Now that you've selected your oval picture frame it is time to prepare your photo to be placed in the frame. This is not difficult to do, but here are some tips to keep in mind to make the process go smoothly.
1. Before you cut your picture to fit an oval frame, always make sure the photo looks good in an oval shaped frame first. The best way to check is to take the frame apart so you can place just the frame over the photo. To do this, first remove the frame back and then take out the glass and set it carefully to the side. Place the oval frame over your picture and center the frame around the subjects in your photo. This step will help you decide if you like how your picture looks inside an oval picture frame.
2. Next, take the glass from your oval photo frame and place it over your picture where the frame had been. Carefully adjust the glass until the positioning looks good. Use care when moving the glass so your picture doesn’t get scratched.
3. Be patient as you adjust the glass as you want the subject or individuals in the picture to be straight in the frame. Aligning a subject in an oval frame isn’t as simple as aligning a rectangular or square picture frame so make sure it looks right. Ideally, the subject or individuals in the photo should be centered and have equal space on either side. For vertical spacing the subject’s head should be approximately two-thirds of the way up from the base of the oval frame. Never position the subject's head directly in the center of the frame as it leaves too much space above and throws off the picture's eye appeal.
4. When you've found the perfect position for your picture, carefully trace along the outside of the glass with a thin pen. Always avoid using thick pens or markers for tracing as they may bleed on the picture.
5. Now it's time to cut. With a sharp pair of scissors carefully cut along the line you traced. You can also use a mat knife but just make sure you're able to make a smooth and even cut otherwise, you should use scissors to avoid damaging your photo. Make sure your scissors are sharp because dull scissors can bend or crease your picture. Once your photo is cut, make sure to clean the glass and give it plenty of time to dry so it won't cause any moisture damage on your picture.
6. Double check to see if your oval frame came with frame backing. If your frame did come with a frame back, all you have to do is put the glass, photo and frame back on and you're all set. If it didn’t come with backing, you can use an archival mat board or a piece of cardboard to make your own. The purpose of the frame backing is to help hold your picture and glass securely in place with the help of some small brad nails. If you need to make your own backing and are framing an important picture, you should use archival mat board because the acid in plain cardboard can degrade your photo over time.
The first step to making your own frame back is to place the oval frame face up on the cardboard or mat board. Next, you'll need to trace along the outside edge of the oval picture frame back so it will fit perfectly in your frame. Once you have cut it out and placed it in the frame, you'll need to use brad nails about 1/4 inch long to secure the frame backing. You do this by placing the brad nails on the board and pushing them into the molding on the back of the wood picture frame. Once the brad nails are securely holding the frame backing you’re all ready to hang your oval picture frame.
As you can see, preparing and assembling your oval picture frame takes a little time but by following the steps it should make the process easy to do. Once your oval picture frame is beautifully hanging on the wall, you'll feel proud knowing that you did it all by yourself.
