Newbie in need of advice.

[James Murch]

Hello everyone at Framers Forum!

I am an Artist in the Devon area and have recently decided to exhibit some small Plein air studies in a local Art exhibition, so they need framing. I have spent the last few hours desperately trying to find a period style or Plein Air style frame or mouldings of that style. I cannot find anywhere that does this style (doesn't literally have to be period, just that style).

I particularly want something that looks like this. http://randyhigbeegallery.blogspot.co.u ... mecom.html
or this..
http://www.artgalleryframes.com/shop/it ... itemid=386

I have never made a frame so I don't really know if it comes as a mould or is made up of several mouldings. It looks like a frame mounted within a frame which creates the perfect depth for a small Plein air painting.

I'd love to have a crack at making one as I will need lots more and I'm painting all the time, but I can't even find a place that sells the mouldings let alone a tutorial on how to do it.

I really hope you can help, I don't really want to settle for less..

(I'm sure most of you know but for those who don't, 'En Plein Air' is French meaning 'In the Open Air' and was a term coined during the 19th century when the French impressionists like Monet and Pissaro broke tradition and left there studios to paint the outdoors directly)

Thank you in advance...

[Jonny2morsos]

I would advise you contact forum member Not Your Average Framer(Mark Lacey). He is at Bovey Tracy and specialises in hand finished frames and frames made by stacking a number of mouldings.

You may have to spend a bit though but I am sure Mark won't mind that.

[prospero]

It's just two complimentary mouldings with a flat bit of wood inbetween. I do a lot of them. The beauty is that the flat bit can be any width to suit the proportions. Just saw a bit off.

This sort of frame is best done from plain wood and hand-finished. Finding three finished mouldings the right shape and finish makes the job a bit limiting.

Go see Mark.

[Not your average framer]

It's probably easier to do than you are thinking. Are you going to make your own frames? If so, PM me and I'll reply with my phone number, so I can talk you through how to go about doing this.

Do you have any framing equipment yet? If so, then I may only need to tell where to get the same mouldings as in your pictures and how to start handfinishing.