People sometimes come in a little anxious about the framing process. They are not sure how to choose, not sure what works, not sure if they will make the wrong call. We get it. There are a lot of options and when you care about a piece it can feel like there is a lot at stake.
Here is the thing though. Most of the time the art already knows what it needs. Our job is just to read it.
This one started with the triangles
This is a painting on canvas after Klee’s geometric bird compositions, full of angular shapes and earthy tones that give it a warmth and a quiet movement. The triangles in the painting are the dominant visual element and they pointed us straight to the frame with very little deliberation.
We chose a wide faced walnut frame with an angled, slanted profile. Up close the shape of the frame echoes the triangles in the print in a way that feels considered without being literal. It is not a copy of the art, it is a conversation with it. The dark walnut adds a layer of richness and depth that sits beautifully with the earthy palette of the painting on canvas, giving the whole piece a warm, grounded presence on the wall.
No overthinking, hhe art made the choice easy.
How we approach frame design at Underglass
This is how most of our best frame designs come together. We look at the art, we identify what is visually dominant, and we let that guide the direction. Color, shape, texture and mood – the art is always telling you something. The frame should be a response to that, not a decoration placed around it.
Sometimes the dominant element is color and we pull from the palette. Sometimes it is the weight of the piece and we match that with the scale of the frame. Sometimes, like with this canvas, it is the geometry itself that leads the way.
The result is always a frame that feels inevitable rather than chosen, and that is exactly where you want to end up.
Framing does not have to be complicated
If you have a piece you want framed and you are not sure where to start, that is completely fine. Bring it in and we will look at it together. We have been doing this in the Castro for over 40 years and we have never met a piece that did not have an answer somewhere in it.
The frame is already in the art. We just help you find it.
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Underglass Custom Picture Framing · Castro District · San Francisco Custom design · Museum Quality · Conservation framing · Open 7 days