How to Save Money on Framing Your Art

Jun 12, 2011
Alina Bradford

A Second-Hand Fine Art Frame - Cris DeRaud

You can save money on framing your art by using a pre-owned frame.

Framed art is usually required for art shows, showings and museums. This can be a major expense for an artist, especially if you are just starting out with your career. Buying used frames is one of the best ways to save money on framing. Here are some things to consider.

Where to Buy Used Picture Frames

One great place to find used frames is your local flea market, second hand store or thrift store. Be careful, though. Some thrift stores will price a frame too high if they think the artwork inside the painting is worth a lot.

Another place to find inexpensive frames is yard sales. Often, you can haggle with the person running the sale and get a nice frame for only a few dollars. You can even tell the seller that you just want the frame and that they can sell the art to another buyer. The prospect of making an extra sell may make the seller drop the price even lower.

Tips for Buying Used Art Frames

When buying frames you need to keep some of these things in mind:

These frames may already have artwork in them, so make sure that the paintings look easy to remove before you make a purchase.
Take a look at the glass. Is it scratched, cracked or yellowed? Are you willing to replace it?
Choose frames with one particular color or finish. Having somewhat matching frames makes your art look more cohesive in a collection or showing.
If you simply can't find frames that you like, consider spray painting or refinishing them so that they work with your art.
Does the frame have gouges in the wood? Can you repair it with wood putty or sanding?

What to Do with the Old Artwork

Once you have your prize, you may wonder what to do with the old painting. Some artists recycle the canvases by painting over the old image. Only do this if you know what the original medium was, since you have to make sure that your painting medium is compatible. For example, you could paint oils over acrylic, but you wouldn't want to put watercolor on top of oil pastels since the water based medium wouldn't adhere to the oil based medium.

Next time you need a nice, finished look for your art, consider doing the framing yourself with frames purchased second hand. Ultimately, you earn more for your paintings because you won't have such a large overhead for your business.