To me, a framed painting looks like a finished piece of art, so I generally choose to frame them. When picking a frame, I consider the cost, size and overall look of the frame. I also think about the wall color where I plan to hang or prop the painting.
Unframed, the painting above looks like what it is - a quick study. (I know - pears again! I wanted to use another painting as an example, but it didn't fit into the frame I had handy.) Once framed, it looks complete!
Just like ready-made canvases, ready-made frames are less expensive, but they only come in certain sizes. I try to use standard size canvases for my paintings when possible to help keep the cost of framing down. You can find standard size frames to fit oil paintings in stores like Michael's or Hobby Lobby. Local frame shops often give an artist's discount (from my experience, usually 25%), so they can be an economical option, especially for custom sizes. While I prefer to support local businesses, sometimes the cheapest option is to order a frame online (coming in part 2!).
So size does matter in choosing a frame, but mainly it's the depth of your rabbet. No, I'm not misspelling the other word for "bunny". The rabbet is the notch on the back of the frame in which your artwork sits. The diagram below shows a cross-section of a frame. In this example, the rabbet depth is 3/8". If you had a canvas with 1" depth, then 5/8" of your canvas would stick out the back of your frame and it wouldn't sit flush on the wall. That's just tacky!
The other size to consider is the width of your frame (how big it is around your painting). This is really personal preference. I like a small painting with a wide, ornate frame, but my husband thinks that a small painting gets overshadowed by a large frame. If I had my choice, I would use the widest frame possible. It's good he's here to reign me in!
The overall look of the frame includes the style, material, finish, and color. While this is personal preference, I consider the painting itself, the style of the room in which it will be hung, and the wall color of that room. I like formal portraits in ornate frames and landscapes in simpler frames, because I feel like the ornate frame fights with the busy nature of a landscape. Likewise, I would use a more ornate frame in my formal living room than in my more casual kitchen.
So... I thought the painting looked good in the frame I had available, but check it out against the light blue wall on the left. The frame gets so washed out! It looks much better on the red wall on the right. I would definitely not choose this frame against a light colored wall... that's probably why this frame has been laying around.
Happy framing!
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