Last night, while M and E were out at a show, I finished printing off the rest of the artwork and cut them out. The frames that I really like to use are Framatic frames – this particular one is in their Fineline line. The frames have a very small profile, they are well made, and one end of the frame slides out for loading and unloading. They also have spring clips in the back so that you can add artwork of varying thicknesses – in this case, mat board – and the work stays tight to the glass.
I like their Metro frames as well – I get them all locally here, but I’m sure you can find them around you or order them online. This frame is perfect for this project because of the ease of getting into it again and adding or removing images as time goes on. Right now I still have some blank squares. I could fill them in with more of E’s work, but I thought they might remind me to get out those crayons and paints for F and let her start to explore some more. It doesn’t take long before the art overtakes everything!
Here’s the (almost) finished project – I love the colors and the layout. This would be a great gift idea for a friend or sibling with a teetering stack of kid art in the closet. You could purchase the frame and the mat and have it cut out and ready to go. It might inspire a little art scanning and thinning out, and it will definitely add some color to the house. If I were to do it again, I might make the squares a tiny bit larger, but all in all I’m pretty happy with the end results. The images are very clear, and I remember each piece – when it was done, and the story behind it. Here’s hoping this will help us remember those early art adventures, and the ones yet to come. Now – where to hang it?
What are the dimensions of the frame itself and the slots cut in the mat? Did you have the mat custom cut? I love this idea, I know what you mean about all of the artwork building up, I was going to make a coffee table book with my daughters art work.