Since I don't frame my work myself, and because these pieces aren't completely flat and thin like a print, I field a lot of great questions about framing. Here are my recommendations.
In an effort to show how my works are not 2-dimensional prints, I take these artsy macro photos with natural lighting to highlight the layers and textures of the paper, and use them in my shop listings. For many buyers, these photos make it seem like these pieces are thicker than they actually are, which is just over 1/8th of an inch. In reality, these pieces frame easily in most standard, ready-made frames. Kind folks have sent me photos of their framed works, and here are a few of them. As you’ll see, these pieces tend to adapt well to their frame, whether it’s modern or rustic, metal or wood, minimalist or ornate.
Here are some further recommendations.
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Choose a frame with a mat or multi-mat combination. The mats create a gap between the piece and the glass, and this gap enhances the sense of the depth in the piece nicely.
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It can be tough matching a white mat to the white top layer in most of my work. Therefore, I recommend either a single mat in a color close or complementary to one of the shades of cardstock in your piece, or a double mat using a colored mat on top of the piece, and a white mat over the first mat. I shot some photos at a frame shop showing some of these variations.
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Use glass! Without glass, the UV light may fade the colors of the cardstock, and the humidity will likely destroy the adhesive holding the layers together and your lovely piece will fall to not-so-lovely pieces.
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If you’re looking for the protection of glass without the glare, look for museum glass at your local frame shop. It’s almost like there’s nothing there at all -- it’s super cool, and often worth the slightly higher price.
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When you mount these pieces in your home, try to select a location that won’t receive direct sunlight. The cardstock I use is high-quality, archival stuff, which makes it fade-resistant, but not fade-proof. With enough exposure, these colors will fade.
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Along those same lines, be careful about mounting these pieces in places with high humidity. Yes, you can hang these pieces in your bathroom, but try to choose a frame that will keep out as much humidity as possible, and hugs the piece together nicely.
What about thicker pieces like the 2-layer silhouettes, floated pieces, and pieces with 8 or more layers? I recommend a shadowbox frame.
You can find shadowbox frames ready-made in art stores, or have them custom-made at a frame shop. From here, there’s a lot you do within these thicker frames. You can float mount the piece so that the entire piece is shown, or you can choose to work in a mat or two as well. Play with the options and have fun!