The Framers Forum

My name is Jonathan Checkley (also known as Jon), I've just joined The Framers Forum, after lurking in the shadows for a few months!

I am planning to add picture framing to my other creative skills. I would appreciate any advice on the best way to get started. Should I just buy some equipment and struggle along until I can produce something the public may buy. Should I offer my services to a local picture framer (perhaps as intern/no pay) or pay to go on a few training courses or one-to-one tuition?

I have already spent 2 days training with a GCF and 2 days on a "Running a Framing Business" course. So I have an idea of what Framing involves, which is not the same as I thought when starting my research.

My background is graphic design and typography, mostly for advertising and direct mail. For the last 20 years I have mostly been working freelance on whatever comes up. But I find it difficult to compete in an online world, the perception seems to be that any one over 35 has no idea of how digital works and I've been digital since 1984!

I do a lot of lettering and have recently revived my Calligraphy skills, and it was this that partly fired my interest in framing.

Over the years I have made thousands of mock-ups of print and 3-D card jobs to show clients and printers. So I have good paper hand skills, I'm also competent in woodworking and I've restored a pre-war car! I'm also hoping that my design and layout experience will help with picture framing choices and talking to customers. If you are interested in looking at my design artwork look at http://checkley.co.uk/

Any advice or suggestions would be gratefully received.

Jonathan

Welcome Jon, the type of equipment and how you learn will probably depend on what your aim is.
If you are looking to produce top quality frames for selling to the public you will need decent equipment, mainly a guillotine, underpinner, and a mountcutter.
If you can get some training / experience for free obviously that can only be a good thing, although if someone came to me I would have to be totally sure of experience and skill before allowing someone loose on my customers' work. If you pay for a one-to-one course this would mean you get to pick and choose what you want to work on / learn.

Welcome to The Forum, Jon.

It was calligraphy that got me in to framing too but my calligraphy skills would definitely need reviving now!

I'm not that far away and offer one-to-one training but it's different as it's in a live environment shameless plug

Thanks so much for the responses.

Pramsay13 - I take the point that even "free" help from someone inexperienced is less than useful.
My aim is simple - I need to create an income. So I suppose what I am really asking is should I set up on my own or see if I can get a job in a picture framers - is there a choice (not many framers around and who wants to train up someone in their late 50s?). I think I may have just answered my own question. Presumably no one local to me will help as I could become the competition! I take the point on quality equipment, thanks.

Roboframer - thanks for the offer, although Angmering is further away than it looks - that little problem of a slow moving river called the M25 in the way. But lots of trains - when I lived in East Grinstead and was trying to get home from London all trains seemed to be going to Angmering.

I've just spend a couple of hours going through a lot of the Forum - riveting, so much helpful advice.

Thanks again - Jonathan

Jonathan wrote:Angmering is further away than it looks

It's about 80 miles


I've had people from Co Durham, Staffs and Norwich - just sayin'

Roboframer, you're right what's 80 miles these days. I've been looking at your website and was interested in your needlework side - my wife, and lots of her friends, do embroidery, felting, weaving and such like and this is one of the areas I want to frame. Do you do needlework training as well, then we can both come down.

I'll contact you directly about this.
Jonathan

We don't run a course on needlework, framing of, yes, definitely - a lot of people come here to get felt.

Roboframer wrote:a lot of people come here to get felt

I'm sure that's illegal nowadays.