Decorating a Mount using a CMC.

Computerised Mount Cutters, Computers, other gadgetry.
Post Reply
FramingAskew
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed 18 Jun, 2014 9:53 pm
Location: York
Organisation: The Framed Picture Company
Interests: Football, History, stately homes, framing.

Decorating a Mount using a CMC.

Post by FramingAskew »

Just wondered if any framers out there had any good advice for decorating s mount using a Computerised Mountcutter, particularly what is best to use, pens or pencils, and any particular type of pen that gives a nice clean line etc. Having a little bit of trouble with our machine writing on mounts so any advice would be much appreciated. Thankyou!!
markw

Re: Decorating a Mount using a CMC.

Post by markw »

What CMC do you have?
Number of ways to decorate - drawn lines - deboss lines - V grooves - painted mount lip.
For drawn lines i have recently started to use Uni Posca pens - these give a solid 1mm line and you can get good results on darker colour boards - sometimes have to repeat the lines to build up sufficient pigment. For paler subtler lines i use Staedtler Mars Graphic 3000 although personally I don't like the results I get from paler pens - prefer to do it by hand with watercolour. Painted lip seems like an odd thing to list as a cmc decorative effect but its achieved by masking the board before you cut the mount - giving you a easy to paint or guild edge to your cut mount - can be a very effective and relatively simple addition.
V grooves obvious but nice effect as are open v grooves. Cutting a panel from the the mount - decorating then reinserting into the mount is also nice and easy on a cmc due to the accuracy of the cut - can be really effective and surprisingly easy to create marble like finishes with a bit of practice.
Deboss is another subtle but effective finish - if set lightly can be used as guide for pinlines - but then thats going back to a hand finish.
Not your average framer
Posts: 11013
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Decorating a Mount using a CMC.

Post by Not your average framer »

I don't have a CMC, but I would just like to echo much of Mark's comments above and to point out how quick and easy many of the hand finishing ideas he has mentioned can be after a relatively limited amount of practice.

Decorating and reinserting a panel back into the mount is a particularly useful technique to create simple, but great results in only a few minutes.

All you need is two, or three simple techniques which you can quickly execute to a good standard and you will soon be able to create some really effective and elegant decorated mounts.

Enjoy.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
Post Reply