Frames


Something that I have been struggling with is presenting my work in a professional manner. The costs of having work professionally framed isn't cheap. One has to weigh the cost against how much a custom frame improves the overall visual look of your work. This cost is passed on to a potential buyer but does this expensive then drive away buyers?

Next month I plan on showing these three photos at a local photography show. The balance of finding a frame that won't price my pieces out of range for the local market is tricky. As luck would have it Micheal's Craft stores had a sale last week on "off the shelf" frames. Often these kind of frames are not of the best quality so I was happily surprised to find three. They are not top quality but the double mattes and color is okay. I feel good about showing the photos and pricing them at a point that will sell at the local gallery. (there is a bit of a light glare on the photo above, they are killer looking in person!)

Now for a tale of professional framing...


I had this photo (10x20) of chromed flowers professionally framed. That set me back $200. I like it well enough but there is a part of me that thinks it looks a bit like a commercial piece bought at
TJ Max or some such place. I don't plan on showing it anywhere except in my own home.

Maybe at the photography show I can chat up some of the other photographers and ask them how they handle framing their work.

If you have any tips or advise about framing art work, please leave it in the comment section.

Have a great day!

Comments

  1. Oh recycle queen, why don't you put your work on painted plywood or such and carry the whole theme of everything right through....Professional framing is beautiful, but part of your art is to be of that up cycle nature....just my thoughts...xox

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    Replies
    1. Hi Corrine, I have thought about using recycled materials to frame or back my work. I may look into it in the future. At this time I am trying to make recycled materials not look like recycled materials. I want to move out of the look of "cleverly using trash" to art that has the "surprise" of being made from trash. I really feel there is great value in finding uses for disposable discarded
      items and would like to give it value and move into a higher art form.

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  2. Wow, those pictures are great!! They needed framed and put on display.

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  3. I'm a fan of Michael's for frames, too. Sometimes I have to get creative with mats and sometimes I have to put the canvas on top rather than behind the mat (so it looks like it's floating) but I am always happy with the results in the end. I think creative and personal is sometimes more important than professional...

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    Replies
    1. Sometimes our creative framing is they way to go. Who knows better than the artist on how to add the finishing touch to our work? Thanks for dropping by.

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  4. I think your three new frames complement your photos perfectly! You nailed it!

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  5. I like your Micheals framed images! I sometimes find better frames in the oops pile in the back of the store. They are usually an off size though and I still spend on the glass and backing... It works for some of my larger pieces that I want to enter to a show. I have a stock pile of them and will work with their sizes in mind. Saves some money in the long run.

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