Seeking Opinions

[RobM]

Hi All,

Could I ask for some feedback for a few minor queries?

1. I completed a frame for an art print, and wondered what you thought of my design selections. As the image on the print is fairly "busy", I went with a relatively narrow mount to keep the focus on the image. Because the it's a relatively large piece with the mount on (70x50cm), I decided it warranted a frame that wasn't too thin.

I was quite happy with this upon completion, but now that it's hung on the wall, something is bothering me about it. I think the frame now seems to imposing, thinking that a thinner frame might have done the picture more justice. What do you think? Perhaps the frame doesn't suit the theme.

2. I'm framing a black and white photograph for a friend, who asked for a white mount and a black frame. I'm going to go with the combination shown in my photo, with the off-white black core mount around, on the basis that I want the mount to be not as bright as the white in the photo.

I'm just interested to know what people's thoughts are for working with black and white photos. My friend's choices seemed sensible at first, but then I looked at a grey mount and think it works perfectly as a middle ground between the two main colours. What are your thoughts about black and white images like this?

3. Lastly, a minor thing, but on another frame I've put together, the mitre is not as flush as I would like to be, certainly at one end at least. See picture. Would you live with this, or do it again? To re-do, would of course involving re-ordering the moulding to start again.

On this note, is there any method for correcting something like this after the fact? Like, in the same way that band clamps help close up gaps between joints even after being pinned?

[Justintime]

1. It looks too tight around the image, but I don't know how much border you had available. A photo pre mount would have been useful. But you can see how the borders are not even top or sides. I would always try to have equal borders top and sides for balance. The bottom can and often does require more for signatures edition number etc.
Personally I think you can have wider mount borders, its subjective but these feel too skinny to me. You say that you went for slim because the piece is so busy, I'd say it's so busy that it needs some more space around it.
2. I think the grey mount is a terrible idea, it softens the contrast of the grey tones in the photo. I'd keep it clean and simple as the customer suggested. Bright white mount and black frame. Sometimes less is more and the contrast in the photo is not very punchy so a bright white mount will give a truer presentation of the image.
3. Sometimes this is unavoidable. You can sometimes twist the join into line while applying pressure with the bandclamp. Whether it's good enough or requires redoing is really a call only you can make. Fillers aren't really suitable for this kind of varnish finish. It's also about the process of choosing which mouldings you want to work with and which you don't. The fact that you can't really hide this as much as you might be able to on another finish, might be a reason to drop this one and use ones that are better quality and easier to finish with a filler when required.

[JFeig]

I was taught that the width of the mount shouldn't be the same as the width of the moulding.

[framesink]

I was just about to right the same thing. Mount shouldn’t be the
same size as the moulding. Not sure if you had space around the top of the image to make it the same width as the sides? (if that makes sense?).

Also, for b&w photographs, i’d try and match the white of the photo, or black. The cream doesn’t work imo. A frame/mount is meant to draw your eye into the artwork, the cream coloured mount does the opposite. The frame and mount are there to ‘frame’ the art, not distract

[Rainbow]

I like to use black-core mounts with black-and-white photos, it makes the picture look more dramatic. Some customers want to show a slight white border between the black-core mount and the photo, others prefer to have the black-core mount directly against the photo. Hopefully you don't need to show the limited edition number. Either a black mount or a white mount usually.

[RobM]

Hi Justin.

1. The borders were problematic with this one, as they are wider at the sides on the actual print. There wasn't actually much more to the print at the top and bottom than is shown in the mounted image. The problem was the signature at the bottom right, which covers more real estate to the sides, while not having the same depth available below. Is there any other way of dealing with this, besides covering the signature and edition no.?

I now agree with what you're saying about the mat borders. I was incorrect to think that wider borders would distract from the busyness of the image, but I'm now seeing the opposite is true!

2. Noted. I initially thought of off-white to allow the whites in the photo to pop out a bit more, but I think I'll alter this one to something brighter.

3. It's relatively subtle, and it's one of those where I agonise over re-doing the whole thing against whether the client would be too particular about it. Not that I want to leave defects; it's just a costly change for one so minor.

1. It looks too tight around the image, but I don't know how much border you had available. A photo pre mount would have been useful. But you can see how the borders are not even top or sides. I would always try to have equal borders top and sides for balance. The bottom can and often does require more for signatures edition number etc.
Personally I think you can have wider mount borders, its subjective but these feel too skinny to me. You say that you went for slim because the piece is so busy, I'd say it's so busy that it needs some more space around it.
2. I think the grey mount is a terrible idea, it softens the contrast of the grey tones in the photo. I'd keep it clean and simple as the customer suggested. Bright white mount and black frame. Sometimes less is more and the contrast in the photo is not very punchy so a bright white mount will give a truer presentation of the image.
3. Sometimes this is unavoidable. You can sometimes twist the join into line while applying pressure with the bandclamp. Whether it's good enough or requires redoing is really a call only you can make. Fillers aren't really suitable for this kind of varnish finish. It's also about the process of choosing which mouldings you want to work with and which you don't. The fact that you can't really hide this as much as you might be able to on another finish, might be a reason to drop this one and use ones that are better quality and easier to finish with a filler when required.

[RobM]

Hi Jerome. The moulding is actually wider - but perhaps the difference isn't great enough for this size of picture.

I was taught that the width of the mount shouldn't be the same as the width of the moulding.

[RobM]

That's two commenters mentioning a bright white for B&W photos. I'll definitely be going with that for this and others like it.

I was just about to right the same thing. Mount shouldn’t be the
same size as the moulding. Not sure if you had space around the top of the image to make it the same width as the sides? (if that makes sense?).

Also, for b&w photographs, i’d try and match the white of the photo, or black. The cream doesn’t work imo. A frame/mount is meant to draw your eye into the artwork, the cream coloured mount does the opposite. The frame and mount are there to ‘frame’ the art, not distract

[RobM]

I'm a fan of the black core mounts too, to give an extra border. I was actually still going to include the edition number, and then have the mount around that.

I like to use black-core mounts with black-and-white photos, it makes the picture look more dramatic. Some customers want to show a slight white border between the black-core mount and the photo, others prefer to have the black-core mount directly against the photo. Hopefully you don't need to show the limited edition number. Either a black mount or a white mount usually.