How to Frame a Fine Art Print: Float Mount vs. Mat

Corner of the Nuqta artist proof in a solid walnut frame with a cream mat, the pencil signature visible on the paper

When my first limited edition prints came back from the printer, I had to decide how to frame my own artist proofs. The paper is cotton rag with a cold press texture, and the edges are part of the piece. My signature and edition number sit in pencil below the image. Whatever frame I chose had to keep all of that visible.

Here's how I framed Nuqta, how I'd frame Noon, and how to choose for yours.

Decide what you want to see

A fine art print has three parts worth looking at: the image, the paper around it, and the pencil signature and edition number. The way you frame it decides which of those people see.

There are two main options.

A mat is a board with a window cut into it. It sits on top of the print, covers the outer edge of the paper, and gives the image a clean border. It's the classic choice and usually costs less.

A float mount sets the whole sheet on top of a backing board, so every edge of the paper shows. The print sits raised inside the frame with space around it. It costs more, but it shows the paper itself, which is part of what you bought.

Neither is wrong. The real question is how much paper you want to show, and whether the mat leaves room for the signature.

Check the signature before you buy a mat

This is the mistake I almost made. Ready-made frames come with a mat already cut, and those openings are sized for posters. On a signed print, a stock mat often covers the signature and edition number.

When I tested a ready-made 24x30 frame for Noon, the mat covered my signature completely. That's why I recommend float mounting Noon.

Before you buy any matted frame, measure from the bottom of the image to the bottom of your signature. The mat opening needs to clear it, with a little paper to spare.

How I framed Nuqta

Nuqta is a 16x16 image on a 20x20 sheet.

I framed my artist proof in a 20x20 solid walnut frame with a cream mat cut to an 18x18 opening. That leaves about an inch of paper around the image, so the signature stays visible. The cream mat reads warm against the cooler white of the paper. I used plexiglass and hung it on the wall.

Maya Fakhrriddine holding the Nuqta print in a walnut frame with a cream mat, the pencil signature visible below the image

The frame is the Husteria 20x20 in solid walnut. It was under $70 when I bought it, which makes it a good option if you want a finished look without a custom frame shop.

Nuqta also works float mounted if you'd rather show the full sheet.

How I recommend framing Noon

Noon is a 24x18 landscape image on a 30x24 sheet. It's the larger piece and holds more presence on a wall, so I recommend a float mount.

Corner of the Noon print on cotton rag paper, signed in pencil in the margin beside the image

  • Float mount: a 34x28 frame, which leaves 2 inches of backing around the sheet.
  • Matted option: a 30x24 frame with a 26x20 mat opening. This still clears the signature.
  • What I'd skip: a bare 30x24 frame with no mat. The paper runs straight into the frame edge, and it reads more like a poster than a signed edition.

Protect the paper

A limited edition print lasts for decades when it's framed with care. A good framer will do these things already, but it's worth asking.

  • Use acid-free mats and backing. Regular board yellows over time and can stain the paper.
  • Don't glue the print down. Ask for archival hinges or corners so the print can come out later without damage.
  • Choose UV-filtering glass or acrylic if the room gets strong daylight.
  • Keep it out of direct sun and away from humidity, such as bathrooms or the wall above a stove.

If your print arrived rolled

US orders ship flat. International orders ship rolled in a tube so they travel safely. When yours arrives, unroll it on a clean, flat surface with clean, dry hands. Lay acid-free tissue or clean paper over it, set a few books on top, and give it a day or two to flatten before framing. Don't iron it or tape it down.

Framer or do it yourself

A ready-made frame with the right mat opening works well for Nuqta. A float mount for Noon is usually a custom job, so a local frame shop is the easier path. Bring the print and these measurements, and ask for archival materials.

Not sure which size fits your wall? My guide to what size art goes above a sofa, console, or bed walks through the numbers.

About the prints

Nuqta and Noon are limited editions of 25, printed with archival pigment inks on 340gsm cotton rag, signed and numbered in pencil, with a certificate of authenticity. They ship unframed. US shipping is free, and I ship internationally, including to Canada, the UAE, and Europe, with shipping quoted per order.

See Nuqta and Noon in the prints collection. If you'd like the story behind the first one, read Nuqta: The Dot Every Letter Begins From.

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ABOUT ME

I'm a Lebanese-American abstract artist based in Southern California. I work in plaster, acrylic, oil, and pigment, building each piece in layers so the surface carries real texture and invites a closer look. The work keeps returning to the same questions, identity, memory, and the meaning we hold in the things around us.

I make work meant to slow you down, a moment of pause and a quiet kind of attention that most days don't leave room for. My pieces are in the homes of collectors across the country, each one bringing a little calm to the space it lives in.