Custom Framing and Printing FAQs

Our Custom Framing services offer more variety, quality, and professional design options than typical ready-made frames, and allow the frame and matting to be designed specifically for your artwork.

Preservation framing is the practice of using conservation materials and techniques to protect and preserve your framed artwork. Blick utilizes the highest quality acid-free mats and mount boards, UV filtering glazing, and up-to-date industry standards to safeguard your art from acid burn, yellowing, and fading due to harmful UV light.

Yes, we only use conservation materials unless instructed by you.

We cannot provide an accurate quote without seeing the artwork. Bring your piece into one of our Blick Custom Printing & Framing stores, and we’d be happy to provide a quote after reviewing the requirements and selecting the treatments that best suit your needs.

We offer a wide range of options, including Tru Vue’s highest quality archival products, such as Museum Glass® and Optium® Acrylics, UV filtering conservation glazing, and even standard picture glass.

Glass should never come into contact with the art as it traps moisture that can then leach or discolor the pigments. Glass can also fuse to the art resulting in ripping or peeling of the art when removed.

Yes. Oil paintings do not need to “breathe” in open air to dry. Putting a painting under glass creates a micro-environment which allows oil paintings to dry evenly and protects all paintings from dust, contact, and fading from UV light thus extending the life of the artwork.

Yes, but glazing touching artwork is a decorative look and not an archival technique. See your local Blick Custom Printing & Framing store for more information.

Yes, our preservation framing techniques allow for the artwork to be removed.

Shadow boxes are designed to hold three-dimensional items such as medals, baby shoes, or sports memorabilia in an enclosed box frame protected with glass.

Fillets are small pieces of moulding that fit inside the frame or mat opening that enhance the design and give your piece a sophisticated look.

All of our Custom Printing & Framing store hours are the same as the store they are located in.

Mounting is how your artwork is secured, depending on both materials and techniques. See your local Blick Custom Printing & Framing store for more details.

A float frame gives the illusion of the artwork floating in the frame. They are typically used for oil or acrylic paintings done on canvas. In addition, float frames can be used in other applications to provide a highly stylized look.

Yes. There are a variety of mounting techniques, and we use the right one to safely mount and frame your items.

Yes, we are able to stack frames.

Most, but not all, mouldings are available in lengths up to 9 feet for wood, 10 feet for metal, and 12 feet for canvas stretcher bars. The final size may be somewhat smaller depending on the width of the moulding. Additionally shop capacity varies by location and restrict certain sizes. See your local Blick Custom Printing & Framing store for more details.

Glazing or mats should be raised off the pastel using a combination of spacers and mat risers. If acrylic is used, it should be static free, such as the Optimum Museum Acrylic® from True Vue.

In addition to our everyday Preferred Card discount of 10%, we also offer deeper discounts with our Commercial Framing Program, which is available to individuals and businesses with a valid tax ID or business license number. Our regular framing and printing sales may also offer discounts of 50% or more. If you have a volume project, consult with your local Custom Printing & Framing store for possible specialized pricing based on your needs.

Yes, we do offer length moulding.

Yes.

Yes. We can assist you with finding and purchasing the right frame for your needs.

No. Our website selections are pre-built, standard sizes. Custom Printing & Framing store mouldings are custom and differ from what is offered on our website.

We offer a vast assortment of options to find the best look for every budget.

While we do sell some framing items in our store, due to safety issues, we do not allow customers to frame artwork in our stores.

Yes. Not only do we sell rolled canvas, stretcher bars, and cross braces, but we can also stretch your canvas for you. We can re-stretch canvas for you, and we offer wood stretcher bars, including the Best Pro-Bar system and custom sized stretcher bars.

We do not prime canvas, but we do sell primed canvas by the yard in our stores.

For safety and liability reasons, we do not offer delivery or installation services.

Custom framing has a turnaround time of 14 days. Orders can be rushed for an additional fee. See your local Blick Custom Printing & Framing store for details.

We can use stretcher bars you provide as long as they are appropriate for the job.

No.

No, we do not offer artwork conservator services in our Custom Printing & Framing stores.

No, we do not ship artwork.

Yes. All custom printing and framing jobs require payment in full before the job is started.

Since the work is custom, all sales are final. As always, we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee of our work and if you are unsatisfied for any reason, we will make it right for you.

We offer a wide range of fine art, photo, and metallic paper as well as canvas.

Yes.

At this time we do not offer photographic services, but we may be able to recommend a local photographer to assist you.

We scan up to 8 1/2" x 11". The scanned file can be printed much larger, but 8½" x 11" is the limit of the scanner.

You can bring in your digital image on a CD or USB thumb drive. We also accept images from mobile devices via Dropbox.

Our Museum Pro-Canvas can be painted on if prepped properly, typically with a gel matte medium. Some watercolors and acrylics can also be used with our watercolor and Etching Rag papers.

Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate papers brought into our Custom Printing & Framing store. Our printers are calibrated for each of the papers we use for maximum color accuracy.

We require jpg. files for the highest quality reproduction.

The images should be 300 dpi/ppi and cropped in aspect ratio to whatever size you desire.

DPI refers to Dot Per Square Inch. 300 DPI is the typical output for high resolution and is used in conjunction with PPI, or Pixels Per Square Inch. Ideally you want a minimum of 300 DPI at 100% of your output size. Our Custom Printing & Framing staff can help you determine the output quality of your image.

The aspect ratio of an image is the relationship between the width and the height. The most common aspect ratio for digital cameras is 3:2 (read 3-to-2). For example, a typical digital photo that has not been cropped will scale to 8 x 12 (which has a 2:3) ratio but not 8 x 10 (which has a 4:5) ratio. While 11 x 14 and 8 x 10 are both common print sizes, they have different aspect ratios. If you would like an image printed at a different size than its aspect ratio, the image will need to be cropped to accommodate.

We require the print file to be ‘print ready’. Contact your local Blick Custom Printing & Framing store for more details.

We have several proofing options depending on the size of the edition. Please see your local Blick Custom Printing & Framing store for more information.

Yes, if your brochure doesn’t require double sided printing or folding.

For canvas, we can print 35.5” wide by any length (depending on the stretcher bars) and for all other papers we can print up to 43" by any length.

No, all orders must be taken at one of our Blick Custom Printing & Framing stores.

No, you must have the right to reproduce all images you would like to print. All print jobs require a customer signature on our copyright waiver form.

Yes, so long as they do not require double sided printing or folding.