How to Paint a Frame Around a Picture Frame

Do you have a picture on a wall that is ho-hum? Maybe the picture is too small for the wall or the colors in the picture blend too well with the wall color. Here is a way to improve the overall appearance of a picture in your home.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paint
• Measuring Tape
• Straight Edge
• Painters Tape

1. I just wanted to bring a little zip to a framed print, so I painted a corner "frame" on opposite corners of the picture frame. With the picture in place determine how large you need to go, keeping in mind the size of the print. Try and match the width of your painted frame to the actual size of the frame on the print. Leave between 1-1/2 to 2" of space between the edge of the picture frame and the new painted frame. You may decide that your picture needs more than the "corner frame". Try going all around your print with a painted frame to create the illusion of a larger print.

2. Once you've determined how your going to paint your frame, measure and draw a faint pencil line where you are going to paint. Remove the print and with the painters tape enclose the area to be painted. Keep the tape outside of the pencil line so it gets painted too. Take your fingernail and really push the tape down so you keep the paint from seeping underneath it. You may need two coats of paint to cover the wall color.

3. 
   A SMALL PRINT CAN SEEM MORE IMPORTANT WITH A PAINTED FRAME

   Once your done painting, remove the tape before the paint dries. If you've got any paint that seeped out of the tape you will need to take wall color and touch-up. Or if the paint is still fairly wet, take a small brush, wet with water and carefully remove extra paint.

Tips & Warnings

• Please measure carefully! If any of your lines are crooked they will be very obvious. Consider pulling a color for your painted frame from the print itself. If you've chosen a paint color that dosen't work, simply re-tape the frame and repaint.
• Need some expert tip's for the care and hanging of your artwork? Please read fellow member Cougar 1002 article "How To Hang Artwork".

Resources

• How To Hang Artwork

[TheStorm]

on 4/29/2008 Hello Friend & Neighbor,

I used to manage a retail store that specialized in picture frames, and they never told us about this...!!! Five Star Article! Worth Sharing, therefore I will digg it!

TheStorm
Vancouver Washington

[wickedtracie]

on 4/7/2008 this is so cool, I'm going to try this!