Picture Frames Express Blog

Archive for the ‘picture frames’ Category

April 30, 2013

How to Hang a Picture Frame

How to Hang a Picture Frame

How to Mount and Hang a Picture Frame on Your Site: Copy and Paste the Code Below

So you’ve got your favourite photo or piece of  artwork and you’ve got your picture frame; now comes the tricky part. Placing your photo or artwork and fixing your picture frame to the wall for some people is easier said than done. If you do usually struggle with this then follow our handy guide above or simple steps below to prepare and hang your picture frames perfectly every time.

  1. Before you get started make sure you have everything you will need. Aside from your frame and hanging hardware all you really need is a screwdriver, hammer, pencil and spirit level. For a heavy duty frame you will also need a drill.
  2. Place your frame face down on a clean, soft, flat surface. A dining room table is ideal but a soft carpet is also fine if you would rather work on the floor.
  3. Using a flat head screwdriver, very carefully lift the tabs to release the backing of the frame.
  4. You should now be able to lift the backing out of the frame. Do so and place it to the side for the time being.
  5. You can now remove the glazing from the frame. If the glazing has a protective covering, remove this from both sides being careful not to get finger prints on the internal side.
  6. Place the item you are framing between the backing and the glazing.
  7. Carefully lower the glazing, item and backing back into the frame and bend the tabs back into place to secure the construction.
  8. Use brown tape around the edge of the frame backing. This will add an extra level of security in the construction of the frame and ensure that moisture, dust and creepy crawlies can’t get in.
  9. Mark the position for the d-rings with a pencil. In most cases this should be about a third of the way down from the top of the frame. Use a tape measure or ruler to ensure the distances are equal.
  10. Place your d-rings over the pencil marks created in the previous step.
  11. Using a Phillips head screwdriver attach the d-rings to the frame.
  12. Loop the cord through the two d-rings and tie up as securely as possible.
  13. Using your trusty pencil once again, mark the position on the wall where you wish to hang your frame. Remember to take into account the slack in your cord.
  14. Heavier frames may require a screw to secure them but for lighter frames a nail should suffice. In this case, carefully hammer your nail through the hole in your hanging hook, preferably into a stud. You can then skip to step 18.
  15. If you have a heavy duty frame or are hanging your frame on a brick wall you will need to use a screw. Start by drilling a suitably sized hole with your electric drill. Warning: Check the wall for wires and pipes before drilling.
  16. Select the correct wall plug for the wall you are using and insert it into the hole.
  17. Insert the screw through the hole in the hook and into the wall.
  18. Hang your picture frame from the hook.
  19. Finally ensure your picture frame is straight and level.
  20. And that’s it! All that is left to do is stand back and admire your good work.

If you found this guide useful please do remember to ‘like’ or share. If you think we should add anything or have any ideas for future guides then please let us know in the comments!

May 14, 2012

April 2012 Photography Competition Winners

We would like to congratulate Kayleigh Parsons-Matcham from Oakhill, the winner of our April photography competition ‘The Great Outdoors’ with her photo ‘Winter Trees of Yorkshire’. She will win £200 worth of picture frames.

 

 

We really liked the colour tones in the picture and thought that it encapsulated the theme very well. The road going into the fog in the distance gives it a great sense of depth and the leafless trees make a great focal point.

We would also like to congratulate the runner-up of the April competition, Victoria Christie from Leeds for her photo of Ennerdale Water. She will win £50 worth of picture frames.

 

We think it captures perfectly how beautiful the British outdoors can be on a sunny day. We especially liked the reflection of the hills and rocks in the water and the range of blues in the sky.

Thank you once more to everyone who took part in the competition. All of the entries were excellent and we were very pleased with the final ten which can be seen in an album on our Facebook page. Be sure to enter our May photography competition. The theme this time is ‘Pets & Animals’, see our updated blog post for full details.

April 20, 2012

Advice For Taking Good Photographs – Part Two

As the photo competition continues to grow from strength to strength entrants will have noticed the competition has been split into themes. In honour of this month’s ‘The Great Outdoors’ theme we have focused this blog post towards taking a great shot outdoors that will be worthy of framing in one of our picture frames.

Landscapes can be tricky to get right, so the key is to practice and experiment to see what works for you.

Keep any horizon shots level within the photograph. It can be tempting to make the shot look ‘edgy ’ but the shot might also look crooked.

If there is a focal point for the viewer to look at, experiment with moving this point to the edge of the frame, rather than making it a centre point.

Look for different angles in which to take your photo. Standing is a common angle, so why not try changing the camera position to lying on the ground for an eye level view, or shooting a scene looking up from the ground. There are lots of different ideas to work with depending on the landscape you are photographing. You could get a bird’s eye view shot if you have a head for heights. Seeing a scene from another perspective often captures interest.

Avoid leaving empty space in a landscape photograph. If there is no point to focus on, make sure the image still have different and contrasting lines to look at. For example, if you want to capture a skyline and there is a point of interest, like a building or tree, this will stand out and look pleasing.  If the shot is simply too sparse and has no lines or focal point the photograph will end up with too much empty space and nothing else.

Use both portrait and landscape angles, with the camera on its side. A landscape shot can take on a different angle and perspective using a portrait shot.

Hopefully, the above tips have provided inspiration to get you out there into the great outdoors and begin taking some great photos that you can enter into our April photograph competition.

Photo credit: Steve Picton

February 21, 2012

Picture Frames Express Photo Competition (June: Sights of Summer!)

 

June Theme: Sights of Summer!

Thank you to everyone who entered and voted on the May competition. It was great to see how creative some of you were with the shots of your pets and animals, and most of them were just plain cute!

Facebook

Entries will need to be submitted via Facebook. You will find the competition tab on the right hand side of our Facebook page just below the large cover image. Alternatively, you can enter the competition page directly by clicking here.

Once you have ‘Liked’ the Picture Frames Express Facebook page you will be able to upload your entry directly via the entry form. The theme for this month is ‘Sights of Summer’. You can do whatever you want within the area of this theme and we’ll be fairly lenient with regards to what is acceptable.

The top voted on and 10 of our own favourites from the rest will make a final shortlist of 20. The winner and runner-up will then be chosen objectively by someone with no knowledge of how the pictures arrived in the shortlist or how many votes are associated with each one. We think this is the fairest way to give everyone a chance of winning.

Closing Date

This month’s competition closes at midnight on 31st May 2012. Winners will be announced within 14 days and a number of runners up will be featured on our blog.

You have full creative freedom over your photos as long as they are of the correct theme and not in breach of the terms and conditions. We are excited to see your camera skills, so submit your photos now, and remember this it’s only one entry per person.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the competion open to entrants outside the UK?

A: No, we can only accept entries from UK residents – sorry.

Q: I’m having trouble voting. What is the problem?

A: There is a known issue with Safari on Mac computers. We recommend trying a different web browser or computer. Apologies for the inconvenience. If you’re not on a Mac, signing out of Facebook and back in should fix any problems.

 

This competition is featured on:

Loquax Competitions
Money Saving Expert

 

January 6, 2012

Framing Those Christmas Memories

The Christmas and new year period are now behind us and if you agree with us it’s quite sad to see it go. One way you can keep those happy memories to last is to buy picture frames and display the photos you have taken over the holiday period.

Maybe you have taken photos of your Christmas decorations, the surprised look on the children’s faces as they are opening their presents or the whole family around the dinner table on Christmas day. Maybe you spent new years eve out with friends or at a house party and took lots of photos. Most pictures from good times like these seem to just end up on social networking sites these days but nothing quite compares to displaying them in your home in nice picture frames.

Since Christmas is a time for gift giving, maybe you received a new camera. You’ll likely have been playing with your new toy and perhaps have taken some great photos. Even if your photography skills aren’t quite up to scratch just yet it is a great idea to frame these early shots you’ve taken so that you can see how much you improve in the future. Alternatively, maybe your loved ones bought you a poster or a nice piece of artwork for Christmas that you want to put in a frame and treasure forever.

 

We have a massive variety of frames available for all your different needs in different colours and styles to suit your personal taste. We have frames in all of the standard sizes and a configurator that allows you to create the perfect picture frames for your specific purpose.

November 11, 2011

Positioning a Picture Frame

So you’ve taken an amazing photo, you’ve ordered your made to measure picture frame and you’ve framed it and it looks great but now comes the difficult part. Where are you going to hang it? If a picture frame is hung well on a wall then it can create an interesting focal point within a room, both for guests that visit your home and also for you to see every day.

Struggling to position a picture frame? Follow our helpful tips.

There is a standard rule that Art Gallery’s use with regards to hanging a frame, which is that it should be 60inches or 1520mm from the floor to the centre of the picture. This allows the picture to be positioned at the average person’s eye level so that the focal point of the picture is right in eye line. Whilst this is very easy to do in an art gallery with all its bare walls, it might not be as easy in the home due to a fireplace or other unmoveable object. It is only a suggested rule though so keep it in mind but don’t worry if it’s not possible.

Another good technique to use if you are unsure of where to hang your picture frame for maximum effect is to create a template the size and shape of your frame. This could be made by taping together old pieces of paper and then using blu-tack to stick it onto the wall in different places. This will give you an idea on what something the size and shape of your frame will look like on the wall. Using this method allows you to stand back from the wall to take in the full effect and positioning of the frame and allows you to test different ideas.

If you find a position you’re happy with then you can go about hanging your picture, but if you don’t like the positioning you can simply remove the template and stick it to another area. This method means you can test different positions without having to hammer lots of holes into the wall.

For a guide on how to hang a picture frame, have a look at our previous blog post.

 

October 10, 2011

Creating Multi-Image Picture

If you want to display something a little different in a picture frame then why not try creating your own panoramic-like image which can be displayed in a frame with three or more images going either across or down. Next time you go somewhere and see a beautiful view, such as the setting sun on the horizon or if you have a big group of friends but don’t want to squeeze everyone into a small space you could try splitting it up into multiple photos.

When taking a photo of the setting sun on your holiday, take one photo and then move your camera across the horizon and take another, repeating for as many photos as you want. This can also work with large groups of people; get everyone into a line and move along taking photos.

Be careful to make sure that your photos don’t overlap and that you don’t leave too big a gap in between them either. You can then display these multi photos in a frame to create a larger image, as you can see below.

Horizon image for picture frame

You could have one image of a horizon...

Picture frame of 3 photos

...or split it into three!

If you want to give it a go then you can get a custom picture frame from Picture Frames Express and use the frame designer to order whatever size frame you want. You could even be really adventurous and try and create an image split over two rows and two columns!

September 5, 2011

Picture Frame Famous Landmarks

Whilst stumbling through the Internet one afternoon we came across these beautiful photos of what are considered to be some of the most important landmarks of the world. A landmark is considered as anything that makes a place instantly recognisable such as a building, statue or natural wonder. If you showed a picture of any of these landmarks to someone then they will most likely be able to tell you what country that landmark is in. For anyone who visits these places or enjoys regular travelling, taking that all important photograph to capture your visit is a great moment.

Here are some of our favourites which we think would make great wall decorations if put in a picture frame and displayed in your home.

 

picture frame of Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu, Peru

Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower, Paris

Christo Redemptor

Christo Redemptor, Rio de Janeiro

 

And if we were to get one picture frame produced of any famous landmark then we would have to go with this…

 

picture frame of Easter Island

Easter Island, Polynesian Triangle

 

If you have any pictures from your travels that you think would look great in a picture frame, then we can help mount or frame your favourite picture so that you can display it proudly in your home for all to see.

June 24, 2011

Frame Those Summer Memories

With the summer now upon us, you might be getting ready for your yearly holiday with the family or your first holiday away with friends. One essential item that almost everyone takes whatever the holiday is a digital camera. Since they are so compact these days and still capable of producing high quality images, they are great to capture them funny, beautiful and spontaneous moments. There are several ways to display these memories for either yourself or to give to someone as a present, no matter whether you have one picture or forty.

Picture Frame

A picture frame is an attractive way to show off your favourite holiday moment and really highlight it on your wall. Having a black and white image in a black picture frame can look very sophisticated in a modern apartment of a stylish couple or if you have bright family photos you could choose a light or coloured frame to fit the decor of your room.

Picture frame of friends on beach

Multi Frame

If you have a series of photos that you want to display you could choose a multi picture frame which allows you to select the number of pictures you want to display in your frame. You could have a multi frame to show three of your favourite photos or a large one which can display 32 photos, the choice is yours depending on how many photos you want to display.

Picture Mount

This is a cheaper option to display your photos when compared to a picture frame but still frames your photos well for display. They are available in a range of styles so you will be able to find the best mount to suit your holiday photo.

So whether it’s a photo of the kids building a sandcastle on the beach in Spain or you and your best friends enjoying some cocktails in Greece, any holiday memory would look great in a picture frame or mount.

May 7, 2011

Picture Frames – Make Or Break An Artpiece

An ancient proverb says a picture is equal to thousand words.

What about picture frames? The main function of a picture or photo frame is to protect and highlight the content it holds.

A beautiful work of art can be made to look drab by framing it improperly, using wrong materials. Similarly an excellent frame can definitely enhance the beauty of the picture it holds.

 

 

Plenty of choice 

 

There are many types of frame and mount to choose from, the problem is deciding which is most suitable for the picture or photograph; a difficult task.

A wrong choice and you lose the contented feeling you get when you look at a work of art.

Occasionally, pictures are abnormal in size so you need custom picture frames. To complement the picture and help it merge with ambience of the room, frame colour and texture are everything.

Picture and photo frames of standard sizes are not expensive and they can be bought from almost anywhere. To suit our individual style and also to enhance the quality of the pictures, care should be taken to incorporate these factors when we select standard picture or photo frames.

 

 

Mounts 

 

Picture frames come in hundreds of colours, different shapes and a wide variety of materials which will complement the interior decoration.

The photo frames are made of pewter, stainless, ceramics, composites and crystal. Your budget is the only criteria to select the best available design and material.

Picture frames can be artful in their own right with wide borders, bright and bold colour. Try to avoid a picture frame which overwhelms the image it carries.

For the contemporary home select metal frames in darker shades such as black, copper, gold or silver. To get a Mediterranean style select bold white frames. To create an antique Victorian look ornate gilded frames are the best choice to highlight beautiful art and special prints.

The children’s room will get a youthful atmosphere by using plastic frames in vivid colours.

Avoid metal frames to encase valuable pieces of art. They are priced moderately and sold as kits with their backs open. This makes the contents exposed to dust and moisture.

With proper tools and after little practice you can make your own wooden picture frames and it is a correct choice for original arts, limited edition prints and other valuable photos.