The paper, mat and frame

The paper, mat and frame

The Paper

The paper used for my art prints is a premium quality, heavyweight (200gsm) fine art paper. The color is a warm, natural white with a subtle texture (resembling the paper used for my original paintings) and it's archival and acid-free.

If you're like me and care about earth-friendly products, you'll be happy to know that this paper is FSC certified which means that this paper follows a strict set of standards that paper products must meet in order to prove that they are environmentally and socially responsible. The printing uses water-based inks, which means the inks are made with water rather than plastic or PVC. Water-based inks seep into the paper rather than sit on top of it, plus they're better for our planet.

The Mat

I chose a 2" white mat board for my framed prints, but you can also go without the mat. The color of the mat matches the tone of the paper in both natural light and fluorescent light. Why did I choose 2"? Because it's a nice width and a pretty standard size that a lot of framers use. If you prefer a thinner or wider mat, just let me know and I can set up a custom order for you. Please know that mats for my framed prints aren't available larger than 26" x 38". If you need something larger, your best bet is to frame it locally.

 

Closeup of framed print with mat

The Frame

The frame! I love this frame. It's a sleek metal frame with a thin profile that's only 3/8" wide with a 1" depth. It's beautiful. I searched high and low for the best affordable frame and I was so happy to have found this. I wrote a whole blog post about why I chose this frame. The frame I offer comes in white, black, silver or gold and the glass is standard acrylic. Why acrylic? Because it's lightweight and much less likely to break during shipping. Just remember to use an acrylic glass cleaner like Novus and a soft microfiber cloth instead of Windex and paper towels. (Full disclosure: This is an Amazon affiliate link which means I will earn a commission from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.) Windex and other glass cleaners have harsh chemicals that will ruin the acrylic coating over time.

If you prefer a non-glare acrylic glass, I can do that! But non-glare acrylic can only be used with framed prints that have no mat. That's because the thickness of a mat makes the artwork set back from the glass, and the coating on non-glare acrylic glass makes the artwork blurry if it's not right up against it. Anything that's not readily available on my website would be a custom order so just inquire with what you're looking for and I'll do my best to make it happen.

Also check out my post about how my framed prints are packed for shipping.