A shadow-box frame in Utrecht oak, designed to hang securely while remaining changeable.
Framing a large Mozabrick portrait required a slightly different approach to a conventional canvas. It had the scale of a finished artwork but, constructed from a grid of nine panels, was designed to come apart and go together again. I wanted the frame to give it a secure, finished place on the wall without sacrificing that ability to be taken apart and reassembled.
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Each frame is made to order. Email me a photograph and the approximate dimensions of your Mozabrick or LEGO mosaic, and I can provide a quote.
Order by email →The client and I settled on shadow-box frame made from oak grown in the city of Utrecht. This style is often used for canvases, and keeps the edges of the work in view while creating a subtle sense that the image is floating. The oak offered a nice contrast to the greys, whites and blacks of the portrait.
A backing for the mosaic tiles
Before making the outer frame, I first needed to set the artwork onto a backing that could hold the sections in place. The client supplied the Mozabrick artwork with mounting plates (yellow 8x8s) which we agreed would be inset permanently into the backing. The backing could also offer a good place to affix hanging hardware.
I routed shallow recesses in a sheet of 9mm plywood such that once the mounting plates were installed the artwork could be fixed flush and flat against the surface of the wood. While the mounting plates were bonded into the recesses with epoxy, the Mozabrick itself was not glued, screwed or otherwise altered and can be rearranged at will.
Taming the ply
Because the finished design included a shadow gap, the raw edge of the plywood could have remained visible if one were to look at an angle between the image and the frame. Therefore I edged the plywood in the same Utrecht oak. From the front, the backing almost disappears; where it can be glimpsed through the gap, it reads as a solid oak construction.
Setting the shadow gap at 4mm
With the backing complete, the next step was to add the outer frame to the backing. For this, I used temporary spacers to ensure that during the glue-up an even 4mm gap was preserved on every side. Narrow gaps can easily show small deviations, and while this process was simple it was satisfying to see a clean result.
A frame with a party-piece
Throughout the design and build I had really wanted the finished piece to remain a mosaic rather than simply gluing it permanently in place. Most of the time, the portrait will of course remain exactly as it is. Still, I like that the frame does not cancel the logic of the object as something assembled and changeable.
The mosaic remains accessible after framing: its sections can still be lifted away and replaced.
Your own Mozabrick or LEGO mosaic
If you have a Mozabrick or LEGO mosaics or brick-built artworks that you would like to display, you are welcome to get in touch with a photograph and its approximate dimensions. I make custom frames in my Utrecht workshop in a variety of woods, all sourced from trees grown in the city of Utrecht, and would be happy to discuss what might work for your piece.
The finished piece on display at the client's home (thanks for the photos!)
Thanks for reading. If you're curious about custom frames for other artworks be sure to check out the online custom frame builder. Enter your details there and your frame will be handmade in the workshop within a couple of week. We also offer gift sets for special occasions. Lastly, to stay up to date with the store you can follow Alie on instagram. Until next time!
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