Should you buy art framed or unframed?

That’s a big question and there’s more than one answer, of course. The majority of artists – and Andy certainly – prefer to specify the mat and the frame for their work. Andy likes to see a white mat and a solid, well-made frame to show his work in the best setting. But we do understand …

We understand that this might not suit your decor. For example, if you are buying one of our more traditional styled prints that may be because you have traditional decor and the starkness of the white mat against the black frame wouldn’t gel with the rest of your collection.

The same applies if you are buying artwork for your offices or a commercial setting. Your company has its own brand and as branders of many years standing, we understand that you may want to put your own company ‘mark’ onto your artwork in the form of personally selected frames.

Then there’s the psychology of color. It’s well known that blue is a calming, trustworthy color which is why it’s used so much by the medical profession. If you have a medical facility and are buying artwork for your waiting room or consultation area then a pale blue mat around one of Andy’s calm seascapes would enhance the calming effect of the artwork. (Note, pale and subtle!)

There’s another more practical reason to buy unframed prints if you’re buying via the internet. We use fabulous quality shipping boxes so that artwork is fully protected. It’s also insured. But as you can imagine, this costs money.

So the choice is yours! Purchase the print only, the matted print or the full, ready-to-hang framed artwork. If you want more details, we’d love to hear from you.

Tip: If you are buying your artwork unframed, it will arrive in a clear plastic sleeve. Please don’t handle your artwork – take it to your frame shop in its plastic covering. The paper we use is museum quality and is acid free archival grade. We use genuine archival pigmented inks. This combination of products has been shown to last over 100 years without noticeable fading under normal lighting conditions. So please handle your artwork with care

For example, this traditional Turneresque sea-and skyscape would look wonderful in a heavy, carved traditional frame and blend with any period decor.