The Framers Forum

And it's really not that good at all...

Everything went fine up to the shellac stage and it ended up too thick, too shiny and a bit tacky looking. Not the look I was going for at all. Still. it was a good starting point and I learned a lot. Onwards and upwards
Matt

For your first frame, that's surprisingly good looking. It's mainly practice from now on. You will be surprised how quickly you will get upto a good standard. Well done. It's all onward and upwards now!

You can't see the finish on the shellac though, it's horrible!

Matt

I'm doing some very like that ATM.

I use acrylic paint though. I polish the surface with wirewool/dark wax. You might be surprised at the result.


Shellac is too much work.

Hello Prospero. You're not wrong about the shellac being too much work. I'd try it again in the future but it's not the finish I see in my head.
I'd like to try a polished wax finish on my next frame and see how that goes.
Any chance you could give tell me the method you use? I have a black painted frame ready to go. What sort of wax do you use? Is it just a case of applying the wax with the steel wool and polishing up to a shine? Do you seal it afterward or is the wax itself the seal?

Kindest regards

Matt

If you decide to persevere with shellac remember to dilute it with meths uo to 50%. I find it is then not too tacky or shinny and the drying process is speeded up.

Also, the brush used will effect the end result.

Peter.

ps a very nice first result btw

Hello Peter. I did dilute the shellac with meths, about 50/50 but it was still horrible looking. I'm guessing the cheap brush I used didn't help.

Matt

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=making+a+fren ... S00XATBCOU

Try this!

If you want solid back, put on a few coats of acrylic black gesso. Grainy wood needs to be filled first using fine polyfilla (or similar).
Two/three coats of gesso. Sand smooth. Then follow on with black acrylic. Again 2/3 coats. Don't go too thick - dip your brush in water
as you apply it. Brush out all the brushmarks with an unloaded brush. As it dries it should go very smooth. When that has had >4 hours or
so to dry, apply wax(I use Black Bison Tudor Oak but any dark colour is suitable). Apply with wire wool, but don't press hard. Wipe off excess.
Let it 'flash off' so all the solvent evaporates. About an hour later, take a nice soft cloth and buff it.

You can apply a coat of Red Iron Oxide acrylic under the black and the you can rub a bit harder with the wirewool to expose the underlayer
particularly on raised parts and edges.

It's quick and easy and the results are very gratifying.

Black is a quite tricky finish as every lump/bump/blemish will shout out. I often stipple the gesso or use it thick and work in random sweeping
brushmarks. It's a matter of taste, but it can give extra visual interest.

btw. I like your gilding.

You can do a rescue job on that frame. Wipe off any wax with a cloth and white spirit. Now sand the shellac finish away with 180 grit wet n'dry paper. Finish with 320 grit.
Now you can follow the quick and excellent instructions that Prospero gave you, or..
With the 180 grit paper, rub around the outer frame edge and the corners, so as to look a bit more worn and handled. Paint back on the red undercoat.
Now take a splodge of wax on a cloth and smear it along the outer edges only. Leave to dry.
Buy a small tub of SPIRIT STAIN POWDER and stir some into 50/50 diluted Transparent Shellac Polish until you have a strong jet black polish - test on some scrap timber.
Paint that on your frame using a PROPER brush! After 1 hour, cut it back with 00 wire wool. Clean up with a cloth and apply a second coat.
Cut back again with the wire wool, clean up and this time apply a top coat of plain Transparent Polish.
Next day, go around the frame edge with the wooden handle of a small hammer, gently at first and see how it knocks off the black finish in random places.
Follow that with the 00 wire wool - all over, until the finish is fully dulled.
Rub on a first coat of wax with a cloth and smooth back with 0000 wire wool. An hour later apply a second coat of wax. Smooth out again.
Later buff up to a high shine then mute it back with 0000 wire wool.
I know all that's a bit of a palava but it all depends how you want to see the finished frame. Maybe another way of looking at it is to ask if you were given an original 17th cent. miniature still-life, would you spend time working on an authentic finish or just get it done by the quick and uncomplicated way.

Another little thing I discovered which works well with silvers. Get an old knife blade or similar implement and
make random transverse scratches along the length. Polish it with a waxy cloth to tint the scratches. It simulates
shrinkage cracks and although it's only a tiny detail it's surprising what effect it has.

** On the silver, not the black bit.