How to Frame your Oil Painting

Framing an oil painting is more than just adding a border. A well-chosen frame not only elevates the artwork, but also complements your decor. I will cover everything you need to know about framing oil paintings, from style choices to practical considerations.

Table of Content

1. Glass or No Glass

2. Frame Styles

   1. Modern / Gallery frames

   2. Traditional / Classic frames

   3. Floater frames

3. Mats

   • Mat colors

   • Mat width and style

Glass or No Glass

Oil paintings generally do not require glass. Some museums or galleries however may put an art piece behind a glass for protection, if its a high valued or delicate painting.

Also, oil paintings take longer (around 6 months) to fully dry. With no glass, the oil painting is allowed to breathe and avoids any moisture getting trapped behind the glass which might case moulds and rot.

Frame Styles

• Modern / Gallery frames

Thin simple frames in black, white or natural wood. Simple flat moldings with minimum details keeps the attention entirely on artwork. Ideal for modern or contemporary spaces, this style brings the painting itself into focus and it’s the one I personally prefer for my own work. materials like wood or aluminium often used for the frames.

• Traditional / Classic Frames

These frames typically feature wide moldings often richly detailed, can add depth and character to classic artworks. Ideal for landscapes and realistic oil paintings. Often made of rich wood or finished with gold leafing/paint.

• Floater Frames

  

  
  

  Designed with a slight gap between the canvas and the frame, this style gives the illusion that the artwork is floating within the frame. That optical illusion adds more depth to the painting. ideal for contemporary and modern oil paintings.

Mats

Mats, or matboards, are flat boards made from materials such as paper, suede, or fabric. Placed between the artwork and the frame, they create a visual border that enhances presentation while adding an extra layer of separation

• Mat Colors

  

  The colour of the mat can dramatically change the way an artwork is showcased. Popular colors being white, black and beige.

  White mats provide a clean, elegant look that can brighten up artworks.

  Black adds depth to artwork, effective with high contrast pieces.

  Beige, is a neutral color maintaining focus on the artwork itself.

  
  

  If you want the focus to be completely on the painting, avoid bright color mats or high contrast mats like pure white mat on a very dark painting, as it will drift the viewers eyes towards the edges rather than keeping it within the painting.

• Mat Width and Style

  The width of the mat (the space between the artwork and the frame) is also an important aspect in framing.

  
  

  Proportional:

  

  
  

Simple and balanced, a proportional mat has equal borders on all sides, with its width usually matching the scale of the frame. Narrower mats are often chosen for larger artworks, providing just enough separation between the art and frame.

Bottom-weighted:

Bottom-weighted or drop weighting mats are designed with a thicker border at the bottom than on the other sides. A favorite in museums and galleries for its modern appeal. It shifts the artwork slightly upward, guiding the viewer’s eye toward the image. Popular with artworks hung above eye level.

Full Bleed:

You can also choose to skip the mat entirely, a style known as ‘full-bleed,’ where the artwork extends right to the edge of the frame. This approach works especially well for large or striking pieces that command attention on their own. For example, in expansive landscape photographs meant to convey scale and grandeur, adding a mat might actually lessen the impact.

Conclusion

The right frame transforms an oil painting into a complete masterpiece. Whether you prefer ornate elegance, sleek modernity, or subtle simplicity, framing should always serve the art, not overpower it. Take the time to select a style that reflects both the painting’s spirit and the environment where it will live.

If you want to know how to take care of your oil painting so that it will last for decades or even centuries, you can check out my blog post How to care for your Oil Painting