GCF qualification

[An Old Master]

It could only happen in Angmering.

[Gus]

Thank you for starting this thread.
I started my framing business nearly 3 years ago, have been on several courses - some of which have been better than others, learnt a lot on the job, received valuable and timely advice from members of this forum, read various books and articles in order to develop my skills.

I have been to various Guild events which I have enjoyed, met some nice interesting people and learnt some things, so this year I bit the bullet and joined. I intend taking the exam later this year.

There are a number of reasons for wanting to take the exam:
Personal achievement and satisfaction in knowing that I can frame to the set standards.
Personal development in having to learn about different parts of the industry that I might not ordinarily do.
The possibility of using it in marketing my business (I don't have a shop front to display my wares, so have to market in other ways).
Being able to demonstrate that I have reached a tangible level of professionalism in the trade.
There are probably many more reasons, personal to me, that I haven't been able to articulate.


When I started my business part of my business plan was to join the FATG and qualify as a GCF. I saw this as good sense as I (and others) could then judge my work by set standards.

I am sure membership of the FATG or the GCF will not fit everyones business model, which is how it should be - personal choice. I do like the idea of having a modular exam as has been discussed, as well as having to attend CPD events to renew the qualification after a few years. I do not think I have enough experience in framing or in business to comment usefully on how that happens though.

[Nige Hogg]

When I left school in 1975 I was employed by a company that was allied to the printing trade.
I undertook a 5 year City and Guilds Bookbinding and Print Finishing Apprenticeship and was sent to Kitson College/Leeds Poly on a part time basis. The rest of the time I was at work learning the trade. At the end of the 5 years I took the exam and passed and was given a certificate. The 'City and Guilds' was a respected organisation and probably still is. I was told to keep hold of the certificate and not to lose it. The reason for this was because I was more likely to find employment in a different company over someone who did not have the qualification.

A lot of the forum members have their own businesses but I am sure are employers as well. It may not suit some members of the forum to have the GCF qualification but may be beneficial to their businesses to have in effect 'apprentice trained employees'. The GCF qualification to my mind could be seen has the 'City and Guilds' of old.

The company I first worked for sent me to college at their own expense to ensure I received an all round Book Binding/Print Finishing education as they did not have the means in the work place to teach me all aspects of the trade. Although the owners were aware that they were going to invest time and money and there was a chance I may move companies after the apprenticeship had finished, they saw it has a responsibility for the good of the trade.

[Bagpuss]

I love this photo montage Robo, I pinched it from you a few years ago and it's on my website, chortle, chortle ..

On a serious note, I got my GCF back in 2007, Steven McKee examined me ( as it were ) at D&J Simons in Hackney. I am pleased I did it if only so I can recognise some really poor framing done by supposedly reputable High Street framers, on the odd occasion I have been asked to reframe items that customers are not happy with and it looks like they got the 'work experience' lad to do the framing... copious amounts of brown sticky tape on Limited Editions , you know the sort of thing ..

I started my tuition back in 1995, Lyn Hall held a 5 day course at D&J Simons and I think that put me in good stead , learning the basic do's and don'ts about framing with regards to conservation techniques etc.
I'd urge anyone who is new to Framing to put themselves on a week's course learning the basics and then when they have had a few years of experience they might like to do the GCF exam, the certificate takes pride of place on my wall in the Workshop, I'm not sure the customers are impressed but it makes me feel good

[An Old Master]

If you're all really nice to me, and I mean really, I'll tell you a story about the mighty McKee that you'll love.

[Roboframer]

Is it the one about when he went to Tesco and noticed a beautiful blonde woman wave at him and say hello? ......

Taken aback, because he couldn't place where he knew her from, he says, "Do you know me?"

To which she replied, "I think you're the father of one of my kids."

His mind travels back .... way back ........

"My God, are you the stripper from my stag do that I laid on the pool table with all my mates watching, while your partner whipped my arse with wet celery??? I'm so sorry, I was soooooo drunk, please don't tell anyone, it'll ruin me"!

She looked into his eyes and calmly said, "No, I'm your son's math teacher."



Or is it the one about that really big overcut mount corner?

[misterdiy]

That would a new dimension to the qualification GCF, but I won't spell it out

Back on topic, this industry is quite unusual in the age profile. For many it's a second career after having toiled long and hard in someting else. So when most people start it means they already have purchased the Moros and a mountcutter, graduated to an underpinnerk and made loads of frames. As Alistair has said it is practice that makes good frames and so people of a certain age (me included) can make a picture frame to an acceptable standard. what people need and Lion's training seminars are testament to this, is specific training on certain elements of framing. So Steve's idea of a modular qualification is a great way to go.

Again many of us on here have state of the art framing equipment so can make frames very professionally very quickly (our replacement cost for machinery alone is over £50k)so the idea of doing a basic exam elsewhere is not very appealing especially if we have to pay for it and lose valuable work time. However I would love to have modules that could be tailored at,say, fine art printing or memorabilia framing, even though we do these to high standards already. You can always learn more.

If these modules were set up by the FATG and they were really good then I for one would be keen to go and send staff on the specific modules to learn then qualify.

Well that's my two pennyworth

Steve

[Roboframer]

When I started out, especially after I opened my first shop, I really thought I needed to become 'qualified' but as time went on I realised that the three items that I needed to provide for the test represented every day jobs, no needlework, no medals or other three-dimensional objects, no football shirts ........... no 'challenges' and I thought that, to have letters after your name, the test really should be a challenge.

I joined the FATG during this early period and wrote to them stating the above opinion and soon after (and I'm not saying it had anything to do with me) the advanced modules were added .... and then eventually, to me, even they were not 'advanced' so I saw no benefit bar marketing and in those days I had no website ... or even a computer!


I now wish I had taken the test as soon as possible, I might now be on the framers committee if I had - regardless of whether I'd adhered to guild standards or not!

I'd like to be on that committee but can't ever see myself sitting the test.

[An Old Master]

No, not that one.

[markw]

It doesnt matter how much you know - its often quite good to step back and consider the way you work. I took the GCF test several years ago, I found it a good review of my work practices and gained a lot from the act of taking it. Many years since I had taken a formal exam I admit I was quite nervous at the time.

Good as I think the GCF is the FATG have failed to drive forward the initiative. Miring the ability to usefully use the GCF logo as a non member has made it almost pointless.

[An Old Master]

Good point Mark.

[Trillian]

Perhaps a nationally recognised qualification may help to raise the awareness of the skills of a professional framer? City & Guilds offer a picture and frame restoration course, at various levels, and maybe it is time for the FATG to collaborate with such a body to develop a complete framing course? If you are seeking to improve your skills as a framer, as well as demonstrate that you have attained a certain standard, a year-long, externally-set modular course has to be preferable to a two day theory test and practical exam, set 'in-house' by the body that claims to govern the industry.

I guess that the question is, what is the FATG hoping to achieve with the GCF examination? It appears to be somewhat focused on conservation techniques, but this is only one element of picture framing. As we know, bespoke picture framing is so much more than being able to join four sticks of wood, or recognise conservation-friendly mountboard. Ultimately, I think that we need to raise the profile (no pun intended) of the industry, so that bespoke framing is seen as something more than just bunging something in a frame. A skilful framer should be able to produce work that is as creative and as appreciated as the artwork it protects, and there should be means by which anyone who wishes to, to be able to study all aspects of the craft, from hand finished frames, to object framing and even how to run a business. But at the same time, there still needs to be the opportunity for customers to buy ready-made frames, if it suits their particular needs.

I hope that that makes sense, whilst typing this, I've also been planning tonight's dinner, Thai style pork curry, yummy! Time to get in the kitchen, a woman's work, and all that!!!

[Roboframer]

Keeping it simple - explain to us and/or show us you can frame something well, really well; we'll assume you can do lower quality.

[prospero]

One glitch with the exam as far as I can see is that not all framers do all aspects of framing. It's like having a Builders exam. Not many craftsmen in that trade could do the work of any other. If you were a plaster for instance, you maybe wouldn't fare well rewiring a house. You would probably make a better fist of it than someone totally unconnected with building, but.....
If I absolutely had to frame a football shirt, I could do it, but would be on steep learning curve. There again there are people who have framing lots of medals and coins and stuff who have never done a big oil painting. They might be brilliant it their particular field of expertise, but would flounder doing the GCF exam.

[Graysalchemy]

Which comes back to my point that it is nothing more than basic test of proficiency, and not what it has been hyped to be. At the end of the day if you have a GCF you have been Commended by the Guild what ever that means. If the standards (and by that I mean proficiency) are not particularly high then that does say much about the body that puts its weight behind that person.

[muffinski]

Being new to framing but having experience of belonging to a professional governing body I thought I would make some comparison, I think there is some relevance.

Any organisation that governs a specific area and offer a qualification/certificate should exist for several purposes.

First off, by gaining a certificate/becoming qualified should mean that the individual has learned and gained the appropriate skills and has successfully demonstrated that they can carry out the minimum tasks associated with said field.

Secondly they should provide the most up-to-date on-going training/accessible information based on the latest research, technology, developments etc.

Thirdly, if someone decides to belong/claim to be trained/registered etc. with a governing body then their work/skills should be accountable and the body should have processes in place to manage this. They should have powers to withdraw membership and apply appropriate disciplinary actions if required.

Like many professional qualifications, you can spend 1 week or 3 years training, however, the reality is that your real training does not start until you begin your career. Most people can be taught most things but the truth is how people use and apply that knowledge/skill set. Ultimately I feel you can belong to an organisation but it will be your work that will demonstrate your ability and skills and this is what people are more interested in, in my experience. I am sure we have all come across “professional” that have varied in quality whether it be builders/police or whatever. What we ultimately remember is if we had a good service/quality product and not necessarily a piece of paper with a logo on.
That said as a beginner in framing I would love to be able to attend an accredited course to learn the basics and help set me on my way.

[Graysalchemy]

Well said Muffinski I have been saying that for years.

I would never knock anyone going on a course and learning the basics, its just that I don't think that that warrants a qualification which in the eyes of the examining body sets you apart from me, with 15 yrs experience.

[An Old Master]

Why does a qualification set them apart from you Grays? Your 15 years experience is your qualification as far as you are concerned.

[Graysalchemy]

Do I need to quote it again I think it was quoted enough on the other post.

But no it doesn't, but it is marketed (or was) to potential GCF's as that and as we have clearly seen if we do a google search that many GCF's think so as well.

The GCF (as far as I can see) teaches or tests nothing about design or aesthetics, mount proportions, using drops appropriate size of mouldings. All these things in my mind set you apart from the rest, if something is well designed and follows basic rules then it will be far more aesthetically appealing to the customer and more likely to make a customer come back.

I do see on here examples of frames where the mount borders are too small and I have seen in the past examples in the guild framing competition of mounts with side borders bigger than the top and bottom, which in anyones book is a no no. And examples where the framers design prowess has completely suffocated the artwork that it is meant to be enhancing.

Yes I agree that we need to teach people the basics of framing and understanding what level of framing is appropriate for a piece of work, but that is only half the story, design and aesthetics plays a crucial role in framing. We should see ourselves as artisans and if you haven't got an artistic bone in your body then you are going to struggle in this industry.

My philosophy has always been that the frame should enhance and protect the piece of art, not compete against it or make it a wilting wallflower on the wall.

[Roboframer]

How many mount board colours do you stock again?