Get back into it - or not?

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artbox
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed 05 Sep, 2018 12:54 pm
Location: Hawick
Organisation: Artworks Restoration
Interests: Painting, Cycling, Walking

Get back into it - or not?

Post by artbox »

Hi all and thanks for welcoming me onto your forum.
I have been out of framing for a number of years ('bout 12 I think) and am now considering getting started again. I would welcome any advice on whether you think that is a good idea or not based on your instinct for how the framing sector is at the minute. I don't expect it to be booming but if it's steady I would prob take the chance on starting up again. Obviously it will be somewhat area specific (I am in the Scottish Borders, so relatively rural rather than urban) but I would be interested in any of your opinions wherever you are based.

Thanks in advance
Bobble
Posts: 54
Joined: Wed 29 Mar, 2017 5:51 pm
Location: Surrey
Organisation: Frameworks
Interests: Picture framing.

Get back into it - or not?

Post by Bobble »

Hi Artie,
In my humble opinion, sadly it's a shrinking market - second hand equipment is plentiful and usually not being replaced with new kit! I recently retired after 30 happy years but I really don't miss meeting all those deadlines at all. Shop closures (like mine) continue so working from home is much less risky. Customers happily bring in their plastic frames, bought on-line or from Ikea/Wilko expecting you likewise to save them money. Complete them with mounts at your peril or charge sensibly for your skills. I foolishly didn't so made a lot of people (excluding the missus) very happy.
Best of luck to you and ignore the car showrooms for a year or two more.
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: Get back into it - or not?

Post by Not your average framer »

I notice that you say that you are in a rural location, which is also the same for me. Rural locations have their limitations, but they can have their advantages as well. If you are going to start again then you need to play to the strengths that work for you in a rural environment. I do quite a bit of hand finished framing, so the likelyhood of being undercut by anyone else near me for handfinished work is not much of a concern. I don't find there is any point at all in trying to compete on price, so I offer a sensible price and maybe I negociate a little bit, if the order is worth it, but generally I'd rather not.

There are quite a few second homes around here and if you can get framing orders from these second home owners, they may bring their framing orders to you for their other home as well. At first it's not easy to evaluate how your business is progressing as a lot of rural customers try to combine their visits with calling into other places on the same journey. They do that as a matter of course where I am, but it can be quite good if you are well placed to fit in with other places that they like to visit.

Originally, I started off small and over time things just grew, I didn't even have a proper business plan, so I did not really know what to expect. I just go with the flow and try not to spend money at the wrong times and I'm still here, beyond that I don't really have any plans, or particular expectations. Sometimes trying to figure out how to plan for the future is just a meaningless exercise, so why not just dip your toe in the water so to speak and see what happens.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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Steve N
Posts: 2992
Joined: Sat 21 Jul, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: Somewhere Staple Hill Bristol
Organisation: Frontier Picture Frames ltd
Interests: Walking our retired Greyhound,art, falling asleep on sofa in front of the telly
Location: Now in Bristol
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Re: Get back into it - or not?

Post by Steve N »

Well it depends on what you want out of it, full time job or part time, what market you are aiming for, a lot of people think it's dead easy way to make money, just have a look in the Sale and Wants section of the forum, "Selling due to a change in circumstances" which could mean, "it's not that easy to make money" or"it's harder to do than I thought" :sweating:
But you have done it before, so you have an head start on most newcomers, as Mark said you need to find your own niche,

If you do 'get back in' I wish you the best of luck, don't forget to ask for help if you need it
Steve CEO GCF (020)
Believed in Time Travel since 2035

Proud to sell Ready Made Frames
http://www.frontierpictureframes.com
http://www.designerpicturemounts.com/
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: Get back into it - or not?

Post by Not your average framer »

I'm in the middle of getting things straight after moving both shop and home, so I not ready to introduce some new strings to my bow at this point, but I have been gearing up to enhance my framing activities with an extra sideline, or two. It's basically having something extra to cover slower times if I'm ever not busy enough. It's not that I'm expecting problems, but you never know what's around the corner and these are things I have been wanting to do anyway.

These are things that fit well with being a picture framer and you might like the idea of having your own sideline to complement your activities as a picture framer as well. The things I am doing am not only something that I have already got experience of, but also things that I enjoy doing. I would also suggest that if you plan to do something similar, then it make sense to choose something that you will enjoy as well.
Mark Lacey

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