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How not to float mount a print

Posted: Sat 14 Jan, 2017 9:15 am
by Steve N
Just had this in to re-frame, this was done by a Guild Commended Framer in Devon, the engraving is about 80cm square, they just used strips of mountcard, and as it's joined at the corners has no strength, either use a a solid sheet of mountcard or foamcore , another cheapskate way of framing, by the time they had cut and joined the strips, it would have been cheaper to use a solid board :head: :head: :head: :head:
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Re: How not to float mount a print

Posted: Sat 14 Jan, 2017 9:41 am
by IFGL
Are you sure they were not after the wavy look?

Re: How not to float mount a print

Posted: Sat 14 Jan, 2017 12:02 pm
by Steve N
They asked if it could be made flat, but I told them we would do our best, but as it has a plate impression it will have a bit of a wave, in fact we are totally re-framing it

Re: How not to float mount a print

Posted: Sat 14 Jan, 2017 4:22 pm
by Not your average framer
Why put the Guild Commended Framer sticker on something as rubbish as that? Obviously does not care at all. Sadly there is no ensuring that GCF's have to maintain an appropriate standard and as a result instances like this down grade the reputation of other framers who are also guild members.

I've nothing against the Guild, so I'm not having a go at them, but if members were to ensure that they only did work to a professional standard, this would greatly enhance the reputation of the guild and ensure that the GCF stickers meant something to be respected.

Re: How not to float mount a print

Posted: Sat 14 Jan, 2017 6:06 pm
by IFGL
Is float mounting part of the exam?

Re: How not to float mount a print

Posted: Sat 14 Jan, 2017 8:54 pm
by Not your average framer
Not as far as I know, but it's not what most framers are like to consider as either adequate, fit for purpose, or of merchantable quality. I think that the customer would probably be able to take this job to the local trading standards officer and get a judgement against the framer as being well below the quality of workmanship that you could reasonably expect from a professional framer who is a member of the Fine Arts Trade Guild.

What happened to the continuous professional development which the Guild now advocates? It's not the Guilds fault. They are promoting high standards, I suspect that in this case, the GCF sticker is an excuse to charge a price that goes with a top quality job, for a standard of workmanship that most framers would never even think about producing let alone putting their name to.

I hope that the Guild will be wanting to know who is using their good name to pass off workmanship of such a low standard, as of the sort of workmanship that most members of the general public would expect from anyone using either the Guilds name, or the GCF sticker on their framing. I can remember a time when the Guild had a lot more members than now.

If you are a framer using the GCF sticker on your frames, I think that you should have more respect for what you sell with a GCF sticker on it than that.

Re: How not to float mount a print

Posted: Sun 15 Jan, 2017 7:17 pm
by Kenneycm
As a previous member of the FATG, I have to agree that I would not accept this as a standard befitting the guidelines of the FATG and should not be bearing the mark of a GCF. Personally, I am a "previous member" as I did not feel I gained anything from them, I was even asked to change a poster advertising my membership because "somebody had made a complaint" I was completely correct with what I was advertising and trying to help raise the profile of the guild, but I was still asked to change it. The working practices, materials and methods I use are all in line with The Guild guidelines and I will not change that now I am no longer a member, but as I had no benefit personally or professionally from paying my membership, I chose to not continue with them as I know that what I do conforms with their recommendations. I was one of the last GCFs to qualify before the introduction of the continual assessment GCF Program to maintain the GCF status, so there is a system in place to ensure member maintain the level of workmanship expected and so yes, I would imagine that there are possibly framers who let their standards slip if there is no method to monitor and ensure standards are uphelp. I however, completely endorse what the guild standards stand for and maintain my standards in line with what they do, I just felt that without any benefit to myself, there was no point in continuing. I am sure that the current master will come in on the convo also and add his wisdom and expertise

Re: How not to float mount a print

Posted: Sun 15 Jan, 2017 10:58 pm
by IFGL
I must admit I have been on the verge of joing several times but have felt the gild lacking in self promotion, of course there's those that will argue that it's the job of the members to advertise themselves and the guild, or you only get out what you put in type thing, this is of course true, but I can easily make my own standards and put my energy into that, basically no one knows who or what the guild is, I ran a little survey in my shop, and asked my customers what organisation they felt I should be in, Fine art trade guild, or professional picture framers association out of just over 400 customers just over 300 said ppfa, all of them had not heard of either organisation.

I do believe in education and training, but with out awareness no one knows, and again I make my customers aware of our standards, I put in the work, come on FATG do something, give us a reason to join, there's a reason such a low amount of framers are members or don't stay members.