The Framers Forum

Hello all. Hope everyone is doing ok during these strange times. I've not worked for 6 weeks now but have been using the time to try and improve my framing skills.
Just finished this frame and thought I'd share for feedback. I'm always slightly concerned at sharing my frames here as I'm sure they're not particularly ground breaking and all in a day's work for a lot of people here but I have no other avenues to show my work or get any feedback from anyone.

So here goes.
This is frame No.25 for me and I've learned quite a few new skills during this project, some very basic skills like cutting the moulding myself and not getting it on chop as I have done up until now.
I learned to make RSG gesso, a bit of trial and error but I learned a lot. Thanks Dermot for all your advice. Hoping I'll improve on this from now on.
I gessoed and sanded the frame hiding a lot of the grain which I've been trying to do from the start of my framing journey.
My first attempt at oil gilding with 25ct gold leaf. That was an experience! It's by no means perfect but has just scraped through my quality control (some careful distressing in selected areas helped a lot.
I ebonised the frame using black acrylic paint and wax. I have experimented with bole and black shellac finishes but for this frame I wanted to use something I knew would work so I went with what I knew. Plus I like the way it distresses showing the red primer underneath. I can't achaive the same look with black shellac at the moment.
The mount was cut by my self too. I've had a bit more experience cutting mounts but with this project I only had one board available so there are a few areas I'd like to improve but again, it's not too bad.
Lastly, I'm now able to cut my own glass to size which is really useful.
So, that's it finished. The image is a print from one of my paintings. I'm now on the road to do what I set out to do, which is frame my own work in a way I want without spending a small fortune at a framers.

Regards

Matt

I'm sure that Dermot while be able to give a critique of the frame, technically. I think what you're doing looks great. My only thought would be to look at darker mount colours.
I recently bought a framing book by Greg Perkins, amazon I think, all about the design aspect. It's worth having a look at. Not about right or wrong choices, but more about expanding our thought processes

Hi Matt,

Don't under estimate what you have learnt and the things you have done. There are plenty of others on this forum, who can not do any of the things which you have done at all, let alone to the same high standard as you. I think that your work is excellent and of a of a commercially very acceptable standard.

Hi Matt
You're getting good at this.
I especially like the effect and finish you've got on the black. Nothing to criticize there. But we do have to have a look at your gilding line. It's very scruffy looking and detracts from the subtle distressing you've already achieved on the black finish.
Assuming you completed the black first, you should use a good quality low tack masking tape to line the area to be gilded. I use this stuff -
https://www.toolstation.com/kleenedge-1 ... ape/p51983
Once pressed down I paint a thin line of Artists Matt Varnish ( W&N) over the tape edge. This prevents any paint bleed underneath the tape and dries in 1/2 hour or so. Do that and you'll get a nice clean gilding edge that contrasts beautifully with the rubbed back effect on the black.

Hello. Thanks for the replies.
Justin, I'll have a look for the book you mention. Perhaps I can get a second hand one. I used that particular mount because I had a piece spare and couldn't order anything different.

Mark, thank you as always for your encouragement. Perhaps I will be able to sell some frames in the future!

Dermot, thank you and thanks again for all your help. Yes, the gilding lines are the bit that let it down the most for me. I can live with it as it's just for my wall but I'll be looking to improving this skill very soon as I can see me going a fair bit of gilding. I just used normal masking tape to mask the line and didn't press down too much as I wasn't sure if I'd lift the paint underneath when I removed it. I did experiment with a scrap piece of painted molding but I think I erred a little too much on the side of caution when it came to my frame.
I'll try a better masking tape the next time and keep practicing.

Matt

Spot on. Nothing much more I can say....

I think that is virtually perfect!!! Also, your art work is incredible. Fantastic job with everything

Very impressive framing!

I'm not very good at detecting the hidden meanings in art. I've bought books on understanding art but I still don't get it. So I can see that there's a face in the top left hand corner ... but what does it mean

(Please don't say "whatever it means to you" - it means nothing to me!)

I feel such a philistine!

Thanks SteveG!

Rainbow...that hidden face is so hidden even I didn't know it was there!
It's just a painting of a lady with tattoos, nothing else. Tattooing is what I do for a job so it sometimes spills over into what I paint.

Matt

Here's a pic

Really beautiful all round, Matt.

Ducks don't take to water any better than you have taken to framing.

I hope you and yours are well and coping during these times, mate.

Rainbow wrote: ↑Mon 04 May, 2020 11:10 am Very impressive framing!

I'm not very good at detecting the hidden meanings in art. I've bought books on understanding art but I still don't get it. So I can see that there's a face in the top left hand corner ... but what does it mean

(Please don't say "whatever it means to you" - it means nothing to me!)

I feel such a philistine!

The secret is that there is no secret.

Rainbow wrote: ↑Mon 04 May, 2020 11:10 am Very impressive framing!

I'm not very good at detecting the hidden meanings in art. I've bought books on understanding art but I still don't get it. So I can see that there's a face in the top left hand corner ... but what does it mean

(Please don't say "whatever it means to you" - it means nothing to me!)

I feel such a philistine!

Glad I'm not the only one!

As my Mrs paints, I record and archive all the art programmes on BBC4 etc. Some of the sub-plots, and sub-sub plots the presenters read into paintings are hilarious to me. I guess that's how modern 'artists' get away with piles of bricks and unmade beds etc. as art.

Hope you're well, Rainbow.

As my Mrs paints, I record and archive all the art programmes on BBC4 etc.

I watch "The Joy of Painting" on Beeb 4 but I'm not sure that's the sort of art programme you have in mind!

I have to watch it with the sound turned off, as I found myself wanting to scream if he talked about "happy little clouds" once more time

LOL, Rainbow. It's more the biographies of great artists; we've got the lot: from Bacon to Freud.

Even as a non-arty type, I find their stories and all-consuming passion fascinating.

I think my favourite is by the late, great Robert Hughes. It's called The Mona Lisa Curse, and it delves into how big money has warped the world of art (sadly, not framing!). I've seen it half a dozen times: the guy really knew and loved art.

I was just thinking that this thread is getting a bit silly now but cleaver has pulled it back with a flourish!

My apologies for lowering the tone!

Thanks for the great compliment Cleaver, really appreciate it!

Never watched a Bob Ross program in my life, I doubt I ever will...

just seen the price of that book (described as a coffee table-style book) - £84.95 used or new paperback editions only £53.42!

He's a really nice guy ol' Bob. He is very skilled at painting, although they are basically the same one.

He's not an artist.

Trying to 'explain' art is a bit silly. If you could explain it you wouldn't need to do it in the first place.