Drawings, prints and posters
Find your A3 frame
A3 measures 29.7×42 cm and is twice the size of A4. It is used for everything from posters and art prints to sketches from a drawing pad and prints from an A3 printer at the office or print shop. All A sizes share the same ratio between their sides, so a drawing enlarged from A4 to A3 keeps its composition. The frame can be used portrait or landscape.
If your print measures 32.9×48.3 cm instead, it is A3+, and you will need an A3+ frame.
Upload a photo of your artwork to the frame designer and see it with different wood types, colours and profiles. A thin black profile can give an architectural drawing a crisp look, while a wooden frame makes a child’s drawing or a botanical illustration warmer. The preview changes as soon as you adjust a setting.
Recently seen
A3 frames with
Passepartout
An A4 sheet fits an A3 frame with a passepartout and gets a border of approx. 4.5 cm at the sides and 6 cm at the top and bottom. As the two sizes share the same proportions, the border looks well balanced around the artwork. A 20×30 cm photo gets approx. 5 cm at the sides and 6 cm at the top and bottom, and a 24×30 cm picture approx. 3 and 6 cm.
The passepartout is made from 1.5 mm thick board, and you can choose from 20 colours. Enter the size of your picture, and we cut the opening 10 mm smaller in both width and height. The passepartout then overlaps the picture by 5 mm on each side, so it can be taped to the back of the passepartout.
A full A3 picture with a passepartout needs a larger frame. A 40×50 cm frame gives approx. 5 cm at the sides and 4 cm at the top and bottom, a 40×60 cm frame approx. 5 and 9 cm, and an A2 frame approx. 6 and 8.5 cm. You can also choose a made-to-measure frame.
Select an A3 frame above and try the different passepartout colours.
Which glass should go in
your A3 frame?
An A3 frame often hangs where people come close, such as in an office, a child’s room or a hallway. The weight is manageable, so choosing glass is mostly about reflections, durability and how finely you want details to show. You can choose from four types.
Standard glass is clear and affordable and resists scratches better than acrylic glass. However, it reflects light from windows and lamps and can break if knocked or dropped.
Acrylic glass is light and shatter-resistant and a good choice for a poster in a child’s room. It reflects light like standard glass and scratches more easily, so wipe it with a soft cloth. Both sides have a protective film that must be removed before framing.
Non-reflective glass reduces reflections with a matt surface, which can be practical in an office with a lot of overhead lighting. Fine lines may look slightly softer, especially if a passepartout creates a gap between glass and artwork, and some reflections may still be visible.
Museum glass offers high clarity with fewer reflections and UV protection that helps limit fading, without the matt effect. It is worth considering for an original drawing or a signed print. It costs more, and faint reflections may occur. Avoid direct sunlight, even behind museum glass.
Shipping of A3 frames worldwide
FedEx or GLS
Your A3 frame is sent worldwide with GLS or FedEx. In Sweden, Germany, Belgium and Poland, GLS can deliver it to a nearby parcel shop.
If you choose real glass instead of acrylic, the shipping price rises considerably. Glass is heavier and has to be transported with extra care, so both shipping costs and the risk of damage go up.
Every frame is packed with care to protect glass and frame on the way, and the vast majority of our frames with glass arrive in good condition.
A3 frames with or without
Backing paper
As standard, your A3 frame does not include backing paper, as most people do not need it. You can, however, add 1 mm thick backing paper in a subtle off-white shade with a fine texture.
The paper is useful if your artwork is smaller than the frame and you do not want a passepartout. A watercolour sheet or a print with hand-torn or decorative edges can then sit on a visible background, so the whole sheet is on show.
The paper also adds an extra layer between artwork and backing board. When framing a delicate drawing or a valuable print, both backing paper and mounting materials should be acid-free.
Framing and hanging
A3 frames
Lay the frame with the back facing up and bend up the black tabs. You can then lift out the hardboard backing.
Remove any dust from the inside of the glass with a soft, dry cloth. With acrylic glass, take the protective film off both sides. Insert your artwork, replace the backing and bend the tabs down again. If you want to change the artwork later, for example when a new drawing is ready to go up, simply repeat the steps.
An A3 frame hangs on the wall using the bracket on the backing board. Tilt the bracket out slightly so it can hook onto a screw or nail, and use a fixing that suits your wall type and can carry the weight of the frame.