How to Draw: 6 Tips for Framing Pencil Drawings

It’s the way your finished artwork is presented that makes the difference. Although it is tempting to simply place your drawing in a ready-made frame, there are several things to consider before framing your artwork to ensure that it is adequately protected throughout the years.

Use acid-free materials
Any matting, tape or adhesive, barrier or backing that you use to frame your art or drawing must be completely acid free. Acidic materials, after long periods of time, can damage the artwork in the frame by distorting the actual paper or turning it yellowish.

Use mats
I prefer to use rugs with the framing of my drawings.

If an acid mat is used, it must be backed by an acid-free material that will act as a protective barrier between the mat and the pattern. There is a standard thickness that is necessary and preferred in the industry for this buffer or barrier. The same consideration should be given to the backing of your drawing. If your drawing or artwork is backed or mounted on acid-free material, the barrier is not necessary. Some framers use a foam core board as a backing.

Stay away from black
As a general rule of thumb, I always stay away from black, especially solid black, although it can work if it’s part of a color scheme with a particular trim and if you’re not fluent in drawing. It’s nice to have something that has a variety of values, including trim and rugs, that works as a whole. Even with the values ​​and gradations created within the graphite medium, the mat (s) and frame can be chosen to complement, tone down, or emphasize any particular value or aspect of your drawing.

Always frame with glass
I would always frame with glass, but I would also spend the extra money on the UV protection glass. However, I would never use non-reflective glass or Plexiglass.

The drawing should be well cleaned, removing stains, dust or eraser fragments. To see if there are small fragments on your paper or drawing, you should look at the surface closely from a severe angle, so that you can see them contrasting with the surface of the paper as they rise. You can use a brush or compressed air to remove the fragments of the frame material.

The glass must be exceptionally clean and must be tested for fingerprints, dust, hair, or other foreign material, before being permanently secured to the frame. You may have to do this more than once.

Let your artwork breathe
When attaching the drawing to the backing or whatever secures its position within the mats or frame, it only needs to be secured at the top and allowed to hang if an adhesive or tape is used. It should not be secured tightly at all four corners or around its perimeter, because the humidity is continually changing and the paper must be free to flex, expand, and contract. Otherwise, the paper will curl or develop ripples if it is restricted in any way. These ripples on the paper become very apparent when the lighting is directional or at an angle to the framed artwork. Light causes reflections and shadows due to the contours of the paper. Some framers are using a large photo-type plastic corner that allows the paper to slide and lock at all four corners and still allow the paper to flex. It seems to be working quite well, as several of my drawings and illustrations using other media on paper have been framed in this way for several years.

Add a protective dust cover
After placing the art and framing materials in the actual frame, a dust cover should be used on the back to prevent more dust, spiders or insects from entering the framed picture compartment. This is usually done by using a double-sided tape on the back surface of the trim around the entire perimeter. Then a piece of brown paper is placed on the sticky surface while it is stretched and pressed onto the sticky surface. Then you trim the outer edges of the brown paper to fit and then you’re ready to attach the hanging wire, before putting your artwork on display!

Have fun drawing!