How does one frame LPs, EPs and CDs as a present for the releaser?

December 14, 2010 4:09 AM

How does one frame LPs, EPs and CDs as a present for the releaser?

"Tarumbo" has released 5 albums in different formats with his label. I decided to surprise him for his birthday (February) and display them in nice frames.

I don't really know how it's supposed to be done, for it to look like the professionally framed discs you see in entertainment.

Should I include cuts and reviews? Or just the cover and the album?

How do I fix the things to their background? What tools, materials, etc should I use to do a solid job?

Is it a good alternative to just frame the covers and ignore the discs? Or should I include the discs in the display?

I realize I have time for this, so I could some of these signed by the musicians (some of them live in the US with us, some of them in Sweden, so that would be harder) Would that be corny, tacky or cool?

Any other advice of what a small label owner would find special?

:) thanks!

posted by Tarumba to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

Best answer: I would for sure take these to a professional framer because this job is all about the matting, and in particular the flawless cutting of the matting. While this is not, you know, rocket science it is a skill that requires an experienced hand for a good result, particularly on round CDs or vinyl.

At the very least, find five frames standard commercial frames that will work for this project and get the mats professionally cut by taking in your frames and materials and letting them measure up for you. That alone will be inexpensive.
posted by DarlingBri at 4:39 AM on December 14, 2010

Best answer: I happen to have a professionally framed CD on my wall at the moment. The way this one was done was that the case was opened, so you see the disc, and the insert is flipped so you see the cover of the album. This is mounted in a shadow box type frame, and the mat is cut about a third of an inch larger on all sides than the opened rectangular case. I think you could get a pretty good result doing something like this yourself, although it would probably look best if you had the mat professionally cut to the specific size you need (getting mat cut is actually pretty cheap).
posted by kimdog at 6:01 AM on December 14, 2010

Response by poster: I think I'll go with that.

How do you feel about the signatures?
posted by Tarumba at 6:13 AM on December 14, 2010

Well, the one I have is signed by Eddie Vedder... so I think it's cool! But I think that personalization is always a nice thing. It's the people who were involved that give the music heart... the disc itself is just packaging.
posted by kimdog at 9:09 AM on December 14, 2010