How to Start Picture Frame Making

Picture frame making at home is a delightful hobby that combines creativity, craftsmanship, and personal expression. It’s an engaging craft that not only allows you to showcase your favourite photos and artwork but also lets you infuse them with a completely unique style. Whether you’re aiming for rustic charm or a sleek modern look, crafting your own DIY picture frame offers endless possibilities to complement your décor. Plus, the hands-on process is fun and fulfilling, making it a perfect activity for creative souls and families alike.

So, gather your picture frame making materials, spark your imagination, and get ready to create frames that are as memorable as the moments they hold.

Delving into picture frame making opens up a world of possibilities. From selecting the right materials to choosing finishes that complement your décor, the creative choices are seemingly endless. And it’s not just about enclosing a picture. It’s about enhancing cherished memories or artworks. Whether you’re looking for a weekend activity with the kids, or a creative soul looking for an exciting new hobby, this beginners guide will tell you how to start picture frame making as well as giving you some great handmade picture frame ideas.

The art of picture framing dates back centuries, with roots in the Roman period in Egypt where frames were used to encase portraits of mummies as early as the first century AD.

In ancient Greece and Egypt, borders were used to separate scenes in pottery and wall paintings, but the first carved, wooden frames as we’d recognise them today emerged from Europe in the twelfth or thirteenth centuries.

Interestingly, during the medieval and early Renaissance periods, artists often created paintings on wooden panels where the frame and the painting surface were part of the same piece of wood. They would carve out a recessed area in the middle of the panel for the image, leaving a raised border around the edges which was often gilded with gold leaf to serve as a frame – much like a tray. The actual painting was the last thing to be done.

Over the centuries, styles and materials of picture frames have evolved significantly, from the staggeringly elaborate, to the more simplified, and from wood to plastic and metal. However, their primary purpose remains the same. To enhance and complement the painting, drawing, or photograph within its borders.

As a purely decorative art, DIY picture frame making has gone in and out of fashion over the years, but it’s seen a recent resurgence in popularity, especially due to an increasing popularity on social media.

So what is picture frame making today, and what tools and materials do you need to start your journey? Let’s find out how to start picture frame making at home.

This guide isn’t about creating elaborate frames using expensive wood, dangerous power tools, and the mastery of the splined mitre. It’s about having fun at home, so we’re going back to basics with a super-simple DIY picture frame that you can enjoy making while unleashing your creativity. Here’s what you need, and we’ve split it into two sections, materials and tools –

Materials

• Cardboard or Thick Craft Paper: This will be the base of the frame.
• Craft Sticks / Lolly Sticks: These will form the frame’s borders.
• Glue: Use child-safe, non-toxic white glue or glue sticks for assembling parts.
• Decorative Items: Markers, crayons, stickers, buttons, beads, or glitter.
• Photograph or Artwork: Don’t forget this!
• String or Ribbon: For creating a hanger to put the frame on the wall.
• Thick, Textured Cardstock: Optional, for backing or additional decoration.

Tools

• Safety Scissors: Child-friendly scissors with rounded tips for cutting.
• Ruler: For measuring dimensions.
• Pencil: For marking cut lines or positions.
• Paintbrush & Paint: Optional, if you want to paint your frame.

Once you’ve got all your tools and materials together, it’s time to start putting the frame together. Remember, this is just a very basic frame to create at home, and is a great option for a supervised activity with the kids.

There are loads of different handmade picture frame ideas including different shaped frames, and all sorts of materials and decorations. You can even progress to box frames, but let’s start simple.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to simple picture frame making.

Cut the Cardboard
Use scissors to cut a piece of cardboard for the frame backing. This should be slightly larger than the picture you want to frame.

Make the Frame
Take the wooden craft sticks and arrange them in a rectangle or square shape around the edges of your picture. Cut the craft sticks to size if necessary, ensuring they fit together at 90-degree angles.

Glue the Frame Together
Apply glue to the corners where the craft sticks meet. Hold them in place until the glue sets, or use clothespins or bulldog clips to keep them secure while drying.

Attach the Backing
Once the frame is dry, glue the cardboard backing to the back of the frame. This will hold your picture in place.

Decorate
This is where you can let your creativity run wild. Paint the frame a rainbow of colours, or glue on glitter, buttons, tiny ornaments, beads, or anything you like! You can even draw on the sticks, write the name of the recipient, or even the date and location the picture was taken or drawn.

Add the Picture
Put your chosen picture inside the frame and secure it if necessary with additional glue or tape.

Display the Frame
Find a place to display your new artwork, whether it’s on a shelf or hanging on a wall. Or wrap it up and give it to someone special.

Whether you’re aiming to frame a family portrait, a piece of your child’s artwork, or a mirror, DIY picture frame making allows you to create custom pieces that reflect your personality and taste. So grab your tools, unleash your creativity, and start framing the moments that matter most.