In the

picture framing A picture frame is a protective and decorative edging for a picture, such as a painting or photograph. It makes displaying the work safer and easier and both sets the picture apart from its surroundings and aesthetically integrates it with them. ...

industry, a fillet (also referred to as a slip) is a small piece of moulding which fits inside a larger frame or, typically, underneath or in between matting, used for

decorative Beauty is commonly described as a feature of objects that makes these objects pleasurable to perceive. Such objects include landscapes, sunsets, humans and works of art. Beauty, together with art and taste, is the main subject of aesthetics, o ...

purposes. The picture framing term is probably related to, though not necessarily derived from, the engineering term, which it is frequently pronounced similarly to; however, unlike the use of fillets in mechanical engineering, the use of "fillets" in picture frames is wholly decorative.

Pronunciation

''Fillet'' can be pronounced in two ways. One way is to pronounce it as if it were "fill-it", as the similar term from

mechanical engineering Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science, to design, analyze, manufacture, ...

is pronounced. The other is similar to the French-derived culinary term. Either is acceptable in English, though most frame shops prefer one or the other pronunciation.

Construction

Fillets are typically made of soft or hard wood, and feature a flat "lip" which can fit underneath a mat; the non-lip portion is what is displayed. Except for their shape and size (which is understandably small), fillets are constructed similarly to picture frames, usually from wood or polystyrene. Metal fillets are very rare. Fillets are available in a number of styles and finishes, including

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...

and silver leaf finishes.

Uses

The fillet is normally used as decoration in the lining of a

picture frame A picture frame is a protective and decorative edging for a picture, such as a painting or photograph. It makes displaying the work safer and easier and both sets the picture apart from its surroundings and aesthetically integrates it with them. ...

or underneath a mat inside one; the intent is to help draw the eye inwards to the document being framed. However, one can also use inverted fillets as form of picture frame on small, flat objects, as seen below: In this case, the card was glued to the lip of the inverted fillet (which is thus hidden behind the back of the card). Objects such as this that have been framed using inverted fillets can be backed and then affixed to wire for hanging, displayed on an

easel An easel is an upright support used for displaying and/or fixing something resting upon it, at an angle of about 20° to the vertical. In particular, easels are traditionally used by painters to support a painting while they work on it, normally ...

, or used inside of a larger

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display. It is important to note that only very small, extremely flat objects can be framed using only an inverted fillet, as a fillet lacks the depth of a traditional picture frame, and due to its size, weight and construction, could not support a great amount of weight on its own.

External links

Picture Frames Collection
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fillet (Picture Framing) Woodworking Picture framing

Pronunciation

Construction

Uses

See also

External links