Paintings without frames?

[Janeway]

Son made this painting. Husband wants to put it in a frame. I know I have seen, in model homes, where paintings will go without frames. I wondering what you all think? Would all nice paintings in general (and I feel this is a nice painting) go in to frames?  I am thinking of heading to Hobby Lobby today to get a frame but am wondering if it would look better without.

 

 

Edited October 22, 2020 by Janeway

[Katy]

The attachment is in a format I don't recognize so I'm not going to download it.  Generally if it is a gallery-wrap canvas (meaning the staples are hidden on the back, not visible on the sides), it is fine to leave unframed.

[regentrude]

Not all paintings have frames. I have some original artwork in my home that is not framed.
I am not going to click on any files here, so can't see your picture.

[happi duck]

I like the look of either no frame or a very minimal frame.

[Janeway]

1 hour ago, Katy said:

The attachment is in a format I don't recognize so I'm not going to download it.  

 

1 hour ago, regentrude said:

I am not going to click on any files here, so can't see your picture.

 

1 hour ago, happi duck said:

I like the look of either no frame or a very minimal frame.

Can you see it now?

[marbel]

I can see the photo without clicking any links.  Nice!

A frame is not necessary. I think unframed art is a newish trend?  As Katy said, if the canvas is such that the staples are not visible, it's fine to be unframed. I think it's a very clean look.  

[J-rap]

Yes, I think unframed paintings are kind of a trend.  The canvas is wrapped around the back so the sides are smooth.  We have a large one like that above our couch.  We have a couple more like that throughout our house, although the rest are framed.

So, I think you can go either way with that.  Personally, that painting feels more traditional to me and I think I'd prefer a frame.  (Nice piece, by the way!  I like it!)

 

[gardenmom5]

Depends on the general look you're going for.

I have a couple blown up photographs (one is 2 x 3, the other is 3 x 5)  on canvas in dh's office that don't have frames.

[J-rap]

Just now, gardenmom5 said:

Depends on the general look you're going for.

I have a couple blown up photographs (one is 2 x 3, the other is 3 x 5)  on canvas in dh's office that don't have frames.

Yes, I agree...  The non-framed ones have a more modern look.

[bibiche]

You could also compromise and use floater frames. You’ll have a clean modern look but also a frame.

[MercyA]

Wow! I really, really love that painting. He did a great job! I think it would be fine with or without a frame. I'd go with a minimalist frame if you choose to have one.

[happi duck]

Beautiful!  I vote no frame or a very minimal dark frame.

[Kareni]

What an impressive painting!

I could see going either way as regards framing. Whatever you choose, enjoy!

Regards,

Kareni

[klmama]

That's a lovely painting.  So it's on canvas?  No staples showing?  Unframed would be fine, but a frame could be nice, too.  How big is it?  If smaller, you could use a white mat to give it some space from a darker frame.  Ask the clerk at Hobby Lobby for ideas. Many are experienced artists and know how to show off a piece.

[katilac]

I would let the artist decide!

[Janeway]

35 minutes ago, klmama said:

That's a lovely painting.  So it's on canvas?  No staples showing?  Unframed would be fine, but a frame could be nice, too.  How big is it?  If smaller, you could use a white mat to give it some space from a darker frame.  Ask the clerk at Hobby Lobby for ideas. Many are experienced artists and know how to show off a piece.

It is 11 by 14 I think. No stables showing, on a stretched canvas..but the thinner frame style.

[Pam in CT]

That's a lovely painting; your son must be very proud.

My daughter produces a *prodigious* number of canvases.... and some principles we've gotten to over the years...

• First and foremost, let the artist decide. Every now and then she does something *I* think is marvelous and want to frame (but for whatever reason she's unsatisfied with it and doesn't want it displayed at all); or *I* think it would look best framed in a particular color or floating or whatever. But it's the artist's work.
• There are a lot of very simple, very inexpensive ways to make a piece look "finished."  My daughter often mounts paper pieces on cork, or cuts a piece of plywood a few inches bigger all around, paints it a color that makes a canvas pop, and mounts the canvas on that.
• If the artist chooses entirely unframed or floating, it shows better *once it's mounted* if the canvas side edge is painted (it doesn't have to be a complicated matching exercise -- in your son's painting just a plain mid-gray all around would be fine). Otherwise *once it's mounted* you get glimpses of the white edge with messy spilled-over brush marks. We did this wrong (on a complex expensive floating frame) before working this out.

[Loowit]

I always let my DD decide how she would like her drawings put up.  She usually works with charcoal though, not paint, so using a frame with a glass cover helps to protect it.  However, my MIL made some pictures of our kids (photos printed on canvas) for us to hang on our walls and they are without frames and look nice that way.