Everything Papercraft - Framing

Framing is one of the principles of visual design, along with balance, contrast, proportion, repetition, and a few others. Interestingly, framing is most noticeable when it’s missing or incorrectly used in a piece of art. Most of us are familiar with the concept in relation to the borders around a painting, but it also applies within the artwork itself. Framing helps to focus the viewer’s attention on a particular part of the image, known as the focal point, as well as making the entirety of the image more aesthetically pleasing.

As paper-crafters, frames are often created by layering mats of cardstock or paper. Sometimes we draw borders with fine tip pens, small stamps or even by inking around the edges of a cardstock panel. Many cutting dies have built in frames, such as faux stitched borders or embossed edges. Less formal frames can be created by stamping on either side of a focal image or by layering die cut embellishments at the top and bottom of a panel. Have a look at some of the cards or pages you’ve created, you’ll be surprised how many times you’ve sub-consciously used the principle of framing.