It's never been more important to the average customer to get BANG FOR THEIR BUCK than it is right now. Long term customers of ART 17 are going to know many of these design 'tricks' through previous framing, but for the uninitiated here's a quick guide to using matting to make your framed artwork POP and impress your friends on a budget!

Taking the images above as an example of framing the same print in two different yet equally AWESOME designs, you can see that the design on the left uses a large 'chunky' ornate frame and therefor did not need the matting to be ostentatious. A single black mat was perfect. The design on the right utilizes a smaller ornate frame and a double mat of pink and black to create layers using the colour of the frame and the image. Both look fabulous. There's no right or wrong when the framing looks great, it's all subjective!

If you head to the ART 17 Instagram account (click the link at the top of the page) and go for a scroll you'll find over 1000 variations in matting layers, colours, shapes, even bevels..

Not only can you stack matboards to create layers around your image, you can vary the width of the matboard showing, the width of the overall border, whether the matboard is cut with a bevel or reverse bevel, and even the shape of the corner.

ART 17 is FAMOUS for using ornate 'fancy' cut matboard corners to add OMFGGG to the design of your framing.

If you'd like to organize a free no obligation consultation with the MAESTRO OF MATBOARD himself, ASH, click back to the HOME PAGE and fill in the contact form. Or head over to Instagram and slide into the DM's!

UNTIL NEXT TIME...TAKE CARE AND STAY AWESOME! xo

It's important to know your options when it comes to the glazing of your framed artworks, but sometimes it can seem a little daunting to understand what they offer you and your artwork.
Here's a basic guide to the facts and stats of the glazing options available at ART 17!
Most of the frames here at glazed with standard 2mm glass. For prints or decorator artworks the cost of UV glass is often not comparable to the cost of the artwork.

What is UV Protective Glass?
UV protective glass is simply any glass that provides more UV protection than standard glass. To be defined as Conservation Glass, the glass needs to block at least 97 percent of all UV rays from passing through.  Regular glass stops UVB rays but it is not able to stop UVA rays.  UV protective glass stops both UVA and UVB rays.

What is Reflection Control Glass?
Reflection control glass is glass with a matte finish that is able to scatter light and diminish unwanted glare. Reflection control glass is not UV protective, though UV protective NR (non-reflective) glass is available. The matte finish of the NR glass will reduce the clarity of your artwork.

When should I use UV or NR glass?
I always recommend UV glass for artworks of high value, or if your artwork is to be hung in direct sunlight. If being hung in direct sunlight you might like to consider NR UV glass to eliminate glare, though you will need to balance this against the loss of clarity. Images with fine details are not recommended to use NR glass.
You may also choose to use UV glass for the extra clarity. UV70 is a HIGH CLARITY glass that provides 70% UV protection. Not quite conservation grade but certainly better protection and clarity than standard glass.
If you are wanting the best protection with good clarity you can choose between Conservation Clear and Museum glass, both of which provide 99% UV protection.

Acrylic 
As a light weight substitute for glass, clear acrylic is a great option. Even at 3mm thickness clear acrylic offers amazing clarity and reduced weight. At ART 17 we use acrylic for most pieces with a glass size over 1m. Acrylic is prone to scratching so care must be taken transporting, hanging, and cleaning your acrylic glazed framing.

Price Difference
Price for glazing of any type does of course reflect (glass joke!) the size of the artwork/framing.
A common misconception is that acrylic is cheaper, both in price and quality, than glass. This is the opposite of the truth. Don't confuse the PLASTIC in the cheap Ikea and Kmart frames for acrylic! Picture Framing acrylic is both high quality and around 4x the cost of standard glass.
NR glass is about the same cost as acrylic, whereas UV70, Conservation, and Museum Glass are 7x - 10x the cost of standard glass, approximately.

Conclusion
When it comes to choosing your glazing it's important to take into account what your artwork is and where it is going. With specialty glass you definitely get what you pay for, but standard glass is more than acceptable for most framing situations and is industry standard.
If you have any questions regarding what glass or acrylic you should use be confident that ART 17 is excited to show and explain to you your options! :)

''The Instagram followers voted and this is what they wanted to see! 4 ways to make your framing POP without breaking the bank!

1. FANCY CORNERS - Thanks to Computerized Mat Cutters we now have the ability to get creative with the matting in your frames. Double, triple, quadruple (and beyond) mats are a breeze and so are elaborate corners! With over 10 corner design options available we're sure we can find the right one for you!

2. FLOAT MOUNT/PEDESTAL FLOAT MOUNT - Perfect for small original artworks and artworks with artist 'torn' edges, choose to float your artwork directly on the matboard backing or raise it on a 'pedestal'!

3. FRAME STACKS - Even with hundreds of the best frames available for you to choose from at ART 17 it's always exciting to take 2 frame profiles and fit them together to create a MEGA-FRAME!
Using the hundreds of available profiles and finishes you can create a subtle stack focusing on size and sleek lines OR you can build the world's most magnificent ornate masterpiece!! And also everything in between!

4. CUSTOM PAINTED FRAMES - ART 17 offers custom painting of frames for those looking for a truly unique framing design. From a single colour highlight paintwork like the one above to a fully custom multi-coloured paint job to match the artwork (for examples hit the INSTAGRAM link at top of page) we've got your covered.
In love with one of the profiles but it doesn't come in the colour you want? Let us paint it for you!

Remember, you are always paying less at ART 17 so why not still pay less and get a unique talking point for your home or office :)

When you are deciding who you want to frame your artwork there's a spectrum of considerations with each person.
Some people have only one requirement, the lowest cost. In this case, Art 17 is your framer. I've kept our overheads low through a series of systems other framer's don't use, so that we can pass the savings on to you.
To some (should be all!) quality is the key requirement. In this case you can rely on the quality of Art 17 frames as each and every frame is made by myself, a certified Trade Qualified Custom Framer with 19 years experience.
Style and design are factors that you should take in account as well. And just because I have 19 years experience doesn't mean I'm out of touch! Haha! In fact if you follow my Instagram (@art17customframing) you'll see I'm continually looking for new opportunities to create unique and exciting framing compositions. thanks to my loyal and artistic clientele.
And finally, (we could go on forever but there are frames waiting to be made!), service. At Art 17 you get the unique experience of a truly private consultation. You can take your time and work one on one with myself to look at all your options, design and price wise, and use our experience and creative drive to best create the piece that works for you an ALL levels.
Hope to see you in the studio soon! If you've got questions or want to book a consultation, please go to the www.art.com.au main page and fill in a contact form or give me a call!
Ash
PS Art 17 also offers pick up and delivery service ;)

Greetings!
In the instance that we have not as yet met, allow me to introduce myself..
My name is Ash, and I am the proud owner and custom framer of ART 17, Brisbane's coolest private custom framing studio.
BUT I'm not just about being the coolest framing studio, I am 100% committed to being the BEST framing studio in Brisbane.
Customers enjoy a unique framing experience at ART 17. As a 'by appointment only' studio you are guaranteed unparalleled access to the ART 17 range of frames, matboards, design techniques, and most importantly time to make your design decisions.
When I started ART 17 in 2015 I had a vision where I combined all the best parts of 14 years industry experience and added them to my own concepts and ideas of what a framing studio COULD be.
Over the last 5 years that vision has evolved to suit the needs of my ever growing clientele so as to better serve their interests and inspire their creativity.
Now every day I bring to the studio 19 years experience and knowledge along with the desire to inspire, delight, and entertain my audience on social media (Instagram is my favorite! @art17customframing).
Custom Framing isn't my career, or my occupation.. It's my vocation..
Thank you for taking the time to read my first blog post (about me), I look forward to sharing with you my journey, and my knowledge, in future posts!