Yeah, I try to look for cheap frames, too. I
prefer metallic to wood, though, and they're
often less expensive. Just make sure, when
buying a cheap frame, that it's deep enough to
hold the cel and all the other stuff. At least
an inch deep would be good. I got a $7 frame at
Target once and coulnd't squeeze everything in :#
I don't use mounting strips, though, I got a roll
of acid-free artist's tape for $4 at an art
supply store, it looks kind of like masking tape
but thinner and not as sticky, and it works
fine. I order 11x14 pieces of conservation glass
for the same store, they cost me $12-13 apiece.
total cost of framing a cel comes to about $20-25.
As for mattes, I knew that I'd have to frame a
lot of cels, so I just bought a matte cutter (you
can get one for about $30) and several huge
sheets of acid free matting in different colors.
The sheets were only a few dollars each, and it's
cheaper in the long run than trying to pick out
pre-cut acid-free mattes that match your cel.
But it's only worth it if you plan to frame a
bunch, and you have sufficient manual dexterity
to cut your mattes straight. ^_^
Here's a pic of one of my framed cels where I cut
the mattes badly -- I keep meaning to replace it
and being lazy. |