How to Frame and Care for Your Art Prints
Bridge at Sunset, a watercolor fine art print by Christina Carlsen
You've found a piece of art that stopped you mid-scroll. Maybe it's a grey whale catching the last of the evening light, or a cluster of indigo shells that reminded you of a beach walk you never want to forget. Now it's on its way to you — and you want to give it a good home.
We've answered a lot of questions over the years about framing, hanging, and caring for our work. This is everything we know, all in one place.
First: know what you have
Not all art prints are made the same way, and the best framing choices depend on what you're working with. Here's how to tell our pieces apart.
Fine art inkjet paper prints — most of our watercolor reproductions (the whale, the heron at sunset, the octopus, the coastal sayings) are printed on fine art inkjet paper with a surface texture that mimics the warmth of real watercolor paper. These are archival-quality prints with pigment-based inks that resist fading for decades under normal conditions.
Hahnemuhle Museum Etching Paper prints — this is the premium option we offer for our photography prints. Hahnemuhle Museum Etching Paper has a beautiful tactile texture — almost like a fine cotton surface — and it's considered one of the best fine art papers in the world. If you ordered on this material, you'll feel the difference immediately when you open the package. These prints deserve a frame that shows the paper off.
Original watercolor paintings — Christina's originals are hand-painted on professional watercolor paper, usually with a hand-torn deckled edge. No two are alike. The care notes below matter most for these.
Haystack at Dawn, an original watercolor painting with deckled edge by Christina Carlsen
How to frame art prints
The right frame depends on the paper type and the look you're going for. Here are the three approaches we recommend most.
Standard frame with a mat
This is the most common option and works beautifully for fine art inkjet prints. A mat creates a border of space between the print and the glass, which serves two purposes: it looks elegant, and it keeps the glazing from touching the print surface, preventing any moisture transfer over time.
White and off-white mats are the most versatile — they work with almost any wall color and let the art speak for itself. For Jake's black and white photography, a clean white mat and a thin black frame is a classic combination that never goes wrong.
Standard sizes like 5x7 and 8x10 fit easily into off-the-shelf frames from IKEA, Target, or any home goods store. You don't need to spend a lot here.
Floating frame
For Hahnemuhle Museum Etching Paper prints and original watercolor paintings, a floating frame is our first recommendation. A float mount lets the edges of the paper show — and for museum etching paper, those edges are part of the experience. You can see the texture, the weight of the paper, the craftsmanship.
For Christina's originals with a hand-torn deckled edge, a float frame is essential. Hiding a deckled edge under a mat is a little like framing a painting and covering half of it. The irregular, organic edge is part of what makes the piece feel handmade.
Floating frames are widely available online (search "float frame 8x10" or your relevant size) and at framing shops, and they come in wood tones, black, white, and natural finishes.
Custom framing
If you have a piece you really love and want to treat properly, a local frame shop is worth it. A framer can cut a custom mat to the exact dimensions, offer UV-protective glazing options, and help you choose a frame that suits your space. It's often more affordable than people expect, and the result is genuinely different from a big-box frame.
How to hang art prints
Finding the right spot
Before you reach for a nail, think about light and location. The two things that age art prints fastest are direct sunlight and humidity fluctuations. A wall that gets a few hours of indirect natural light is ideal. A wall in direct afternoon sun — less so, especially for originals.
Avoid hanging art directly above a heat source like a working fireplace or a radiator. The dry, rising heat isn't good for paper over time.
How to hang art without nails
If you're renting, have plaster walls, or just don't want to put holes in your walls, there are good options.
Command strips work well for lighter framed prints — most standard 5x7 or 8x10 framed prints fall within their weight limits. Follow the instructions carefully (the surface needs to be clean and dry, and you need to press firmly for 30 seconds) and they hold reliably.
Picture hanging strips (the interlocking velcro-style ones) are even stronger and work well for medium-weight frames. These are a good choice if you're hanging a larger print or a heavier float frame.
Adhesive hooks can work for smaller pieces in lightweight frames, though we'd recommend the strip options for anything you really value.
One note: for original watercolor paintings, we'd always recommend a proper nail or screw into a stud if you can. Originals are irreplaceable, and a secure mount is worth the small wall repair when you move.
Boats on the Bay, a watercolor fine art print by Christina Carlsen
The height question
The standard gallery rule is to hang art so the center of the piece is at eye level — roughly 57 to 60 inches from the floor. In practice, this feels right in most rooms. If you're hanging above a sofa or a console table, lower is usually better — you want the art to feel connected to the furniture, not floating up near the ceiling.
Caring for your art
Sunlight
Pigment-based inks on quality fine art paper are genuinely archival — they're tested to last 100+ years under museum conditions. In a normal home environment, you can expect decades of beautiful display. That said, prolonged direct sunlight will affect any art over time.
If your favorite wall gets a lot of direct sun, UV-protective glazing is a worthwhile upgrade. It's available at most frame shops and as an option in many ready-made frames, and it makes a meaningful difference for the long term.
For original watercolor paintings especially, UV glass or acrylic is something we'd genuinely recommend. Christina's paintings are made with professional pigments, but watercolor is a medium that rewards a little protection.
Humidity
For most homes this isn't an issue. But if you live right on the coast with windows that stay open, or you want to hang art in a bathroom, it's worth thinking about.
Salt air and high humidity are tough on unprotected paper over time. A glazed frame is a good solution — it creates a microclimate inside the frame that's more stable than the room. For a steamy bathroom, we'd suggest choosing a print over an original for that spot.
Cleaning
Dust a framed print gently with a soft, dry cloth on the glass. Don't spray glass cleaner directly onto a frame — spray it on the cloth first. For floating frames where the paper edge is exposed, keep any moisture well away from the paper.
Storage
If you're storing a print before framing, keep it flat in the tube or sleeve it came in, away from direct light and temperature extremes. Garages and basements with variable temperature and humidity aren't ideal. A closet shelf or under a bed is much better.
For original watercolor paintings, store flat between sheets of acid-free tissue paper if you're not framing right away.
A note for coastal homes
We live on the Oregon Coast, and a lot of our collectors do too — or they have beach houses, lake houses, or coastal-inspired interiors far inland. If that's you, a few extra thoughts.
Salt air is real. If your home stays open to sea breezes, glazed frames make a noticeable difference. We'd also lean toward prints rather than originals for rooms very close to the water, simply because prints can be replaced and originals can't.
That said, plenty of our collectors in Newport, Lincoln City, and up and down the coast have hung our originals for years without issue — especially in well-insulated, climate-controlled homes. Use your judgment about your specific space.
One thing we always suggest: hang art on interior walls where possible, rather than exterior walls that experience more temperature and humidity variation.
Boardman State Park, a fine art photography print by Jake Carlsen
Have questions about your specific piece?
Every order is different — different paper, different size, different frame situation. If you're not sure what's right for yours, reach out to us. We're a small studio and we genuinely enjoy these conversations.
— Jake & Christina
Ready to find your next piece? Browse the shop — from original watercolor paintings to fine art photography prints, everything ships carefully packed from our studio on the Oregon Coast.
