For a basic photograph, a standard sized, "ready made" picture frame is a suitable choice - and usually less expensive. However, when it comes to fine art or meaningful photos, there are many reasons a consumer may decide to forego their local Walmart and opt for a professional framer instead.

SUMMARY

	READY-MADE FRAMES	CUSTOM-MADE FRAMES
Size	Standard frame sizes only: generally 4x6", 5x7", 8x10", 11x14", 16x20" and 20x24"	Any size, made-to-order based on the exact dimensions of the artwork/customer's specifications.
Selection	Many different frame styles, but each is available in a limited number of sizes. No store has a comprehensive collection of frame styles.	Hundreds of frame styles in stock, with corner samples available for each style. Each moulding can be cut to any size.
Choice of Materials	Frames often come with glazing and backing, but it is generally low quality and the customer has no option. White is usually the only mat color option. Archival options are rare.	Frame is sold separately from contents, so customer can choose type and quality of glazing (non-glare, archival), mat, backing and any other options (fillet, double mat, mat thickness, mounting style, etc.).
Production Time	Available immediately (unless ordered online), ready to load images.	Generally two to three days for production, plus shipping if ordering online.
Price	Generally inexpensive, but a wide range of prices. Certainly less expensive than custom-made	Moderate to expensive. Cost factors in the specialized, manual labor required for cutting and assembly.
Quality	Poor to average quality, and difficult to determine. No accountability from manufacturer (often mass produced overseas).	Average to high quality, and customer can discuss individual materials with framer, who is accountable for workmanship.

What's Included

Some ready-made frames come with a pre-cut mat, as well. These frames will usually have two suggested photo dimensions - the one with the mat, and the one without (for example: 11x14" or 8x10").

Shapes

It is true that most professional frame shops cannot offer these shapes. This is beneficial to anyone looking for this style, but it also means many of these shaped frames are mass produced in a factory with little care for quality. Because the glass may be hard to cut, they often have a very flimsy sheet of plastic as a clear cover, and may be constructed of fiberboard or even plastic.

Sizes

• 2.5x3.5" (wallet)
• 4x6" (common photograph)
• 5x7"
• 8x10"
• 11x14"
• 16x20"
• 20x24"

Certainly, ready-made frames offer vast selection, and if your image is a standard size you can likely find many possibilities. But with pre-made frames, what's there is all there is.

Imagine you have an 8x10" photograph that would look spectacular in an extremely wide, oversized moulding with ornate details. This could be very hard to find in a ready-made frame because most people want a moderate width for this image size - usually no more than 2-1/2 inches. When purchasing a ready-made frame, the customer is tied to the whims of the masses, or at least what the manufacturer imagines these whims to be.

While high quality ready-made frames are out there, custom frames are generally guaranteed to be. This is the reason museums, galleries, and professional artists almost always order custom frames for their pieces. The gallery will be displaying the piece for decades, and must ensure the protection and preserve appearance. And an artist will be selling their artwork for a high price - they must give their customer a quality product.

But custom frames are not only for professionals and corporations. More and more, individuals are seeking out framing shops for wedding memories or new baby photo shoots, original artworks purchased abroad (often removed from the frame for shipping), and even significant posters and prints they wish to permanently display.

There are a number of specific reasons one would choose a custom-made over a ready-made frame:

Rabbet Depth

The rabbet is the indented space below the lip of the picture frame - the space in which the contents (glass, artwork, backing, etc) will sit. If you are simply framing a regular photograph, a small depth of 3/8" or 5/8" will be suitable, but as soon as different components are added - making the contents thicker - the rabbet becomes an important measurement.

Consider an artwork with a double or triple mat. While the rabbet itself only holds one mat (the additional mats are generally cut thinner to save material), the space between the glass and the backing has nonetheless been substantially increased. Thicker glass or a specialty backing can also require a deeper rabbet.

Deeper rabbets also come into play in the case of shadow boxes, or the "float" framing, where the paper is raised from the backing to create a shadow. Regular frames have rabbets up to 1", while a shadow box can have up to a 3" rabbet.

Frame Face Width

A custom frame moulding can be made in any size you wish. If you want a 1" frame around a 36x40" artwork, you can have it, though the framer may advise against this, for fear of the glass being too heavy for the frame. There is no difficulty in ordering a wide, 4" frame for a little 5x7" artwork.

Selection

With custom framing, you don't have to make that tough decision. Custom frame mouldings come as 12 or 15-foot lengths, and are cut to exactly the size you need when you order it. If you fall in love with a corner sample, you know your size is available, barring stocking issues!

At KeenART Media, we have a showroom with more than 600 frame moulding profiles, and we are continuing to expand. With this much selection, there is no question of finding the perfect frame for every image.

Finishing Options

At KeenART Media, we offer three different kinds of top quality acrylic glass that suits every need and budget from short-term home display to archival museum exhibition:

• Regular
• Non-Glare
• Archival, UV-Resistant

We also offer three options for matboards:

• Regular: acid-neutralized for up to 100 years
• Conservation: acid-free cotton core and acid-neutralized face papers
• Museum Grade: 100% acid-free cotton core and face papers, safe for hundreds of years

Our backing board options give consumers even more choice:

• White foam board
• Black foam board
• Acid-free foam board
• Cork board

Orientation

Additional Services

Wood Picture Frames	Metal Picture Frames	Stretcher Bar Frames
Wood Panels	Mounting Boards	Art Supplies