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Framing and hanging terms
Seventeen terms for framing, hanging and print preparation. Each term here has a definition drawn from at least two cited sources, a diagram, and a data table or checklist of its own. Terms with only one usable source were left out.
All terms with a one-line meaning
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Giclee | Giclee (from the French gicleur, a nozzle) is a name for inkjet prints made as fine art. It began as one printmaker's word for prints on a modified Iris printer and has since spread to inkjet fine-art printing generally. |
| PPI vs DPI | PPI (pixels per inch) describes an image; DPI (dots per inch) describes a printer. A pixel is a multi-colour sample, a printer dot is a single-colour mark, and the same pixels print at different sizes depending on the PPI you tag them with. |
| Bleed in Printing | Bleed is the part of an image printed beyond the cut line so that no unprinted edge remains after trimming. PrintSimple gives 3 mm each side and a 4 mm safety margin inside the trim; Wikipedia gives 1/8 inch, or roughly 2 to 5 mm depending on the printer. |
| Gallery Wrap | A gallery wrap stretches canvas over thick wooden bars (usually about 1.25 inches or 4 cm deep, per Wikipedia) and fastens it on the back, so the piece is ready to hang without a frame. Non-gallery canvases use thinner bars, and Tribeca notes that studio wraps often show staples on the borders. |
| Diptych, Triptych, Polyptych | A diptych has two panels, a triptych three, and a polyptych more than three (Tate). Panels can be joined or hung side by side. |
| Floater Frame | A floater frame attaches to the back of a stretched canvas and has no front lip, so the canvas face and edges stay visible with a small gap, usually 1/8 to 1/2 inch (about 3 to 13 mm), around them. It uses no glass. |
| Matte vs Gloss Finish | Glossy surfaces reflect light in one direction, which gives richer, more saturated colour but more glare and fingerprints. Matte surfaces scatter light, which cuts glare and hides marks but looks softer. |
| Mat Board | A mat (or mount) is a thin paper-based board with a bevelled window placed between the picture and the frame. It keeps the artwork from touching the glass, where moisture can condense, and the grade of board decides whether acid will stain the art over time. |
| French Cleat | A French cleat is a two-piece hanging method: one strip with a 45 degree slope is fixed to the wall, a matching strip is fixed to the object, and the object is lifted on so the slopes interlock. Gravity holds it, which lets one person hang a heavy piece. |
| D-Ring Picture Hanger | A D-ring is a D-shaped metal ring screwed to the back of a wood frame; two of them, usually joined by wire, carry the frame. CustomPictureFrames sizes them by weight: small under 10 lb, medium 10 to 25 lb, large over 25 lb. |
| Sawtooth Hanger | A sawtooth hanger is a short metal bar with serrated teeth that hooks onto one nail. It suits small, light frames: 7 lb or less for a standard one, up to 25 lb for a heavy-duty one, or under 5 lb in another source. |
| Picture Wire | Picture wire runs between two D-rings so a frame hangs from one nail. Cut it about 12 inches longer than the gap between the rings, wrap the tail 3 to 4 times, and let the peak sit 2 to 3 inches below the top edge. |
| UV-Filtering Glazing | UV-filtering glazing is the glass or plastic in front of a framed work that filters ultraviolet light, one cause of fading. The Canadian Conservation Institute recommends it, notes that light damage cannot be reversed, and gives no filtering percentage, so a product's percentage is the maker's claim. |
| Wall Anchor Types | A wall anchor is a fitting that lets a screw hold in a wall that cannot grip it alone. Threaded anchors are roughly 25 to 75 lb, plug anchors up to about 25 lb, toggle and molly bolts hold the most, and masonry anchors serve brick and concrete. |
| Stud and Stud Finder | A stud is a vertical framing member inside a wall; a screw driven into one can hold 100 lb or more according to Bob Vila, depending on the screw (check its pack). Find studs with an electronic or magnetic finder, or by tapping, then add 16 or 24 inches to find the next. |
| The 57 Inch Rule | The 57 inch rule says to hang art so its vertical centre, not its top, is about 57 inches (145 cm) from the floor. It is a convention based on average eye height, not a formal standard, and the sources vary by room: 48 to 52 inches where people sit and 60 to 66 in hallways. |
| sRGB | sRGB is the standard RGB colour space for monitors, printers and the web, usually assumed for images that carry no profile. Adobe RGB (1998) has a wider gamut that print professionals sometimes prefer, but sRGB is large enough for many printers. |
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Glossary candidates that did not reach two verifiable sources (for example aspect ratio, stretcher bar and print permanence ratings) are not published. For the order and size terms, see the main glossary.
Related pages
More framing terms
- Rabbet: Definition, Sources and Key Facts
- Mitre joint: Definition, Sources and Key Facts
- Picture rail: Definition, Sources and Key Facts
- Stretcher bar: Definition, Sources and Key Facts