The Framers Forum

The frame is made using poplar timber in two parts. The sight edge has been water gilded and burnished using schlagg leaf in the same manner as using real gold leaf but with a stronger ground. The outer edge is bronze powdered with a rabbit skin size. The flat, has silk across each corner and once gessoed and sanded was given a light pink clay wash before being over painted with further washes of blue/green and off white glazes. The slip is again a pale wash rubbed back adding a softness to the whole frame. Notice the closed corners. A bit different for me though I have made this one a few times in the past.

Another good frame Geoff.

I would be interested to know how you join a frame like this? Underpinner, cross nails or other?

All your frames seem to be of a traditional style so do you use traditional joining methods?

Thanks.

I really like seeing lovely examples like this.



Can I encourage more people to show work that they are proud of. I think that it is an inspiration to us all.

I do quite a few of this style. I like to sand the flat part to get the mitres dead level. One technique I have used often is to use thick paint or gesso to produce a textured base, just leaving board random brushstrokes. The stokes go across the corners so the whole finish is contiguous. Another way is to make the brushmarks go across the flat, radiating from the centre of the frame making a sort-of sunburst effect. No way could you do that with finished stuff. Gilded, it has the look of wrapped silk.

Be good if you could post an example Prospero. I am familiar with that effect and can imagine it being quite open to a variety of different finishes. I really enjoy seeing what other framers are up to and no doubt there are many good finishes around...we should all contribute more regardless of how it's made. incidentally,this frame was made using a half lap mitre joint, the back edge moulding done with the router once dry. The sight edge was routed separately and attached to the frame via a rebate in the flat. Simple carpentry really. More framers should have a go at doing something of their own, they might be very surprised what they can come up with as no doubt there are many talented people around.
Thank you for the comments.

Just finished some black frames using black gesso. Will see if I can grab some photos.

I've been using some flat gold moulding that I got in a job lot. It's not a very nice one to work with as is, as it marks very easily and too many niggly flaws. But as a base moulding it's great. About 60mm wide with a rounded back edge. Being flat the gold sands off very easily leaving a smooth ready-gessoed ground.

Bigger than that I use a flat R&H moulding which I usually use upside down so the rebate creates a little shelf to take the inner moulding. A square edge is OK for a lot of frames, but I do sometimes rout a round/chamfer/cove along.

I've also used MDF skirting board for really wide. It's good because you can use it both ways - rounded edge or wide bevel. No grain to fill and it paints nicely. Any bendyness is overcome by a solid wood inner frame.

I say utilise whatever! The limit really is down to imagination. HDF is much better to use if you plan on adding your own profile cutter/s. It machines/cuts very well and the added firmness you get is worth the extra it costs. Recently I made and finished a shield in HDF, purely for my own benefit and has come out quite well. I would post an image but this is for framing topics really. Good to recycle mouldings...that's something we should all look at doing more of. In fact, anyone wanting to experiment with hand finishing: that could be just the thing for people to experiment with. Like the idea in what you are doing.

Good looking frame Geoff. I shall continue to watch your posts with quiet admiration and jealousy.
I'm curious as to you using schlagg leaf and powders, instead of gold leaf, considering the same amount of prep. work and finishing - or is it a multi frame job?

Thank you for your comments. The only reason I mention using water gilded schlagg leaf was simply. I have heard and been told many times that you cannot burnish schlagg leaf with an agate as you would if using gold leaf. As you might expect, that depends entirely on the size used to adhere the schlagg in the first place. Anyway, it burnishes very well (not too much pressure)and the bronze back edge was purely complementary with the flat colour, I wanted a duller finish for the back edge that to me, it holds the frame together drawing the eye into the frame where the art is housed. Maybe I'm talking rubbish on the last point...just me I guess?

prospero wrote:Just finished some black frames using black gesso.

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I'm interested in how you make gesso black? Do you use black powder paint instead of whiting? I recently tried using mixol stainer and despite using a lot, didn't achieve the deep black I wanted.

Another lovely frame by the way Geoff,Sorry to take thread slightly off track!

Sorry, but I cant recall actually making a black "whiting based" gesso. There is a black ready made acrylic gesso primer used by artists to colour the ground on canvases etc. Perhaps several thin coats of this sanded back might be useful to you. I would use this over a couple of coats of a dark umber ground at least. Sometimes I will use a water based wood stains over a traditional gesso ground and then move onto using ebonising polishes as an example. A different technique but you can end up with a mirror like finish or something much less so depending on what it is you are looking for. You can of course use casein based paints, I think Plaka is a good example, applied thinly and then sealed with a wax or other. Always use an under colour before applying any strong main colour ie: a dark brown as an example. Hope this helps.

Sorry. Yes I did mean acrylic black gesso. Lovely stuff. I like to use it as a primer under black acrylic paint. You can just use it on it's own, but I find it doesn't polish up as well as paint. It's nice and thick and you can texture it, so on a black finish if you happen to rub though the paint in places on the final stages it doesn't show a lighter colour beneath.