The Framers Forum

When we get to the end of a busy week of framing, this is the chance to take a step back and look at some of the amazing things you've produced and sent out the door to your customers.

Each Friday, Forum Members are encouraged to post photos of the work they've been doing each week. A simple photo with a few lines of comment - let's see some of the amazing designs and constructions that Forum Members do, week in and week out, as picture framers working across the industry.

Whether you are a one-person workshop or part of a bigger team, this is a great way to showcase what you do and for others to gain inspiration.

To kick this off . . .

I’ve been working on prototypes of a range of specimen frames. They are designed to be front-loading so that collectors can add their own items easily.

We finished this set of running/Ironman medals this week. Most time consuming part was getting them all lined up! The frame is about 1300mm x 400mm.

As a small teaser our next two major projects are for about 160 apertures in a single mount and the other is for an Olympian.

That double mount makes it all work so well.

Love those frames Jim, such a simple and clever idea but brilliantly executed.

YPF - I know just how much time it takes to do something like that well, and that looks fantastic. Things that look simple to achieve so often aren’t!

My example for today is just a mounted original oil on paper. We’ve only just reopened after our Christmas and New Year break so are finishing the first few jobs of the year.

A triple mount with hand painted middle layer and a v groove, with a painted frame to match the mount colour.

Great thread! Nice one Nick for the suggestion and Jo for setting it up. Here is my offering for this week…. Putting the Valiani through its paces! Just the 9 mounts on this one!!

Wow

Without a CMC it’s hard to compete with Fruitini’s amazing offering but thought I’d offer an RAF themed piece. Customer wanted a plain double mount, but offered the idea of a three colour inlay mount to match the colours on the RAF decals and he was really pleased with the result. Bit fiddly but nice to add a little something extra to differentiate your work. Great thread - really enjoying the contributions.

My contribution via the Royal Marines.

Thanks to everyone who contributed this week. Looking forward to seeing what gets posted next week.

Not made by me, but I think worth sharing on That Friday Feeling.. All cut by hand from 13 sheets of Munken mount board 80 x 120 cm by Toby Mercer. Finished job 26 sheets size 60 x 80 cm
Toby makes a nice living simply creating a range of Stratagraphic from mount boards.. He is based in Kalispell in the Montana mountains.
Check out his website www.tobymercer.com
No CMC. Cut entirely by hand. And the most amazing thing is he says he never needs any extra sheets as spares. This job needed 13 sheets of 80 x120cm and thats all that was sent!

TFI Friday! Further to the AI topic this image was generated using prompts on Midjourney AI image generator. Have been looking for some eye-catching art to showcase Lion’s great Oregon veneer range. Colourmount’s ‘Harvest’ linen mount completes the African vibe.
https://www.lionpic.co.uk/p/42366/40mm ... e-Moulding

One of a series, from a box of old family photos into heirloom pieces. Framed to level 1.

An embroidery on crushed velvet fabric with a supporting calico layer underneath. Double layer laced around a padded support board. Nielsen Matrix deep angled mirror frame used as a slip and to space the AR99 glass. We trimmed the back edge off to fit it more snugly into the rebate of the Larson Juhl Marais II frame so there wasn’t such a step between the two mouldings.

Keys taken from non-functioning piano and then replaced with electronic keyboard in order to keep family heirloom alive. Top frame from a now discontinued moulding by LJ to match wood tones of piano body. Background and spacer covered in sheet music of a favourite song.

Ah so that's what that moulding was for! Superb

Usually we all post jobs that we are happy to admit to. I was thinking that in order to balance things out a bit, I would post a job I did this week where the customer was not prepared to pay to have the job done in any of the ways I suggested because it was going to cost him £300+.

Eventually we got to an agreement where I would replace the mount and paint the frame (sadly in his choice of colour) for £100.

He was very happy with the result, and as I don’t have significant overhead costs, I can make money as well. It took me just under 2 hours from start to finish.

I wonder if we should embrace recycling a little bit more often?

For the avoidance of doubt, the brown frame is how it came in, and the white is the finished frame!!

I would love to add some comments on the work submitted today.
Very little of my own work involves actual 'picture-framing' and more to do with making frames for other framers, galleries and dealers.
So, my comments are based purely on my own aesthetic opinions.
But I do have over 30 years' experience in both retail and fine art framing.

Justins frame is just perfect.
I love how the image has been floated inside a tight double bevel mount.
I'd be happy to have that hanging in my home.
(what's level 1 framing?)

Tudor Rose shows how to present a truly professional job for the customer.
I personally wouldn't have chosen that moulding but I expect it was done with the support of the customer.

YPF's work is just inspiring.
I love the attention to detail and the harmony of all the sepia tones.

Gesso and Bole has surely turned a triumph into making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
That's what being a good framer is all about.

Keith's submission reminds us why no-one should ever get too excited about owning a CMC.

Thanks Dermot.
https://www.fineart.co.uk/level_1-framing.aspx

We have just finished this today and can squeeze it into That Friday Feeling. A before and after of what should be every cap badge of the British Army in the 1980s.

I wouldn’t even consider this without a CMC!