Painted to perfection

Some paintings are sold framed while in many others the framing is left to your discretion. How a picture is framed can most certainly add to its charm, remarks Harkiran Sodhi

PAINTINGS are said to be the expression of the painter’s feelings, and these when displayed in your home add some of that feeling to your home as well. Art, though a very personal choice, when correctly interpreted and harmoniously displayed, can add enormously to both the piece of art as well as the room it’s in.

Not everyone, however, has the knack of buying the perfect piece of art. For those who are just starting their art collection, here are some tips and pointers. While buying a painting it is best to remember that you should not really ape anyone else’s preference but try to choose something based on your aesthetic values. This will give the many pieces of art you will eventually pick up a unity of sorts in style or feel. It is also best to try to steer away from buying the works of big names initially. Not only are these going to be much more expensive, but they will also be bought for the artist’s name rather than any real liking for the painting itself.

Some paintings are sold framed while in many others the framing is left to your discretion. How a picture is framed can most certainly add to its charm or then detract from it.

The idea when you are framing a picture is not in trying to attract the viewers’ attention with the frame but to try to give the picture a complete and finished look. Therefore, it is essential that the frame should not be too loud and try to draw attention away from the picture to itself.

Over-ornate carved and gold-painted frames in no way add to the picture’s beauty but more often than not mar it. A good frame will give the picture a complete look and can highlight certain aspects of the picture that you want to stress on.

Often good framing can also lessen some small flaws. At the same time it can enhance the overall look of the painting. Conversely, improper framing can reduce the impact of the painting. Thus, a very small painting with delicate and fine brushstrokes could easily get lost if framed incorrectly, but rightly done, the size could be enhanced as well as the delicacy of the painting highlighted.

Getting your framing done from an expert is worth it as often they use subtle tricks like using a mount in one shade of the picture and contrasting the frame with another. Some frames increase the size and depth of the painting by using two or more mounts in different colours.

If you have an extremely large-sized, bold painting, then try to give it a generous space to display it as well. Grouping more than one painting is another way of filling a large area. This works very well if you have many small-sized paintings which form a series or then with a similar theme. If these are similar in style as well as framing, then these seem like a set. They are also eye-catching from even a distance. The unconventionally inclined can even group totally different styled paintings together on the small wall, and if done with the right touch, they can look rather appealing.

Lighting up the area around your treasured artwork will add that final touch to making it as eye-catching as possible. There are many different ways to light up the area and these can be either varied from room to room or used continuously in a pattern. Specific small lights, which are called picture lights, are available which are used to light up the entire picture. These are attractive to look at and need not be concealed. These throw light directly on to the front of the painting and more than one can be used in a grouping with each one focusing on a different part of the picture.

The other type of picture lights are the ones that are placed on the top of the painting, and the light washes downward on to the entire painting.

These again are attractive-looking and sleek. This lighting style isn’t too good for a large, vertical picture as the bottom corner tends to remain much darker than the well lit top portion, and any detailing at the bottom could get obliterated from the view at night.

Uplighting from the bottom of the picture is another option. Spotlights are also used by many to give extra light on certain areas of the picture. If the entire area or wall is anyway well lit but you want to give the picture that little extra light, then pedestal up lighting is an excellent way.

Maintaining your precious work of art is as important as any of the other things are. Unframed paintings are far more susceptible to problems than framed ones are, as the entire picture is protected from all sides.

Framed pictures also need some care to ensure they do not go bad from dampness or sunlight. Try to keep paintings away from direct sunlight. So avoid placing them near brightly-lit windows or openings. Dampness is another problem that can ruin your paintings. Try to ensure that the wall you hang your artwork on is free of dampness before you hang up the picture.

Caring for your artwork will ensure that the piece you have so lovingly bought will stay with you and bring you joy for years together.

This feature was published on February 7, 1998