cheap way to hang art?

clear acrylic frames
Dove 1953, if you will go to the following Google site, you will find a variety of clear acrylic framing methods and sources. ---BumbleBeeBoogie

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&q=clear+acrylic+are+frames&spell=1

A classic "frameless" system is made of clear plastic interlocking pieces that are held together by a tension system with a nylon cord - it's called FrameKit. Another method for small works (Say 16 x 20 or less) is FrameClips or somesuch. This looks like pieces of heavy wire and it also is held together by a cord pulled for tension.

I'd suggest that one consider carefully what method is used if any original or important work is place within any type of frame. In most cases it is essential to have "breathing space" for air and moisture to travel in and back out of a framed work, as well as room for paper-based work to expand and contract with changes in humidity. Otherwise one gets the common 'bubbled/warped look to a print in a frame too small for it.

When in doubt, if the work is very important to you (having high value, whether interest to you, or economic 'worth') you may do well to NOT frame it if it would not be framed protectively. If it is a poster you may want to frame in the future, think about drymounting the work. This will keep it from getting folds and wrinkles and may be mounted to a wall with push pins till time comes to go the next steps of getting mat if needed, glass and a frame. It definitely has come back in "style" to prop up art here and there in a room. In a bookshelf, leaning against the wall from a table, etc. Hope this helps!

Dov 1953 it is possible to buy anti static plex which will stop the print from lifting off the pater it is printed on and you should use acid free backing. As Colbalt says it depends on the importanct of the print to you and it's value. In addition, fading can be a problem if it is valuable you will want to keep it as far away from sunlight as possible.

This is possibly okay for posters but not for fine art prints. The inks on the face of any printed product should not come in contact with plexiglas as there are still chemicals in the inks and especially cheaper clear plastic products like styrene can cause them to migrate, sticking to the surface of the clear plastic product. There are two different kinds of preservative framing: conservation and museum. The only difference is that conservation uses 100% cotton strips behind mats that contain wood products. Both would not use corrugated cardboard as a final backing -- acid free foam core is the usual choice. Even an inexpensive poster can be ruined by improper framing. Sandwiching, if it's done, should be done with glass and the most inexpensive way is to install it in a less costly plain moulding with a deep enough ratchet to hide the little triangular installing "tacks." There is a plex product that is composed of a larger and smaller sheet of beveled plex with holes where more-or-less attractive fastener bolts are inserted through to hold it together. I would recommend a metal section frame with conventional matting, holding the surface of the piece away from the glass or plex. Plex, incidentally, is still not that cheap and on a large print has to be think enough to retain stability and not warp.

A nail in the drywall does a reasonable good job for the cheap. Big nail(s), big picture. Small nail, small picture. c.i.

Thank you all for the great ideas. I think it saved me from ruining my posters.