subject: Showcasing Your Favorite Items In Shadow Boxes [print this page] Pictures aren't the only things that can be displayed inside picture frames. Three-dimensional crafts or treasured collectibles, like buttons, coins or beautiful shells can be prominently displayed in picture frames. You may even display larger items and souvenirs such as a signed baseball, or a graduation cap or other memorabilia.
There are a number of considerations when mounting your items inside a shadow box picture frame:
Weight and Dimensions: If the things you want to exhibit are bigger and heavier, you will need to figure out if the box you are hoping to use will support the objects adequately, and whether or not the wall you wish to hang it on will be able to carry its weight. Deep shadow box frames are typically necessary for over-sized things, as well as strong heavy-duty hangers.
Composition and Condition: If an object is very unstable, meaning the materials it is made up of may deteriorate over the years, you will want to take steps to preserve it. Dried flowers and leaves, clay and even some kinds of metal and fabric materials fall into the unstable classification.
However light or heavy, steady or unstable your items may be, the next step for you is to figure out the best way to display your item in the frame in such a way that it will not only look good, but be held safely.
Measure Your Item
Some of the measurements you'll need to take are quite essential. One thing you will need to measure is how long and wide the item is, and the other dimension to measure is how deep, or thick, this object is. How deep of a shadow box you are going to get will be determined by how thick the item you wish to frame is. Make sure you include the glazing and backboards when you are measuring to figure out thickness.
Your Frame's Design
You are now down to the most fun part of using a shadow box picture frame. This is that part where you get creative in figuring out how your items are going to be arranged. Don't secure anything in its place until you move things around and figure out where you will want them. Rearrange and rearrange until the items appear exactly the way you like them. You might find that an instinctive order comes into play or you can group items by dates or size. The best approach, however, is trial and error till you find the most appealing and meaningful arrangement to you. Balance of colors and sizes is the key to creating an attractive, intriguing display.
Spacing of items is important to the overall eye pleasing appearance of your display. If there is a certain item inside your shadow box which you want to place emphasis on, then don't use too much extra space because that will overwhelm the object, but don't use too little either because then it will appear too crowded. The same holds true for displaying a number of items. Avoid letting them look to close and crowded, but place them close enough to each other so that they will all look unified and together. Do not forget: trying, failing, and then trying something different will ultimately lead you to the perfect arrangement.
When you are framing something in a shadow box picture frame you follow basically the same suggestions as you would when framing a normal photo. Make sure that your frame will accentuate the style or color of the things you're putting in the shadow box. You may go one of two ways with color when you're framing multiple objects. Choose a color that appears numerous times in order to tie the items together, or pick a color that is pretty neutral and will complement all of the items.
After you hang up your shadow box, you may want to select some extra picture frames to hang on the wall on opposite sides of the box. If you hang up matching wood picture frames on each side of your wood shadow box (wood paired with wood or black with black) with a picture that coordinates with the theme inside the shadow box, you may easily create a nice arrangement.
Whatever method you choose for placing your items up for display, the most important thing to keep in mind is that you should have fun doing it. Use your creativity and artistic skills to arrange your items into a memorable, attractive display to share with both friends and family.
