The Framers Forum

I have done research on several shop bough canvases available in the cheaper stores, these apear to use mdf or even cheaper materials to make the frame which is then wrapped and stappled without stretcher bars, these are being sold with no problems or simply stretched over a mitred pine frame - is this a feasible option to make low cost wraps for selling on ebay ? At what price point would you switch to stretcher bars etc.. in cost / resale value???

I am aiming to sell some cheaper items ie.. up to £20 but also a premium range £50 plus

If think you are a hiding to nothing. Most of these are made in massive factory's and sold by the palette load. I think you work probably deserves more than that. As I have said manufacturing something at those prices requires decent economy of scale ie you need to produce a lot of one size to buy in you materials cheaply and use the minimum amount of labour.

I think you need to look at being more unique and exclusive.

Alistair

Thanks

my primary aim is to be more unique & exclusive but with that obviously reduces volume, I am trying to spread over the cheaper end to but from what you say I think the original framed nice at a premium followed by mounted prints to keep the overall price inc postage down may be the best way forward.

Ebayers and indeed those doing canvas wraps in the shopping centres are simply stretching over a mitred pine frame and up to a certain price people seem to be happy with that but as you say you get what you pay for and I cant risk bad feedback at this early stage thats why I am looking into all framing or wrapping options

What AG said.

Remember, the bottom end of the market is very crowded. The art-by-the-foot stuff is made in factories in places were labour is cheap and plentiful. It goes though umpteen hands before it gets to a retail outlet. The original cost per unit probably amounts to pence.

Aim higher. You can't compete with the mass-production. You won't sell as many as IKEA, but there again you won't need to.

You're not necessarily saving much money with MDF tbh. You can get excellent discounts on orders as little as £500 if you shop around -- then when you factor in the labour involved in slotting the finger jointed stretcher-bars together versus cutting & underpinning the MDF it's probably not worth doing it DIY.

yes I am beginning to realise theres going to be a lot of effort for little gain.

http://www.getcanvasplus.co.uk/stretche ... r-bars.htm

best deal I have found so far, anyone kno of anywhere as good but cheaper?

This is what you are up against too....

http://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/northamp ... _258&a=507

Although it's technically not a true canvas however it have watched one true canvas print offer go to nearly 5000 takers!!

There are loads of these offers out there. I really cannot see how they make any money at all.... guess it's in the volume.

they are actually a supplier, they sell those stretcher bars to people

they also make metalurgy printable metal products

so they are buying stuff sooooo cheap

i found a really cheap canvas recently, not cotton though. its was something like 85 quid for 30meter 44 inch roll, which is bonkers

its not for art but for stuff like that you could still make a small profit

Steve... have you seen that Metallurgy product? I quite like the look of it as a premium product. They won't send sample

yea i have some

i tried to get to be the dealer in ireland when it came out, they wanted me to buy 5k worth a month!!!!!!!

its very very good for high contrast b&w