Bill Hosko has been offering personable, thoughtful and creative Custom Picture Framing services from his gallery since its opening in 1994...

When a customer brings in a framing project these are often questions that may be asked, and not necessarily in this order.

In some instances, if the piece is a gift, the answer to some questions may not be known:

1. Who will the item(s) be for?

2. What is the customer’s budget? Often however, the customer may prefer to see options and hear ideas before deciding on a budget.

3. Where will the framed item be hung?

4. Is it important that the framing complement its surroundings?

5. If so, what is the wall color? (Bill will then often find a ‘mat’ sample that matches the wall color to place behind a corner of the art-piece to represent the wall it will be hung on. If the wall is a non-typical material: brick, stone or wood or metal, Bill has ways to help there too!)

6. If the piece may be matted, the customer may want to see possible matting options (several hundred choices). Other times, looking at possible frames (several hundred choices) is preferred.

7. If the piece requires glass, does the customer prefer Conservation (UV) glass, or non-glare Conservation (UV) glass (the gallery does not carry regular glass, as even fluorescent light, can fade items as much as the sun)? Plexi-glass is an option for some here.

8. As needed, other items for discussion can include: having a ‘spacer’ between mats or between a mat and the artwork, a pencil or ink line added to the face of the matting, selecting paper or suede or linen matting, sometimes a canvas liner is a possibility, perhaps dry-mounting of the art print or poster might be needed.

9. Is the piece damaged, can it be remedied? Torn paper, scratches, marks or stains on the image, chipped or flaking paint on an original, all of these and more Bill can cost-effectively repair.

10. If the artwork is a print, it will typically have a white border around it. Should it show or should the matting cover it up? If it is to show, how much should show: ¼”, 3/8”, ½” or more?

11. If the piece has a Title printed at its bottom, should it show thru an opening in the mat, or should it be covered up?

12. Names plates with the art-piece’s title, artist, date, etc., or a name plate that contains a personal message to the receiver are available in a variety of fonts, sizes and materials.

13. Pricing: once the outside measurements of the artwork’s matting or the dimensions of the art-piece that will not have matting are known, a firm quote is given based up these height and width measurements - the ‘United Inches’.

14. Can three dimensional objects such as: baseball bats, jerseys, dolls, dried flowers and even rocks be framed? Yes, Bill has framed them all... and at prices that always remain very competitive.


Can Custom Picture Framing quotes be given over the phone or online?

- Yes, in most cases, the ‘minimum cost’ can be determined fairy easily. Particularly, if the customer knows some of the basic questions above - most importantly - the approximate United Inches of the piece.

Can Custom Picture Framing orders be placed online?

- Yes, for any artwork purchased on this site or with a pre-agreed upon retainer amount for artwork from another online site or artwork which has been shipped to the gallery.

Once a number of questions have been answered to help him better understand your project, Bill will take photos of matting and frame samples placed around the piece to help you select a final design and pricing that you are satisfied with.

- Bill has worked with hundreds of customers over the years who were most satisfied with the framing and the value received. He would be happy to speak with you about your next framing project.

Phone us at: 651-222-4767

Email us at: Bill@billhosko.com