How to Frame and Display Video Game Art Prints at Home

Quick answer

Measure your print first, choose a frame with a mat that gives the art breathing room, and hang it at eye level with the center around 57 to 60 inches from the floor. For a gaming gallery wall, lay the whole arrangement on the floor before you hammer anything, and keep lenticular or glossy prints out of direct sun. A simple black or natural wood frame with a white mat works for almost any video game art print.

You bought the print. Now it is sitting in the tube, and every time you walk past it you feel a small pang of guilt. Framing video game art prints is not hard, but the order of operations matters more than the tools. Measure before you buy, mat before you mount, and plan the wall before you drill.

This guide walks through the whole process in the order you will actually do it, from the moment the tube arrives to the final leveling check. It also covers a few print types that need special handling, like lenticular posters and oversized art, and the small mistakes that cost the most to undo.

Start with the print, not the frame

Unroll the print and let it relax flat for at least a few hours, ideally overnight, under a clean sheet of paper or a board. Measure the visible image area, not just the paper edge, because some prints have a white border that you may want to hide under a mat. Write down both numbers: paper size and image size.

Most video game art prints fall into a few standard sizes, but do not assume. A print listed as 11 x 14 inches is a common poster size, and it will fit a standard 11 x 14 frame with no mat. If you want a mat, you need a larger frame, usually 16 x 20, and a mat cut with an 11 x 14 opening.

• Checkpoint: if the paper is curled, do not force it into a frame. Weight it flat first or the corners will buckle behind glass.
• Common mistake: buying a frame based on the product photo instead of the actual print dimensions.

Choose a frame and mat that suit the art

A thin black frame disappears and lets the artwork carry the wall. Natural wood warms up colorful or hand-drawn pieces. Metal frames read more modern and work well with clean vector art or minimalist game prints. There is no wrong answer, but the frame should not compete with the print for attention.

A mat does two useful things: it keeps the print from touching the glass, and it gives the image visual space. For a small print, a mat with a 2 to 3 inch border often looks better than a tight frame. For a large print, a narrow mat or no mat at all can be fine.

• Acrylic glazing is lighter and cheaper than glass and is safer if the frame might get bumped.
• Avoid non-archival cardboard backing if you care about long-term yellowing; acid-free board is worth the small upgrade.

Mount the print without damaging it

The safest method is photo corners or linen tape hinges on the back of the print, attached to the backing board, not to the mat. Tape directly on the front of a print is almost always a mistake, even with removable tape, because it can leave a mark or lift ink.

If you are framing a print with a lenticular surface, like a poster that shifts as you move, do not press it flat against glass. Lenticular sheets are thick and slightly rigid, and they need a little room. A frame with a deeper rabbet, or a shadowbox-style frame, gives the surface space to move without rubbing.

• Checkpoint: hold the mounted print up to a light before closing the frame. Any dust or hair will be visible later.
• Common mistake: trimming a print to fit a frame. Trim only if you are certain you will never resell or re-frame it.

Plan the wall before you drill

For a single print, the center of the artwork should sit around 57 to 60 inches from the floor, which is roughly eye level for most adults. If you are hanging above furniture, leave 6 to 10 inches between the bottom of the frame and the top of the sofa, shelf, or console.

For a gallery wall, cut paper templates to the size of each frame and tape them to the wall. Move them around until the arrangement feels balanced. Start with the largest piece as an anchor, then place smaller pieces around it. Keep 2 to 3 inches of space between frames so the group reads as one unit.

• Use two hooks per frame for anything wider than 12 inches so it cannot tilt.
• Checkpoint: step back at least 6 feet and look at the layout from where you will actually view it.

Handle light, humidity, and dust

Direct sunlight fades ink over time, and it is the single biggest threat to a framed print. Keep art off walls that get hours of direct sun, or use a frame with UV-filtering glazing. Even then, a bright south-facing wall will eventually take a toll.

Humidity matters too. Bathrooms and kitchens are poor choices because moisture can warp paper and encourage mold behind the glass. Dust the frame and glass with a dry microfiber cloth. Do not spray cleaner directly on the glass, because it can seep behind the frame and reach the print.

• If you must hang in a bright spot, rotate the print every few months to even out any fading.
• Checkpoint: if you see condensation inside the glass, the room is too humid for that print.

Framing and hanging checklist

1. Measure the print flat: Unroll and flatten the print, then record both the paper size and the visible image size. Buy the frame after this step, not before. Checkpoint: if the paper is still curled, wait another day before framing.
2. Pick the frame and mat: Match the frame finish to the art style, and choose a mat width that gives the image breathing room. For an 11 x 14 print, a 16 x 20 frame with a cut mat is a common pairing. Checkpoint: confirm the frame depth clears your print type, especially lenticular.
3. Mount with photo corners or hinges: Attach the print to the backing board using photo corners or linen tape on the back. Never tape the front of the print. Checkpoint: hold the mounted print to a light and check for dust before closing the frame.
4. Lay out the wall with templates: Cut paper templates for each frame and tape them to the wall. Center a single print around 57 to 60 inches from the floor, and keep 2 to 3 inches between frames in a group. Checkpoint: view the layout from your normal seating position before drilling.
5. Hang, level, and protect: Use two hooks for wider frames, level each piece, and keep the display out of direct sun. Dust with a dry microfiber cloth and avoid spraying cleaner on the glass. Checkpoint: if condensation appears inside the glass, move the print to a drier wall.

Print types worth planning around

• OFF Cover Art Lenticular Poster: This official OFF print's lenticular surface allows Mortis Ghost's design to shift and animate depending on how you look at it. It measures 11 x 14 inches. Lenticular prints are thicker than standard paper, so a frame with a deeper rabbet or a shadowbox gives the surface room to shift without rubbing against the glass.
• SGDQ 2025 Limited Edition NES Cartridge: These sturdy NES cartridges are available in gray or translucent orange and can be displayed on a stand or in a display case, or placed into an NES top-loader. No game is included. If you are building a gaming display shelf alongside your framed prints, a cartridge like this works as a small three-dimensional accent rather than wall art, and it needs a stand or case instead of a frame.

Framing video game art prints is mostly a matter of order: measure, mat, mount, plan, hang. Get those five steps right and the print will look intentional instead of improvised. Start with one piece, live with it for a week, and then build the wall around it.