Asian Types of Framing Art

Formal

• Frame your picture with dark wood frames using fabric or grasscloth matboard. Consider rosewood, mahogany, cherry or other dark stained wood. The frame may be elaborately carved or have clean lines with little embellishment. The matboard should be a rich fabric of silk, linen or other woven fabrics. Grasscloth can be used, but it should be a fine texture. If you have a particular fabric in mind, you may take it to your framer to use in a custom wrapped mat. Use multiple mats and an inner fillet to give a formal important look to your picture.

Traditional

• Frame your picture with lacquer, bamboo, painted wood or stained wood frames. The shape of the frame molding should be flat, half round or a simple scoop profile. Small embellishments might decorate corners or exposed, decorative nailheads may be used in construction. The frame should have clean lines and be of moderate to thin width. Use grasscloth, fabric or paper matboard with fine texture. A simple but elegant approach is appropriate for traditional style Asian art.

Contemporary

• For a contemporary or modern Asian look, use extra wide matboard larger than 3 inches. Matboard color should be neutral light colors. Avoid distracting brightly colored or dark matboard. Frame your picture using a narrow flat or half round frame profile in lacquer, wood or metal. You can choose a frame of any color to complement the picture or match your décor. Contemporary framing is best achieved with a minimalist approach.

Rustic

• Your style is casual comfort with rustic accessories and design elements that may reflect a culture of rural or nomadic Asian culture. Frame your artwork in distressed wood styles. The profile of the frame can be wide and flat or narrow and rounded or any simple profile that avoids ornamentation or elaborate design. Wire brushed, bleached or stained wood are appropriate choices. Matboard should be fabric, grasscloth or textured paper. If the object is simple, consider using a patterned paper behind the object or a patterned matboard.