Collecting Basics: Framing & Hanging Why is framing so expensive? It doesn't have to be — but original art should be protected, like any other investment. Cheap pre-made frames can degrade the quality of the artwork over time, affect its value, and just plain look bad. You wouldn't buy a home without insuring it, so don't buy quality art and let it deteriorate in an inadequate frame. Following are some common sense guidelines to framing and hanging your collection. The art of display Maple Molding Samples Just ask any professional curator: Displaying your collection is an art form in itself. The first challenge is framing; the second is hanging. Framing choices range from cheap mass-produced frames suitable for posters, to elaborate gold leaf confections that cost more than the art that goes in them. Choosing carefully how to display your new acquisitions will say a lot about who you are, and can enliven your decorating aesthetic. Following are some guidelines for framing and display: Framing Display Methods & materials