Last month was Comic-Con in San Diego, an annual event that brings thousands of people together to celebrate TV Series, Movies, and obviously Comics. Part of that wonderful experience of meeting your favorite people are the souvenirs: photos, signed posters and memorabilia packed beautifully in a Comic-Con bag ready to be put aside for years. So why would you do that instead of displaying what you spent hours standing in line to get? Go to custom framing shop and take those posters with you. They'll help make it look like artwork.
Let's start with your basic poster frame. Most frame shops offer some range of basic frames for simple posters. Generally speaking black will work with any poster as it won't intrude with the image. Look for metal frames or thin wood frames (depending on the size of your poster) to make a simple, clean finish product that will look wonderful in any room of the house. The other advantage of going with these simple frames is that you can focus on the variety of the posters without distraction. The frames will create a cohesive look even if your taste ranges from sci-fi to Victorian drama.
If your style is a little more elaborate than a simple black metal poster frame; consider playing with the style or subject. Think outside the box. If you have a The Walking Dead poster find some distressed wood frames and highlight both the dry and the dead look of the series. Take that poster from an everyday object to priceless. You've already stood in line for hours getting it signed. Make it worth it. Keep in mind, though, that the more elaborate the frame the price tends to go up.
So if you are on a budget but still want to make your poster look unique stay with the simple poster frame but embellish it with the use of mats. Play with what you enjoy more about the show or movie. A Breaking Bad poster can go with green, yellow or even a light blue mat. A True Blood can go wonderfully with a dark red mat around it. Remember this is a poster so it lends itself to be creative. There are no rules for poster framing because posters are very simple and generally colorful enough so use color mats to draw attention to what you enjoy the most.
Mostly remember that while we are talking about posters and not a 500 year old watercolor, you can still treat it as such. As a basic point, anything that is signed (but not personalized) has some value so talk to a custom framing professional about conservation qualities: acid free backing, UV protective glass, or anything like that that is of importance to you. Remember you won't get that treatment from pre-made plastic frames bought at a department store and you definitely don't want to put any tape or thumbtacks through it since any damage will decrease its future value. It will also look like you are hanging onto your teen years instead of showing you are grownup. Take advantage of small custom framing shops as they are more interested in the final product than over-charging you. Like I said, they usually offer some basic option you can appreciate to make your poster go from that to a centerpiece on your walls. It's definitely worth the trip.
