Yes, you can preview framed art online before you buy anything. Upload a photo of the piece to the Virtual Framer on the Framers Market & Gallery website, and it shows your actual image inside the frame and mats you pick, in a photo-realistic preview. When a design looks right, you send it to the shop as a quote request from the same screen.
That matters because most framing regrets come from guessing. A gold frame that looked warm on the corner sample can feel heavy around a pale watercolor. Vickie Sheridan, owner of Framers Market & Gallery and a Certified Picture Framer, has spent years helping customers at the counter on Montezuma Street see the whole piece before anything is cut. The online preview lets you start that process at home, on your own time.
What you see when you preview framed art online
The preview is built around your image, not a stock photo. Here is what you can see on screen:
- Your uploaded photo, cropped to the edges of the art
- The moulding you click, wrapped around it at your real dimensions
- Your mat layers and colors, at the widths you set
Virtual Framer, the company behind the tool, describes it as a photo-realistic framing visualizer with one of the largest libraries of frames, mouldings and matboards in the industry. Framers Market & Gallery has it built right into its own Virtual Framer page, so there is nothing to download.
Take a photo that gives you a fair preview
The preview can only be as good as the picture you upload. A few minutes of care makes a real difference:
- Shoot straight on, in daylight, with no flash glare
- Take the art out of an old frame if you safely can
- Measure height and width in inches before you start
After the upload, the tool lets you drag handles to crop to the art’s edges, rotate it, or remove the background. Then you pick what kind of piece it is, such as a photograph, a print, a painting on canvas, a jersey or a cross-stitch, and type in its size.
Compare a few frames side by side
The fastest way to decide is to look at three or four options next to each other instead of one at a time:
- Click the heart on each frame you like
- Click Compare to see your art in each one
- Drop the ones that fight with the art and keep going
Every frame in the list has a reference code, like QF477. Jot down the codes of your favorites. If you would rather talk it through, the custom framing services page explains the moulding, mat and fillet work the shop does in-house.
Know what a screen can’t show
A preview is a strong starting point, but a few things are still best judged in person:
- The texture and sheen of a real moulding finish
- How a mat color shifts under your room’s lighting
- Which glass suits a valuable or fade-prone piece
Glass choice is a preservation decision as much as a style one. The Library of Congress guidance on caring for works on paper recommends minimal light exposure and acid-free mats, which is why the shop offers acid-free mats and UV-protective glass for pieces worth protecting. Our earlier post on how framing protects artwork goes deeper.
Send the design to the shop
Once you like what you see, you don’t need to save screenshots or start over in the store. The request goes straight from the tool:
- Click Request Quote above the preview
- Enter your name, phone and email
- Verify your email with the code it sends, then click Send request
The shop confirms the moulding, mat and glass with you before anything is cut. You can also call (928) 445-2174 or use the Framers Market & Gallery contact page with questions.
Try it with your own piece
Pick something that has been leaning against a wall for too long, take a clean photo, and try the Virtual Framer. Play with a few frames, send the design you like best as a quote request, and then bring the piece to 377 N. Montezuma St. so the shop can see the real thing.
About the author
Vickie Sheridan is the owner of Framers Market & Gallery in Prescott, Arizona, a Certified Picture Framer and a watercolorist with a Master of Fine Arts from Norwich University. Learn more on the Our Company page.
Citations and resource links
- Framers Market & Gallery: Virtual Framer
- Virtual Framer: Framing visualization and quote platform
- Library of Congress: Proper Care and Handling of Works on Paper
- Framers Market & Gallery: The Art of Protection
- Framers Market & Gallery: Contact Us
