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 I hope you will find this tutorial helpful!

Welcome to 3 simple and inexpensive ways to hang your art prints TODAY!

No special skills, talent or tools are needed. Creativity helps. (But isn't required)
You CAN mount and hang your art prints without spending a fortune or having a nervous breakdown!

Many people are intimidated by the idea of framing matting or mounting a print on their own, after all, you just spent good money to buy it and the last thing you want to do is muck it up before you even get to see it hung! Believe me, I do not want to see that happen either.

Obviously not all framing and mounting techniques are simple and easy, or there would be NO frame shops with expensive equipment and skilled employees, however there are still several simple, easy and inexpensive ways to hang your prints without having a nervous breakdown!

I learned many of these techniques in art school because we had to have lots of pieces mounted and framed and naturally as students we were also broke most of the time. With a little ingenuity and the right tools you too can create attractive ways to hang your art. After all, I have a vested interest in this too - because I am hoping you have purchased one of my art prints from our eBay store ArtCantHurtU. But these techniques will work even if -god forbid- you use someone else's print.

Here are the 3 easiest, quickest and least expensive ways to go from rolled up print to hanging art piece in no time at all! I still use them all the time.

1. Dry mount on foam core
2. Raised layer Masonite.
3. Renovate an old frame

 

 

1. Mounting your Art Print on foamcore

This is a very common technique and I bet you have seen this in countless displays. Foam core is a very lightweight styrofoamish product specifically designed for mounting paper. It come in a variety of sizes and thicknesses. 3/8" thick and 20in.x30in is the most common.
It can be easily purchased in most art supply or craft stores for around $3 a sheet. Best of all, it cuts with a sharp utility knife and is so lightweight it hangs very easily.

This makes it ideal for quick makeovers, holiday themes and party decorating. It can liven up hard to reach places. If you like to change your art frequently then this is a great solution. I have frequently used this method to mount art for nurseries and kids rooms because it is safe and easy to replace. This can be a lifesaver -literally- if your child decides to climb the walls using your pictures to do it! Don't act like it's never happened cause you know it has!

The drawbacks are that it is not a long term mounting solution (meaning 25+ years) It does not protect the front of your prints from damage and that over time it will tend to bow in high humidity environments. Do don't use this in a bathroom. This is NOT an archival method for preserving your prints.

You simply may not want to spend $100 framing a $10 print. As an artist I completely support proper mounting and framing methods for most artwork, however many people simply do not require archival quality framing or mounting to enjoy their art prints. I do not recommend using this technique with original art, or any irreplaceable or extremely valuable paper objects. For those, definitely go archival quality.

I don't want to mislead you in any way, this technique can last years. I have prints that I have had mounted on foam core in my house for more than 7 years. They have done fine. I generally use 3/8 thickness because it is easy to glue two pieces together to get a thicker chunk or add dimension. If you want to enjoy your print today - try this technique. It will take less than an hour.

What you will need for this project:

 3 pieces of 3/8" 18"x24" foam core White 
 1 can spray adhesive and a mask
 One utility knife with extra sharp blades
 A clean cutting surface
 Straight edge

The most common thicknesses
1/8" - ¼" - 3/8" - ½" and up
Sheet sizes vary from 8 ½" x 11" to 48" x 96"
The most commonly available size is 3/8" -20"x30"

Get a piece of foam core that is larger that your print if possible, this will allow some lea way for trimming. Remember the less room you leave for trimming the harder it is to get a good result the first time. If your print is larger than your foam core then make a crease across the bottom of your print. You will use this to line up the bottom of the print with the bottom of the foam core. You will be tempted to trim your print to the final size you want - Please I beg of you -DON'T DO IT!

Read this twice -DO NOT PRE CUT your PRINT or your foam core before you put them together. Trust me with this - just lay down the utility knife and count to ten! The easiest way is to get a perfect fit is to mount the print to the foam core and THEN trim them both once they are glued together.

Adhesive
Spray the back of your print with spray adhesive and then spray the front of your foam core (usually the front and the back are the same). Let the adhesive dry to the touch on both pieces. Do this in a well ventilated room and whatever you do - don't smoke. Use adequate ventilation when spraying and PLEASE do not use spray adhesive if you are pregnant or breastfeeding - this stuff works great for mounting but is nasty to breathe

Reference lines for trimming
Create a larger than necessary clean flat work area to put the two together. A large table or counter works fine. Lay a strip of masking tape across your work area towards the bottom (or closest to you) of the area. It should be wider than the width of your foam core. This will be your bottom reference line. Lay another strip parallel to it at marking the top of your foam core. This will give you something to look at when lining up the two pieces. Remember, the foam core is NOT cut to final size yet, these are just reference lines.

Lay your foam core with the sprayed side UP between these two lines. You can use a couple of masking tape loops to loosely secure it if need be. Next, carefully lift your print and -holding it in the air- turn it over.

DO NOT LET the STICKY SIDE touch anything!! Especially itself - if you do its game over!

Attaching print to foam core
Hold it in the air over your foam core (don't set it down yet) and line it up so the top side and bottom are all in the right direction. Make sure the sides are also lined up. Hold the print with one hand at the top and one hand at the bottom of the print.

IMPORTANT
Gently bow the paper into a slight arch, take the bottom of the print and gently lower it until it is touching the foam core. You will feel it stick. You can use the crease and the tape for a reference. Work you way up the print slowly and carefully smoothing out the paper as it touches the foam. Only let 2" - 4" of your print touch the foam core at a time. For extra large prints get a helper.

Work your way up the print, smoothing as you go. Keep the upper part of the print OFF the foam core by gently bowing it up and away for the surface. Go slow and gentle and don't worry if it isn't perfectly lined up. You will trim it in the next step. You only have at best seconds to reposition your print if you mount it in the wrong position. Some sprays bond immediately, so read the can thoroughly.

Ok, Once the whole thing is down, smooth everything out with a clean rag and your hand starting from the center and radiating outward. Once this is done you are ready to mark and cut.

Turn your memories into LARGE PORTRAIT PRINTS
that look like real paintings!
portraits from your photos!

Trimming your print.
Make a small pencil mark or chalk mark in each corner for your straight edge.
An easy way to do this is to make your BOTTOM line first.
Create register line all the way across the bottom where you want the cut to be
Then measure up on each side to get the top marks. To check for square, measure the diagonals and make sure they are the same. Adjust the top marks until both diagonal and length measurements match.

Cut it
Start with a test cut to get a feel for it. Move outside your lines and cut off a small strip. Use your straight edge as a guide. A firm grip and medium pressure should do it. It is best to cut on a clean, dry, flat space. If you must use your kitchen table please put something down to protect it while you cut, so you don't ruin your finished surface.

Start with the bottom line. Line up your straight edge and cut. If you need to, make slow repeated cuts with a very sharp blade. A sharp blade with medium pressure should cut in one pass if it doesn't go thru in three tries change blades. Next, recheck your measurements and do the top cut. Swing the print around and cut it in the same position you did the bottom cut. Why? It is always easier to move the artwork than to cut in an awkward position

You've got it!
You may want to change blades at this point. Cut one side and then the other using the same technique. Viola you did it! The only thing left to do is glue a simple mounting hook or piece of string on the back and let it dry.

Hang it
You can buy mounting rings at hardware stores for about $2. They are small rings with a flat mounting area that has little barbs that go into the foam core. However I have found that they really need to be glued.

Or you can use a simple piece of string. Take a 6" piece of string and tie two small loops approximately 1/4", one on each end. Put a dollop of white Elmer's glue about the size of a dime where you want each end to go and submerge a loop into each one. Let dry for 24 hours. You can also use contact cement or craft glue.

This will give you a great looking work of art for well under $25 and that includes the print. (That is even when you buy one of our reasonably priced large prints!) Good Job now go hang your art!

Foam core

Now that you know just how easy it is to mount and hang your art prints isn't it time to start picking out prints for the next room?

Perhaps your home office needs alittle inspiration, or your children have outgrown Barney. Maybe you are in the mood for portraits from your favorite photgraphs.

At ArtCantHurtU we make it easy and affordable to have the unique home decor you want at prices you can afford.

Spray adhesive. please read the label
and use with adaquate ventilation

Art prints that fit your lifestyle in our
eBay store

Turn your memories into works of ART!
Large painted portraits for under $100
portraits from your photos!

Masonite in a variety of sizes.

Most of out prints are under $10!
Inexpensive art prints in our eBay store

2. Mounting on Masonite or Hardboard.
Create a professional looking, two layered effect

This idea uses two pieces of Masonite to "float" the print layer over the frame layer. This is a very similar process to mounting on foam core but adds layering and a visual frame into the mix. Masonite comes in varying thicknesses and I like to use the 3/8 or ½".

For this project you will need:
2 sheets of 1/4"," 3/8" or ½" Masonite cut to size,
latex primer, paint, spray adhesive, utility knife, sharp blades, glue, a few screws, wire and a drill with ¼" bit.

 

What size "frame"
The first thing you need to do is decide what size you want your finished project to be. Don't know? How big is your print? Not just the paper size but how big is the image size.
For example: You bought a print that is 18"x 24" because most companies allow room for trimming. The actual image size may be only 16 " x 22". How much of the print image do you want to show? Measure your IMAGE size and write it down.

You will need ONE PIECE of Masonite cut to this dimension.

Next you want to figure out how much "frame" around it you want. There are much better formulas than this one but I will show you an easy one for this example. ( If you are mounting a square print then make your "frame or wooden surround" equal in all four directions. However if you have a rectangular print you may want to add some extra to the bottom because for some reason it just looks better.) Here a quick formula:

Formula
Here is is: You want to add 1/6 of the total width on each side: right, left and top and then add 1/6 to the top and 1/4 to the bottom. Confused yet? OK!

Let's use numbers
You have an 18x24 image size, So you get ONE 18x24 piece of Masonite cut for the art print. What should be the size for the bottm layer?

1/6 of 18" = 3". So the width dimension would be 18"+3"+3"= 24"
1/4 of 18" = 4.5". So the length dimension would be 24"+3"+ 4.5"= 31.5" (Often times it is ok to round it up or down a half inch -use what looks best)

So your new board will be 24"x31 ½"

Use two pieces of cardboard and experiment with the sizes and proportions! If you cannot cut the masonite yourself it is relatively inexpensive to have them cut it at the home center, however you will want to decide on your dimension BEFORE you go. In total, this should be under $25. As always, observe basic safety rules and habits whenever you use power tools.

(If you want to be really creative, take a jigsaw or saber saw and cut a freeform shape around the outside of the large piece, just make sure to leave at least the same amount of room you need for a plain frame.)

Prime and prep
Ok great, now you have two large heavy pieces of wood, not too attractive eh!? Don't worry, were getting to that. You may want to take some sandpaper to the edges very lightly. Get some ordinary latex wood PRIMER and prime both of them. If you don't have any I recommend Zinzer brand BIN latex interior/exterior primer. A quart should be plenty. Just brush or roll it on both pieces and the sides (edges) and let dry.

Painting
Next take your Black craft paint and paint the sides (edges) of the smaller piece and at least 1" of the perimeter around the top. Let dry

Paint the larger piece the color you want your frame to be. Choose something that will make the print POP. When in doubt try this: Paint the first coat dark brown, like chocolate. Remember you only need to paint the perimeter that you will see, but give yourself a lot of lea way so you can adjust the top piece. After that coat dries, take your dark chocolate color and a lighter brown like nutmeg. Squeeze a generous blob of each on a paper plate. Instead of applying with a brush dab both colors on with a squished up plastic grocery bag, just dab and pounce, dab and pounce 'til you have covered the entire area. Be sure and paint the edges of the Masonite too. Let dry.

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Mount print to top and trim
Now you are ready to spray mount the print to the top board. In order to make mounting easier to line up, make a crease along the bottom of the print. Spray the back of the print and the front of the top board. Let adhesive dry.

Then use the crease to help line up the bottom of the print with the bottom of the wood. It is always better to trim the paper than to try and glue it on perfectly straight (which is nearly impossible). You can also trim the paper much easier when it is already glued down, just flip the board over and use the edges as your guide for trimming.

Connecting the two pieces
Next, take your bottom piece and turn it over. Draw a diagonal line from both top corners (make a big X) decide which way will be the top and mark it with a piece of tape. (An easy way is to use one piece of tape and loop it over the top onto the front, and then you'll always know which side is up)
Mark approximately ½ way between the center of the X and the top of the board. Draw a line parallel to the top between the each side of the X; this is where you will mount the top board and where you will connect your wire for hanging. Drill two holes - ¼" wide and ¼" deep- where the lines intersect with the X and a hole in the center of your X. (Don't drill too deep- less is better)

Glue together
I usually glue the two boards together overnight. This allows me to position the pieces exactly where I want them face up. I prefer liquid nails or e-6000 craft glue but you can use white glue or contact cement. The heavier the boards the more strength you'll need. So glue accordingly. If you need to weight them, use a clean piece of paper with cardboard to protect your print and then add your weights.

Screw it and let it hang
After it has dried overnight, add the ½" screws from the back. On the top two screws, simply attach your wire before you tighten them down all the way. You are ready to hang!

Important NOTE: If you are using the ¼" Masonite DO NOT drill any holes. Instead glue your two pieces together and let sit over night. Then turn them over and add two 3/8" screws to the back to hold the wire. Do not over tighten.

I'd love to see what you have done. Naturally I expect you to send me PICTURES of your creations!!! Send them here: art@artcanthurtu.com

 

 

 

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3. Spruce up an old frame

This is a great idea and there are so many frames to choose from. You might even have one at home. Don't worry if it's scratched or chipped, we will fix that right up! I like to take my print measurements with me to the thrift store. I look for two things. A well made frame and the right size. If you are lucky you might even find one with a good matt in it. When you find a frame you want to reuse, check for solidity and safety. Check the glass for scratches and the mat for water stains or bubbling. You can always buy new glass and if the matt is stained or faded let's paint it!

Disassemble
Ok, so you have your frame, what do you do now? The first thing to do is to carefully disassemble it starting from the back. Gently cut the paper backing and remove it. Inside you will find the print backing, probably cardboard. Look around the edges for the points or nails that hold it into place. Use a pair of pliers or a screwdriver to remove them. Be careful, it is easy to cut yourself here. When all the points are out carefully remove the backing without bending it.

Alright, it looks like you may have done this before! Let's Keep going!

Remove the drawing or print and then the matt. Now very, very carefully remove the glass and set it to the side. Do NOT put this somewhere where it will be easy to knock over or sit something on. Look for a space between a chair and the wall or behind a closed door - not laying flat.

The Mat
Now we have all the pieces, let's get to work. First let's look at the mat. Is it in excellent shape? - if so - just lay it to the side and use as is. If not, let's do a quick paint over.

Decide on your color choice. Put two generous dabs on the paper plate, add a drop of white to one of them & stir. Use the same plastic bag dabbing technique that I described in the last example. Cover the entire area and set aside to dry. If you don't like the color you can always do a second coat and adjust either lighter or darker.

The Frame
Now for the frame, I recommend priming the entire frame first - before you add anything. This makes for good adhesion and easy painting. Priming is the best step to take to guarantee a good job. After you prime you will probably notice any dings scratches or missing ornamentation. I use wood putty or spackle to fill holes or rebuild missing areas. Use several coats if necessary.

What if the frame is just plain boring? No problem! Here is a cheap,simple and easy solution: (Feel free to practice on scrap board first.)

Adding an accent line
With black craft paint, make a black strip around the inside of the frame about 1" wide -let dry. Next, tape off ½" around the inside of the frame over the black paint. (next to where the print will be)

LEAVE THIS TAPE ON until the VERY END of the texturing process.

The texture
Take a small bowl and put 1 cup of spackle light in it, add 4-5 tablespoons of white glue or wood glue to it and stir. This should make a sticky mess. It did? Great!

Now, Mask off two sides in the corners (like a miter cut)
Use a small putty knife or your finger to smear along one side of the frame (only do one side at a time) make the spackle about 1/8" - 1/4" thick and cover the whole side of the frame. Don't worry about the edges. Now you can be creative!

I like to use a comb and create patterns or simply comb from inside to out like a tooth pattern. Another favorite is to crumple up a paper bag and lightly pounce the spackle. It gives it a rough texture that paints up nicely. A third idea is to lay a pen or pencil into the spackle to create grooves. Don't get obsessive with this step, start with something freeform and random and work your way up to complex patterns. Once you finish one side do the opposite side and let it dry overnight.

Take off the corner tape ONLY (NOT the inside trim tape) and do the other two sides. Let them dry too.

Now you can sand & shape it and remove any unwanted areas with medium grade sandpaper. Now prime it again - what!! I already primed it once! Yes, and that was to seal the wood and help the spackle stick to the frame, now prime it so you can get a good paint job. A good latex primer will only take a ½ hour to dry and it will be well worth the effort.

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Creating your heirloom frame
Use a latex metallic gold leaf paint (available in 2 oz bottles at craft stores and Wal-Mart.) Paint the outside of the frame twice. Then take a dark brown color about 3 tablespoons and add a thimble full of water and stir, it should be milky. Quickly brush the watery paint on one side and immediately wipe off, leaving some of the color down in the crevices and textures. Repeat this process on all sides - don't mess with this too much just paint it on and wipe it down. This will give you a soft antiqued look and the texture - especially if it isn't perfect, will look good. You can also add gold highlights if you wish or seal it with a clear varnish.

NOW you can take off the inside strip of tape covering the black.Touch up the paint.

WOW! Looks great doesn't it!

Reassemble
Now we are ready to reassemble! Clean you glass and collect your parts. Trim your print so that it fits inside your frame, center it inside the mat and leave plenty of room to adjust the positioning.

Use linen tape or acid free mounting tape to secure the print to the back of the mat. ONLY TAPE at the top of the print, let the rest hang like a curtain to allow for movement and to avoid buckling.

Put the glass back in the frame. Add the matt & print. If the fit is tight, gently bow up the center and ease into place. You can use the back that came with the frame but I like to add a sheet of clean white acid free paper to the surface that will touch the print. If you have it - put it in. Add the backer board and replace the points or nails. This is where it gets tricky.

NOTE: You may have tried to bend the nails back in order to take out the insides, now you are fighting them and worse of all it is mucking up the track that everything sits in. If you haven't already, just take them out. Trust me on this, it's easier!

Secure the print
Use painters glazing points or small nails to hold the backing into place. Make sure you place them every 4 "around all sides of the frame. Hint - if it is hard to get the nails into the frame try this: use a pushpin to start the hole, then gently squeeze the nail into place with some pliers.

You're almost done, but it's going to be worth it!

Backing
The finishing touch and a great way to keep dust and bugs out of your print is to add a paper backing, like the one you removed. Not only does this look pretty it helps protect your print.

Use brown craft paper and white glue. Just run a line of glue around the frame about 1/2 "from the outside edge. Lay your paper on top and let dry. Trim excess paper and add hanger wire and small eyehooks if needed.

WOWY ZOWY! - you DID IT!

Congratulations! You now have a very unique and stylish work of art for LESS that what you would normally pay for a cheapo poster mounted on cardboard! Don't forget to SEND PICTURES!!!!!! Send them here: art@artcanthurtu.com

GREAT WORK!

Now that you know just how easy it is to mount and hang your art prints isn't it time to start picking out prints for the next room? Perhaps your home office needs alittle inspiration, or your children have outgrown Barney. Maybe you are in the mood for portraits from your favorite photgraphs. At ArtCantHurtU we make it easy and affordable to have the unique home decor you want at prices you can afford.

Kids room and childrens art
Nursery and Children's room art
in our eBay store

Now's your chance to get even MORE TIPS & TRICKS, SPECIALS and FREE-BEES! We send you incredible time and money saving ideas along with special savings.

Only our ArtCantHurtU newsletter subscribers get all this and more for free! Click here to sign up before you miss another thrifty tip.

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We simply have so much great stuff to share there is no other way to get it all done!

Your style is unique - shouldn't your art be? We also specialize in oversize prints for the BIG art lover.

My name is Jan Riley and I am a life long artist living in the Atlanta area. Besides my original works we have many other unique Art Prints that you simply cannot find anywhere else. If you have any questions please drop me a line at :art@ArtCantHurtU.com or give me a call Jan Riley 404 294 5549 est

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