I just finished up a new painting. I haven’t done a big, round one in a while, but I knew I had a frame in storage so, that’s the one I was working on. I’m very happy with it too.
So, I got the frame out and put it on the new painting and……oh dear, oh dear!
It reminded me of a conversation I had with someone a while ago about the proper framing on a painting. They were actually complaining about the high cost of custom framing. If you’ve taken something to be framed lately you’re probably very much aware that it quite pricey.
As I was saying to the friend, the frame can make or break a painting. Yes, of course it can be done cheaper, if it is a standard size. If it isn’t and has to be custom framed, it does cost. But you’re paying for the frame and more importantly, the framer’s expertise in putting the right frame on the painting. It’s your ideas and their experience.
I have been painting for almost fifty years now. And yes, for a lot of those years, I used ready-made frames. For me it was economics as my work wasn’t very expensive and I kept prices fairly low. But I didn’t charge for frames and still don’t. It’s because a lot of clients want to do their own framing or just something different than what I chose. For me, it’s all about presentation.
But I am also a collector of art. And when I get a beautiful piece, I immediately want to take it to my framer and get the right frame on it. It deserves to right frame to hang on my walls.
But I digress. So, here’s the perfect example of the oh-so-wrong frame for my painting. The correct frame on a painting has a lovely discourse with it. This frame was screaming at it. So I immediately ordered the proper one. It should be here soon and the painting, and I will breathe a sigh of relief. Then it goes to the gallery. This is the one that didn’t work.
And this is the one I ordered, though the proportions will be the same. Definitely a lot less going on in the finish. I rest my case. The other one will be perfect for an otter painting. Eventually
