Printing Framing and Matting....help

Helvegr

I'm posting here as the professionals may deal with this all the time when printing images. I'm simply trying to be able to take an image, print it in a variety of sizes, matte it and frame it, while trying to stay away from custom framing if possible.

However there doesn't seem to be a lot of rhyme or reason to a lot of the "standard" sizes.

Here is a single example what I'm kind of thinking:

12x18 image printed on 13x19 paper (gives it a 1/2" border), then a 2" matte, framed in a 16x22 frame. But wait! the standard frame would be 16x20!

I could go on, but I think you probably already get the idea of what I'm unsuccessfully trying to do.

I would like to be able to print say 3-4 sizes (Epson 3880 printer) scaling from small to large. I'd like to know for each of those sizes which paper size to use (I've been using Red River Paper), then hopefully at the end, have a print I can matte and frame without having to have a frame custom made.

I have options to change my crop on the images, change the matting around, the papers, all of that, I'd just like to hopefully have something that I could be somewhat consistent with in my prints.

Thanks!

Sam

1. (6X9) 11X14
2. (8X10 11X14
3. (8X12) 12X16
4. (10X15) 16X20
5. (12X18) 20X26
6. (16X24) 24X32

All standard stuff from Frame Destination.

Sam

Helvegr

Sam wrote: »

1. (6X9) 11X14
2. (8X10 11X14
3. (8X12) 12X16
4. (10X15) 16X20
5. (12X18) 20X26
6. (16X24) 24X32

All standard stuff from Frame Destination.

Sam

Thanks for the response. Does this formatting suggest that I print an 8x12 on a 12x16 paper? Just trying to make sure I understand. Thanks again!

sara505

Helvegr wrote: »

Thanks for the response. Does this formatting suggest that I print an 8x12 on a 12x16 paper? Just trying to make sure I understand. Thanks again!

I think the larger dimension would be the mat. I put 10x15s in 16x20 mats all the time.

Helvegr

sara505 wrote: »

I think the larger dimension would be the mat. I put 10x15s in 16x20 mats all the time.

Excellent thanks for clarifying. Could we take Sam's examples one step further and list what paper size you'd suggest printing each of them on?

Many of the more standard sizes of paper don't match the image size. So I'm assuming most people would tend to print on slightly larger paper, leaving a border on the paper, that then gets covered by the matte?

Thanks!

fdi

A while back I wrote a blog post with some suggested printing, matting, and framing sizes for various inkjet paper sizes: Inkjet Print Sizes for Picture Framing

I am the owner of Frame Destination, Inc. I founded Frame Destination because of the lack of picture frame sizes for my own inkjet prints. Some people just want the largest image possible and print borderless. Others want an exact aspect ratio, special cropping, or perfect edges on the image and print smaller than the paper. My company supports paper sizes as well as some common image sizes mostly at the 3:2 aspect ratio. For all other matting and picture framing sizes, you can just select custom on our website for a small fee.

Cheers,
Mark

Helvegr wrote: »

Excellent thanks for clarifying. Could we take Sam's examples one step further and list what paper size you'd suggest printing each of them on?

Many of the more standard sizes of paper don't match the image size. So I'm assuming most people would tend to print on slightly larger paper, leaving a border on the paper, that then gets covered by the matte?

Thanks!

sara505

fdi wrote: »

A while back I wrote a blog post with some suggested printing, matting, and framing sizes for various inkjet paper sizes: Inkjet Print Sizes for Picture Framing

I am the owner of Frame Destination, Inc. I founded Frame Destination because of the lack of picture frame sizes for my own inkjet prints. Some people just want the largest image possible and print borderless. Others want an exact aspect ratio, special cropping, or perfect edges on the image and print smaller than the paper. My company supports paper sizes as well as some common image sizes mostly at the 3:2 aspect ratio. For all other matting and picture framing sizes, you can just select custom on our website for a small fee.

Cheers,
Mark

Great resource, thank you.

Sam

Mark is the man!

Paper size is pretty much irreverent. Use a paper size that best accommodates the printed image and trim as needed.

Sam

sara505

Sam wrote: »

Mark is the man!

Paper size is pretty much irreverent. Use a paper size that best accommodates the printed image and trim as needed.

Sam

Sam's the man, too - all irreverance aside - he knows printing and trimming!

MikeAldrich

Sam wrote: »

1. (6X9) 11X14
2. (8X10 11X14
3. (8X12) 12X16
4. (10X15) 16X20
5. (12X18) 20X26
6. (16X24) 24X32

All standard stuff from Frame Destination.

Sam

Hey Sam,
So this comes pretty close to answering a question I just asked in another thread. But I still have a couple questions about the frame sizes. Is 20x24 considered a standard size, or would it be a bit harder to find than lets say a 18x24 or 20x26 frame? I just matted a 12x18 photo in a 20x24 mat for an art market this weekend. I don't want to offer up a mat size that may be a little more difficult to find a frame for or if I should trim the mat back to 18x24? I do like large mat's though.

Mike

MikeAldrich

Sam wrote: »

1. (6X9) 11X14
2. (8X10 11X14
3. (8X12) 12X16
4. (10X15) 16X20
5. (12X18) 20X26
6. (16X24) 24X32

All standard stuff from Frame Destination.

Sam

Is there a standard frame size between a 12x16 and 16x20? I wanna mat some 8x12's but would like to use a larger mat than 12x16, but the 16x20 seems like it may to large.

Mike

Hikin' Mike

MikeAldrich wrote: »

Is there a standard frame size between a 12x16 and 16x20? I wanna mat some 8x12's but would like to use a larger mat than 12x16, but the 16x20 seems like it may to large.

Mike

I have a 8 x 12 print matted/framed as a 16 x 20. I personally wouldn't do it again because it's a bit large. I have a photographer/graphic designer friend that once told me that the smaller prints and larger mats the more important the piece was. Not sure if that was true but I can see his point.