I'm a little stumped...

[YPF]

over the type and finish of a frame .

This oil painting has been brought in for framing and the customer has her heart set on a frame with a light brown finish.

Native American_edited-1.jpg (124.39 KiB) Viewed 3065 times

Given the predominant colours of the painting are grey/cream/black/white what style colour of frame might you suggest?

Any responses gratefully received.

Steve

[David]

I'd start with an off white, a shade darker than the lightest part of the picture, then light grey through to a dark grey, probably not black. It doesn't look very cream but depending on the colour a light natural wood might work, or may be a dark wood but not anything with too much colour. As for style and texture I'd be looking for a rustic natural simple moulding, nothing fancy or pattened, could be distressed, depends how native you want it to look. What size is it? I'd be careful with woods that have a lot of colour as they may detract aim for something matching the mid tones.

Hope that helps.

[YPF]

David,

Thanks for that, the painting is 24" x 25".

Steve

[Nigel Nobody]

An example of a simple design. The colours are a bit off what I wanted, but if you imagine the colour of the frame could be charcoal to black in colour and the top mat colour very near to the background grey in the art with an accent mat in charcoal colour.

[prospero]

This is one of those "There are a 1000 ways and they are all right" situations. Personally, I'm drawn toward a sort of grey driftwoody frame.

[Nigel Nobody]

This is one of those "There are a 1000 ways and they are all right" situations. Personally, I'm drawn toward a sort of grey driftwoody frame.

You are exactly right about that. Any design should use colours that harmonise with the art and a grey driftwoody frame would be an excellent choice. Unfortunately, there are none of those available down here so it didn't cross my mind.
As a matter of fact, I can only think of a couple of grey frames that are available here.

[YPF]

Thank you all. It looks like I'll be rooting through my collection of matchpot paints to find something suitable and refreshing my myself on some of the hand finishing posts.

Steve

[Graysalchemy]

I agree black or charcoal would be more akin to the piece, but one thing non of you have considered that the client may have wanted light brown so as it fits in with the décor of the room. I know as picture framers we should frame something sympathetic to the artwork, but sometimes we forget who is paying for this. Perhaps you should voice your concerns to the client and ascertain whether a frame more in keeping with the picture may be more suitable.

At the end of the day the client pays our wages.

PS for what it is worth I would frame it in arqadia 292110127.

Cheers

AG

[framemaker]

A barewood ash frame with some Liberon black patinating wax could look good. You still get a wood grain colour coming through but also charcoal/grey.
But be careful, this could lead to the never ending hand finishing road; what if you tried washing on a paint, wiping it off, putting on liming wax, and so on...

[Nigel Nobody]

I agree black or charcoal would be more akin to the piece, but one thing non of you have considered that the client may have wanted light brown so as it fits in with the décor of the room.

Sometimes the customer wants to put a piece of art in a room that really doesn't fit the decor. In this case I would comply with the customer request and try to make it fit, if after a lot of questioning about the room, I could get a feel for the decor.

Customers do pay our 'wages' but, sometimes what they want can be absurd and I don't do absurd! Other framers do.

[Graysalchemy]

Customers do pay our 'wages' but, sometimes what they want can be absurd and I don't do absurd! Other framers do.

In these scenarios I just look at the job as I seem to find if I look at them like that then I can get them done and fill my bank account at the same time .

At the moment I have got to frame two 1500mm x 1500mm shower curtains However the invoice will be £800.00. Now they are absurd but I am not going to turn away that business am I.

[markw]

Silver finishes can work well with this sort of cooler toned subject although I would be looking for a fairly unpretentious finish for this image.

[Nigel Nobody]

In these scenarios I just look at the job as I seem to find if I look at them like that then I can get them done and fill my bank account at the same time .

At the moment I have got to frame two 1500mm x 1500mm shower curtains However the invoice will be £800.00. Now they are absurd but I am not going to turn away that business am I.

I was referring to absurd colours on art! It doesn't happen often and usually I can persuade someone to rethink an absurd idea.

If someone wants to frame curtains or any other strange item, they are entitled to do that and I am happy to frame whatever people want framed.

[Graysalchemy]

I was referring to absurd colours on art! It doesn't happen often and usually I can persuade someone to rethink an absurd idea.

If someone wants to frame curtains or any other strange item, they are entitled to do that and I am happy to frame whatever people want framed.

Well done that is what I like to hear. Actually come to think of it if some one wanted me to hand finish a moulding with pink and yellow polka dots I would definitely say no. In actual fact any finishing which takes more than a couple of coats of paint or silly 'artistic mounts' which don't pay. Basically anything which is not profitable.

As the cast of Grange Hill said back in the 80's

Just say NO

[YPF]

The customer came back in today to select a frame for the oil painting. Now she has seen it stretched and with some corner samples on it took very little effort on my part to move her away from a brown moulding to greys/silvers/blacks.

The final selection was a 2" wide moulding in antique lead with a silver sight edge. And she insisted in paying full before she left.

Many thanks for your suggestions and guidance.

Steve