Shared Balance Hub
Gallery‑Ready Framing and Presentation for the Artist
Presentation is not decoration; it is part of the work. For the Artist, framing and finishing choices communicate care, set expectations in a gallery, and protect the piece for years. The aim is a repeatable standard that looks intentional across a series and travels safely. This guide walks through materials, glazing, hardware, labeling, and the unglamorous but vital step of packing—so that your attention goes back to making, not firefighting.
Start with a principle: the frame should support the work, not overpower it. That is easy to say and hard to do when faced with a wall of profiles. Decide at the series level, not piece by piece. If the work is quiet and tonal, a thin, squared profile in unfinished maple or a soft black often disappears effectively. If the work is high-contrast or graphic, a deeper profile can create breathing room without shouting. Document your choice—profile name, finish, rabbet depth, typical mat opening—and save it in a “Presentation Spec” that travels with the series.
Materials matter. For works on paper, start with conservation matboard (100% cotton rag or alpha-cellulose, lignin-free) and a pH-neutral backing. Hinge with Japanese paper and wheat starch paste or a quality archival tape that can be reversed. Avoid pressure-sensitive tapes from office aisles; they yellow, creep, and stain. For canvas or panels, consider floater frames with a consistent reveal (3–6 mm). They offer protection on edges while keeping the face unobstructed. If budget is tight, raw pine sealed with shellac and a matte wax can be an elegant, honest solution; just test the color shift next to your palette.
Glazing choices define clarity and protection. Standard glass is cheap but heavy and reflective. Museum glass delivers the best viewing experience with UV filtration and low reflectance, but cost adds up fast. Acrylic (plexi) is light and safe for shipping yet scratches easily; upgrade to abrasion-resistant acrylic for works that will travel or hang in public spaces. If your palette leans dark or the gallery uses spotlights, anti-reflective glazing is worth it. Whatever you choose, clean with a microfiber cloth, not paper towels, and avoid ammonia-based cleaners near acrylic.
Depth and spacing are where many frames go wrong. Works on paper should never touch glazing; use a mat or spacers to create an air gap. Spacers are discreet and let you float a deckled edge without a mat, which can be beautiful for watercolor or printmaking. For thick collage or impasto, measure carefully: the rabbet must cover the stack without compressing it. If in doubt, bring the sample piece to the framer and dry-fit before ordering in bulk.
Hardware deserves the same rigor. D‑rings beat sawtooth hangers in every gallery scenario; they are stronger, safer, and sit flush. Use two D‑rings with braided, plastic-coated wire sized to at least four times the weight of the piece. For smaller works meant for grid installs, skip wire and use parallel D‑rings that receive wall screws directly—this keeps alignment tight. Label hardware placement in your spec (e.g., “D‑rings 8 cm from top, wired taut to 5 cm below top”) so every frame is consistent. Consistency makes installs quick and professional.
Backings protect the work and clean up the presentation. Foamboard is standard, but upgrade to conservation-grade for works on paper. Seal gaps with a dust cover: kraft paper for a classic look or black paper for high-contrast exhibitions. If you are shipping or the work will hang in dusty spaces, a dust cover is not optional. Include felt or silicone bumpers on the bottom corners to prevent scuffing walls and to let air circulate behind the piece.
Labels are small billboards for clarity. On the back, include an archival, legible label with your name, title, year, medium, dimensions, retail price (optional), and a unique inventory code that matches your archive. A QR code that links to a private cloud folder with certificate, process notes, and provenance can be a lightweight upgrade. For front-of-house, provide a clean, consistent wall label template in PDF that the gallery can print. If the show requires your own labels, use the same font and size across the series, and test legibility at two meters.
Certificates of authenticity do not need to be elaborate to be effective. A one-page certificate with high-resolution image, key details, your signature, and care instructions is enough. Mention framing specs if they are integral to the work (e.g., “Artist-selected maple floater, 5 mm reveal, AR acrylic”). Slip the certificate in a protective sleeve and tape it inside the dust cover pocket or attach it to the packing materials with a clear note.
Packing is where frames live or die. Use corner protectors—foam beats cardboard—secured with painter’s tape. Wrap the entire frame in glassine or acid-free tissue to prevent abrasion, then in bubble wrap with bubbles facing out to avoid imprinting. Sandwich small works between rigid boards. For shipping, a double-box method (inner box floating inside an outer with 5–7 cm of foam or paper) reduces shock. If you ship often, invest in reusable crate systems sized to your common formats; they amortize quickly in saved damage and replaced glazing.
Cost control comes from planning, not compromise. Batch orders for frames to reduce per-unit pricing and shipping. Keep a small parts kit—D‑rings, screws, wire, bumpers, spacers—so you can fix issues fast on install day. Build a worksheet that lists each piece, frame size, glazing choice, hardware, and packing notes; as you or your framer complete steps, check them off. The Artist who arrives at a gallery with clean, consistent, well-labeled works is remembered for all the right reasons.
Finally, present the frame alongside the work online. Photograph at a slight angle to avoid glare, include a close-up of the profile and reveal, and note the exact external dimensions. Collectors and curators want to know how the piece sits in space, and framing is part of that story. When presentation is aligned with the intent of the work and executed with care, it becomes invisible—freeing the viewer and the Artist to focus on what matters.