A Multi Purpose Guide To Picture Frames

Published May 31st, 2008

by Chris Channing

Picture frames are a multi purpose tool used to hang the picture sturdily to a wall, as well as enhance the picture itself. Over the years most of the time picture frames have been made out of wood. Today you can find picture frames made out of all sorts of things, wood, metal, all the way to sea shells. More recently picture frames have been constructed to be electronic and digitally enhanced.

Picture frames original use was to support and protect paintings that they wished to hang on walls. Instead of puncturing the work of art with a nail or screw, the painting could be preserved by putting four wooden borders around it and nailing that to the wall.

Protecting the picture is a second use of the picture frame. A sheet of glass, now Plexiglas, is put over the picture between the borders of the frame. The glass protects the painting, keeping insects from landing on it, dust form settling, and people from touching or harming the picture.

The picture frame does more than just safe guard the picture it protects; it also enhances the picture visually, by adding to its beauty. In some cases the frame itself can be considered a work of art. Woodcarvings are put into picture frames by artists who like to express themselves in that fashion. Metal workers can do likewise by molding designs in to the surface of metal frames, thus adding to the beauty of the painting.

With the invention of the camera not all picture frames hold artistic works of art. Family portraits, baby pictures, and baseball team photographs are placed in picture frames everyday. Basic wood and metal frames are used in the average household because most families can not afford to purchase an extravagant hand made picture frame.

With modern technological advancements the picture frame has greatly changed in the modern household. Electronics have been added to the frames, allowing light bulbs to be put inside. A person’s favorite Christmas picture can be displayed with red and green colors around the outside.

The most recent advancement to picture frames is digital picture frames. By using digital frames a person can look at their picture without physically having them inside the frame. A picture is taken with a digital camera and then loaded into the digital frames computer. The digital screen inside the picture frame can then display any picture uploaded. The digital frame can also be set to show a number of pictures on a slide show, which means that the frame will show a number of pictures on after the other.

By using a single digital picture frame a person can do the work of dozens of normal picture frames with the printed out pictures inside. Digital picture frames can also be used to store MP3 audio files so you can listen to music while looking at your picture you have put on display. Some people may say that these qualities makes the digital picture frame superior, others say it is not comparable because you are not actually looking at the picture itself but a screen portraying its image. This is for the consumer to decide, which one meets their needs, as well as their visual preferences.

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