How to create framed pictures and posters

You can hang pictures or posters in your home to give it a homey feeling, and choose your own colours. Frames can be very expensive. However, there is a way to create framed pictures and posters at a lower cost. This article will show you how to create framed pictures, posters and mattes to display in your home in a few short steps.

Find pictures

Find pictures or posters that you want to frame. You can use your own pictures, or look through magazines, old calendars or newspapers to find pictures you may want to frame or use as a poster. Carefully cut out the pictures with scissors, and set them aside.

Measure the pictures

Measure the pictures which you just cut out with a tape measure. Frames come in certain sizes, and the pictures you cut out will probably not fit all frames perfectly. You may have to cut them down to fit a frame correctly. You can also use mattes and size them down or up as needed. Look at the pictures closely and determine if the quality of the picture is better preserved by making it smaller to fit into a frame, or by matting the picture and then framing it. After you have determined the size you wish to make the picture, and if you have decided to use mattes, go shopping and buy frames and the mattes needed. You can purchase mattes at any craft type store.

Find frames and mattes

Take your mattes and pictures with you and go to places where you will find inexpensive frames and mattes, such as thrift stores, craft stores, or garage sales. Determine where in your home you will hang the pictures or posters, to help you determine what size of pictures you need and the colours you need. Consider the colours you will be using, the colours of the pictures and the colours of the mattes, and the pick frames which compliment the matted pictures. You can be very creative and even create your own gallery with your framed pictures and mattes. Some frames will come in a wood finish, and others will be painted in different colours. You can even paint frames that you purchased yourself .