The Framers Forum

Is there a correct way in writing down whether a frame/print/mount etc. is landscape or portrait?

i.e. is 10x8 landscape or portrait and is 8x10 landscape or portrait?

I always draw a small box on my worksheet to show the orientation or sometimes an arrow pointing up or to the right. Any thoughts

I was always told by a a publisher and agent who has been in the industry 40+ years that you measure the drop (height) first, so a 20 x 16 is portrait and a 16 x 20 is landscape. This is what I do when measuring his work. However my mount cutter software lists the width as the first box to fill . Also if you take a tape measure what do you do? you pull it out horizontally and measure the width first, that to me is more natural than measuring the drop first.

So to answer your question you should measure the height first but for me I always measure (and write down) the width first it is more natural.

Just have the headings "Width" and "Height" on your order form, wouldn't matter which was first. I always gave the side as the first dimension - 10x8 would be portrait - but my pricing software asks for the width first.

Our software also prompts us to do width then height every time so it's always clear which way round it is. When we wrote out worksheets we would put a P or an L in a circle on the sheet to show which way round, just to make sure. When we first swapped over to software we would still handwrite the P or L on as a double check, but we soon got out of the habit. As Grays says, it feels more natural to measure width then height for some reason.

According to the FATG GCF study guide "Sotheby's, Christie's and all the international art-dealing fraternity measure artwork height before width, and list is accordingly in their catalogues; this has become a norm throughout the picture framing industry." So I guess it is stick to always doing it the same way each time, or just put a P or L in a circle

Doesn't really matter, as long as you do the same way all the time, my way is width then height , and as gresy said, the CMC software its width then height

I agree it doesn't really matter and always make it clear when I write it down. But based on an order I've just been given and the comment by Tudor Rose regarding the FATG study guide it seems the correct convention is to give the height first. Giving the width first does seem more natural as it were, like giving OS map coordinates... eastings first then northings... along the hall then up the stairs is how I've always remembered and I've never been lost on the fells yet

Height then width. Standard cataloguing practice in the picture world.

I agree with Grays.

I briefly worked in the production/art buying side of advertising before switching to copywriting. I was taught that the height always came before the width.

if in doubt (and to save confusion, should others need to refer to your jottings) put an arrow after the height (or drop) i.e. 20↓ x 16 is portrait.

It's height then width for me, I thought that was industry standard?

I follow suit of my software width then hight,
Custom framer, photoshop, corel draw, shiraz rip and V studio all go width first.

But so long as you are consistent it does not matter.

I do width then height. Always have since school.

It becomes more important if there is a bottom-weighted mount.

Then of course you have to make sure you join your frames the right way otherwise things REALLY start going wrong. The industry standard is long sides on the LEFT of the underpinner and the reason is very simple, you need two 'L's to make a frame and if the long side is on the right, you have two weird things that are not 'L's and you can't make a frame from that!

Join two reverse Ls and you will find it just as easy to make a frame as it is with two Ls.

The problem only arises when you try to join an L and a reverse L. You can avoid this by getting into the habit of always making reverse Ls or always making Ls, it doesn’t matter which as long as you are consistent.

For me its all about the Longs in the Left hand.

Thats the long and short of it

I pin facing the underpinner, so my method of long lengths to the right means I am using L-shapes.
It's the consistency that matters, not necessarily the method.

I pin facing the underpinner too, why would anyone turn their back on it? You need to see what you're doing!



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And there was me thinking you were good, John

For me it`s long side first.That`s probably because I spent years as an Electrical Contractor in the building trade...
Although does it really matter until the picture is put in?
Pete...

This thread made me try doing things differently. This is supposed to be landscape but I measured the long side first instead of the short side and then I thought I'd try joining the frame with the long sides on the right - LOOK WHAT HAPPENED!!!

Now what am I supposed to do? This is due tomorrow and customer is not answering the phone!

Quadruple mount?