The Framers Forum

This is a small frame I made for a 17century portrait. The frame was later gilt and distressed. An interesting technique, simple to do and so versatile in adding another aspect to a plain moulding. When dry the background was punched to emphasise the design. Great for adding a simple corner decoration to a frame.

Interesting you do the punching (granito) before the gilding, I have always done it after. I do love pastiglia and it is a great way to decorate frames. On a restoration course I took we had to do a sample board with various techniques and one of my fellow students did the most intricate and amazing work in pastiglia.

I am working on a personal project frame at the moment (have been for years!) which combines all the classic decorative methods like pastiglia, granito, and sgraffito, inlaid stones, and some other methods. That's if I ever get it finished...

Quite lovely. If you have a picture of the finished article I would like to see it.

Be really good to see other framers results Pastiglia is such a versatile technique and no limit to what you can do and achieve. I actually punched the background first to get a different result in the end finish.The result is not as sharp and clean in doing it this way but when the ground was also cut and cracked in the finishing, I thought it really helped achieve what I wanted as an end result.

This looks a little clumsy compared to your example Geoff, but as you say it is a very versatile technique, and I have used variations of this frame design a number of times:

Another really good example of the technique Richard. Like the use of the "kent" style cornered frame too, Works well!