both the time and material of the shop. If you can provide your own material, you will reduce your expenses. The best way to find a good deal on material is through your local thrift stores and flea markets. Countless posters, pictures, and paintings are donated or sold for next to nothing in these places. More often than not the actual artwork is worthless. However the mounting is often worth far more than the price of the piece as a whole. If you supply your local shop with a quality setting, you will only be paying for their time.
Use The Internet
When you go to a store that specializes in mounting and hanging art, the price you pay isn't just for their work. It helps to pay for the store utilities, employee salaries, and advertising. Online picture framing shops offer the same services as their brick and mortar counterparts, but with a steep discount. They have fewer employees, less overhead, and less advertising. You simply email the company the picture you want hung, along with the size, matting, color, and other materials you would like. A few weeks later it will show up at your door. If it is an original piece of art, you do everything the same but mail the painting instead of emailing it.
In conclusion, professional picture framing can turn an ordinary piece of art into something that you will happily hang on your walls for years to come. While it can be a bit pricey at times, it is more reasonable if you follow the three suggestions outlined above. In the end you will have a beautifully mounted picture or painting for a very fair price.
