How to Draw: 6 Tips on Framing Pencil Drawings

The finishing and final touches on your drawing contribute the beauty and essence that it portrays. Framing does not only add to the beauty of your piece but it also protects it from damage over a long time. Paper is prone to wear and tear, and therefore a frame for your drawing is what you need to prevent this from happening.

The following are things you should consider when picking a frame for your drawing.

Use acid free materials

The tape, matting, barriers or backing that you decide to use when framing your drawing should be free of acidic components. The acid can damage your artwork over time or distort the paper you used. You will discover that if the paper was white, it begins turning yellow or slightly brown.

Use Matting

When you use copic markers, ensure that you check whether it is acidic and if so, back it up by an acid-free material that will protect the drawing from the matting and its acidic effects. Find out the standard thickness for the non-acidic barrier to ensure you do everything right. The barrier is however not necessary if you choose a matting that is not acidic in nature. Consider using a foam-core board for backing your drawing as most framers do.

Stay away from black

Sometimes a black frame over powers the drawing. If you feel like a black frame will silence what your art is trying to communicate, or if it makes it look small, do not use it. In other circumstances nevertheless, a black frame can blend in with your artwork if you have used bold colors or black from time to time. If it is part of the color scheme, blend it with your drawing. Keep in mind that you can use a frame to subdue, compliment, or emphasize an aspect of your art according to what you mostly place value over. Black mostly subdues your drawing unless it fits in with the color scheme.

Always use Glass to Frame

It is wise to frame with glass and even better to purchase the UV protection glass. Do not use Plexiglas or nonglare glass though. When using glass framing, cleanliness is a virtue both for the glass and for the drawing. Clean the copic chile drawing by removing smudges and getting rid of dust and bits of eraser. Looking at the paper surface, you drew on at an angle that allows you to see if there is any dust or dirt left. If you notice any, use a brush or compressed air to get rid of these fragments.

Now ensure the glass is clean and free of fingerprints, hair, dust and other particles and then you can secure it in the frame.

Let your artwork breathe

Do not secure the four ends of your drawing firmly on the backing you use. Only secure it at the top and allow it to hang, which gives it freedom to, expand, contract and flex as the humidity changes. If you restrict the paper, it will either ripple or create waves with time.

Add a protective Dust Cover

The dust cover prevents bugs, dust and spiders from invading the framed picture. To create a dust cover use a two-sided tape on the back surface of the molding and go with it all round its perimeter. Lay a piece of brown paper on this surface and trim its outer edges and you are well set to hang your art.

Find more information relating to copic chile , and copic markers here.