For many artists, framing is the least glamorous part of the process. It’s time-consuming, expensive, and often feels like an afterthought to the creative work itself. But here’s the truth: nothing will elevate—or undermine—your work more quickly than how it’s presented.
Galleries, collectors, and serious buyers assess presentation in an instant. It’s not just about aesthetics—it’s about trust. A clean, well-framed piece signals that you’re a professional. A sloppy frame raises questions about everything else you do.
The good news? You don’t need a limitless budget to frame well. With the right strategy, you can present your work at a high level, even while cash flow is tight. Here’s how.
Why Presentation Is Non-Negotiable
The moment your artwork is seen—online, in a gallery, or at a show—it’s being judged on both image and finish. A powerful piece in a cheap or damaged frame feels less valuable. A modest piece in a beautifully chosen frame feels more important.
Great presentation does three things:
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It elevates perceived value.
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It builds credibility with collectors and galleries.
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It helps you justify stronger prices.
Skipping this step or treating it like a chore limits how far your work can go. Don’t let a poor frame hold back a great piece.
The Real Cost of Framing—and How to Think About It
Framing can easily consume 30%–50% of a piece’s sale price if you’re not strategic—especially when pricing is too low. For example, a $400 painting in a $200 frame leaves you with nothing after gallery commission. In fact, you’re losing money.
That’s why you need to think of framing not as a cost, but as an investment tied to pricing. Your goal should be to keep framing costs around 10–15% of your full retail price. If you’re consistently exceeding that, it’s time to either reduce your framing expenses or increase your prices—or both.
Aligning Framing Costs With Pricing
Returning to the previous example, if you’re routinely spending $200 to frame a piece and selling it for $400, the math doesn’t work—especially when a gallery commission is factored in. That’s not just a framing problem; it’s a pricing problem.
When you price correctly, you make space for professional presentation. If you can’t raise your prices yet, scale back on framing expenses—but don’t compromise on appearance. Your work must still look finished, clean, and professional.
And if you’re still in early stages and building traction, accept that not every piece has to be sold framed. Sell the work unframed and offer framing as an upgrade, or send a piece out to a gallery once it’s sold.
Smart Ways to Frame on a Budget Without Sacrificing Quality
You don’t need to choose between cheap frames and high-end professional jobs. There’s a middle path—and it starts with being smart about materials and methods.
1. DIY—Done Right
If you’re reasonably handy, invest in a good mat cutter and point gun. Stick with standard-sized frames so you can buy pre-mades in bulk and rotate work in and out as needed. This keeps costs low and gives you flexibility for shows and sales.
2. Choose Moldings Wisely
Wholesale framing suppliers (not craft stores) often sell molding kits or assembled frames to artists with resale licenses. The savings can be dramatic—and the quality leaps above retail options. You don’t need to open a frame shop, but finding a trusted local supplier can change your game.
3. Minimize Your Size Variability
Stick to a limited set of standard sizes for your artwork. This allows you to swap frames as needed, reuse materials, and even rotate pieces in the same exhibition hardware when necessary.
4. Use Professional Framing Selectively
You don’t need every piece framed at the highest level. Instead, professionally frame 3–4 of your strongest works to serve as examples for galleries and collectors. The rest of your portfolio can be unframed (for now), shown via high-quality images or mockups. Frame on demand as needed.
Final Word: Presentation Is an Investment in Yourself
Presentation is more than polish—it’s positioning. It says you’re serious. It tells collectors they’re looking at something worth paying for. And it shows galleries that you’re someone who understands the business of art—not just the making of it.
You don’t have to do it all at once. You don’t need to go broke. But you do need a plan. Make smart choices. Frame strategically. Price realistically. And always, always respect the power of presentation.
Very interesting discussion Jason.
The unframed works in our gallery that sell are the canvases with wider sides that don’t need framing.
In our gallery, the unframed works that obviously do need a frame around them (boards, thinner sided canvases etc), are the pieces that don’t sell and often have to be returned to the artist.
If they were framed they would have sold.
It is difficult for artists to come up with the money to spend on framing, however when a client wants to buy a piece of art they usually don’t want then to have the hassle of taking it to a framers and wait a few weeks to be able to hang their new art on their walls !
I love framing! I feel like it’s part of the piece and deserves attention. If a piece isn’t presented well, it’s not received well. So I always try to frame my pieces nicely. I do use a wholesale framer supplier, and that helps a lot with the cost. I even have sample corners at home so that I can choose a frame in my studio instead of lugging my artwork to the wholesaler’s store (and some don’t allow that anyway). I do find it’s harder to recoup the cost of the frame when selling in a gallery than when selling myself.
I frankly do not like the idea of switching out a set of standard frames. I feel that each piece probably looks best in a particular frame, and likely that frame wouldn’t be best for any other piece. But I know lots of artists do that. However, that practice tends to leave out the finishing toucheof sealing the back.