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Framing Prints, mattes: Techniques and Sources!

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
We make a lot of photographs hopefully to be sold. So having made the print, what's your way? Let's see if we can make an informal resource. So could you share your practice or what you are now buying.

Signing: On the print, print boarder, matte/ or other side. Left or right. Pencil?

Framing: What is your approach to matting and framing? Do you cut your own card and frames or do you buy them? If so what tools do you use?

Ready Made: Do you buy ready made frames and mattes? Is so, from where?

Framing Service: Do you simply have it done in a store/service? If so where and what price ranges?

Art Gallery does it for me or do you sell just bare prints?

Thanks,

Asher
 

Marian Howell

New member
i've been dealing with these issues recently as i have a show opening next week. it is in the courtyard of a small specialty store mall and i was asked (and hosted) by the store owners to show there.
i work with a framer. i have a preferred frame choice that we have been using for a while. sometimes it just doesn't work for a piece, in terms of either color or size, but it works about 80%-90% of the time. the frame complements my images beautifully, and often is a key factor in sales! in my market (which is fairly upscale) the personal custom frame of each image by me increases the value and selling price. and while i would love to do my own as i consider it so integral to the entire presentation, i have neither the space, tools, or time to do so. the framer gives me a discount :) i do sell prints separately as well because i respect the choice of frame as a personal one, and while i do firmly believe that my choice of frame completes the package, i've also seen some great mattings and framings of my images that i would never have done!
one of the things i found most intriguing was the signing issue. first the choice of implement. when an archivist purchased one of my prints i asked her to find the pen to sign it with :) and she found the sakura micron pen for me. i've stayed with it ever since. i've had many discussions about the location of the signature...signing on the print border means you have to frame with that border showing (and i don't like that) and if it ever needs to be reframed or you are selling the print separately you are dependent upon their allowing it to show. similar issues with signing on the matte. and the framer said to me when we were first starting, "you know i work very hard on making that matte look good and i really don't like it when people sign on it." enough said!! i sign on the print, in the best place i can find, usually in the lower right, but it is dependent upon the image.
 

Mark Prins

New member
I too have a large format show coming up this fall and this is where I am currently. My framing is done by a local shop and even with all my discounts and having to assemble the work myself the large frames run well over three hundred bucks per print (36x48). I suspect it could be less expensive if I requested that the frame process be cost driven but this show is my first where I have the room to play with my large prints. One print will be 7x29 feet and I am experimenting on how I am going to display this print. I also collect frames buying all large frames I can lay my hands on. So I let the framer select the color and material for the frame reflecting the image content and he does a good job.
As for signing my work I have a makers mark that shows on my images though I tend to fade it a lot and hide it on the lower right side of the image. Over that or just under it I initial the print and date it in gold pen. I am sure that will change in the future, maybe the makers mark will go though I grew up in British silver and as a youngster was enamored with the different makers marks and I find people recognize my work style and makers mark.
Many of the tourist market shooters use matts etc but I tend to not focus on this market. I like to send my work out the door in a frame as a finished product, I gain both value added cash flow and I get to see how my work will end up being displayed. A good framing job can enhance the value of a print immensely.
I am just learning as I go along here and would love to hear others ideas on this. I get considerable flack over my makers mark, logo, branding what ever you want to call it. I also get a lot of positive feedback on this and I kinda like the concept so I plan to keep it in my workflow for now.

Mark Prins
www.inandaimages.com
 

Bill Graham

New member
Wow, this topic doesn't seem to generate a lot of interest but I'll chime in with my $.02 worth anyway....
I sign prints on the lower right border in pen, mats in pencil just below the image lower right. I usually mount prints with a single white mat, so I try to keep the signature within 3/8" of the image so it will be visible if a customer wants to add a top mat later.

I do most of my mounting and framing myself, up to 18x24. Anything larger will go out to a local shop. Prints are hinge-mounted on 4-ply board with a single mat. 16x20 and 18x24 get an acid-free foamcore backer in addition to the mount board.

A word about sizes: it makes life a lot easier if you standardize on a few sizes to accommodate readily available frames and glass. I print 5x7 for 8x10, 7x10 for 11x14, 10x14 for 16x20 and 12x18 for 18x24. If you look around, there's probably a framing supply wholesaler in your area that will sell you glass and matboard in carton quantities and save you a chunk of change. They'll also have a decent selection of ready-made frames to choose from at decent prices as well. Glass and full-size mat board is expensive to ship, you're better off purchasing locally.

I use plain 3/4" black frames for 8x10, the 11x14 and 16x20 sizes get a simple 1-1/2" ready-made wood frame and the 18x24's get a Neilsen #117 forged-finish metal frame, which I buy precut in matte black and bronze and assemble.

I use a Logan 650 to cut mats, but found that squaring and sizing the board is difficult without a good wall-mounted cutter(yes, Virginia, 32x40 board isn't always 32x40, nor is it necessarily square). Cutting mats from out-of-square stock is an exercise in frustration and a waste of materials, so when I found my supplier would cut mats for a minimal charge plus the cost of the board, I took most of my board inventory down and had them cut a stock of mats with some blanks for odd-sized prints. For a couple of hundred dollars, I got a box of mats that would have taken me at least a week of long evenings to cut and I'd rather be doing other things anyway...

I've learned along the way that framing is an art unto itself and not something I have the time(or inclination) to pursue beyond the basic essentials I need. Most galleries want white mats and black frames, if a customer wants anything beyond the basics I'll refer them to the frame shop on the corner.

I don't have the room or the funding for an extensive inventory, so I decided on Rising White Museum board for mats, their Light Grey for a second mat if requested, Gilman acid-free foamcore, and just a couple of moldings. I use TruVue Conservation Clear UV glass, it's a good product and relatively inexpensive. Wood frames are lined with lining tape and backed with acid-free backing paper.

My approach is to offer a simple, high-quality package that I can comfortably assemble myself and stand behind with no worries about future problems.

And that's my mounting and framing workflow...

Bill
 
Printing, signing, and matting

I print my own work up to 12 X 18, and always sign the back of the print, in the image area, with a soft pencil, so the signature cannot be separated from the print without cutting the image.

I also sign the mat in the lower right corner with a black pen.

For the most part, I use pre-cut mats from matcutter.com, except when I need either a colored mat, a double mat, or a special size.
 

Mike Shimwell

New member
When I sell a print it's usually a bare print. However, I often matte myself using a Logan matte cutter - that way I get to use archival matte board and hinging tape etc. I can frame, but don't have the time really apart from pre-cut aluminium frames, so I use a trusted local framer who provide excellent quality a sensible rates which give me a reasonable mark up.

Mike
 

Steve Davis

New member
I just started dealing with this over the past couple of weeks. I plan on framing my smaller stuff myself (prints up to 12"x18") and use a local framer for larger. I've set up an account at my local wholesaler (Valley Moulding and Frame) and have them cutting and assembling the frames for me, as well as cutting my mats and foam board. They don't charge a ton for the labor and it saves me on equipment and time. I'll simply handle the mounting of the image and the final assembly. This doesn't require too much equipment. So far a point driver has been my most expensive piece of equipment.

By purchasing the materials for a few at a time I often can work in discounts for buying multiples of the same moulding, matboard, etc. Since I'm framing for a show I'm going with a basic black moulding and a Frost mat. I just yesterday ordered the material to mount and assemble my ten 12"x18" prints into ten 20"x26" finished framed pieces ready to hang on the wall.

At some time in the future, I'd love to pick up a mat cutter and start learning to cut my own mats and mounting boards.

I'm still researching signing, but I'm leaning towards signing the back of my prints with a Faber Castell artists pen and the matt with a #2 pencil. Anyone have any other suggestions for this?
 

Kathy Rappaport

pro member
Custom Framing

I have been using a framing company that runs the photographer's circuit of shows. The option of sending prints there and then having a finished product sent has been really nice - except that almost every order has had an issue.

Some of the smaller retail stores leave no room for markup. I have found a wholesale source that I am meeting with in the next couple weeks. I am going to work with them on setting up a program specific to photographers. I am re-working my studio so that all of my images go out finsihed in a frame or an album.
 

Mike Bailey

pro member
Unless you're doing such a huge volume that it'd take your entire day to fulfill or such a small volume that it isn't worth keeping the supplies, your best bet is do it yourself with qualilty materials. Even at their decent price, framing shops cost you way too much when it comes to passing the cost on to a customer.

http://www.framingsupplies.com/ is a place that's quick and reliable.

I use http://www.unitedmfrs.com/ much less than it the past since they stopped carrying the Crescent line of matboard and also at times will get the order wrong and will substitute house brand material for name brand despite your order specifying otherwise.

Mike
___________________
Mike Bailey
The Elemental Landscape
http://bluerockphotography.com
 
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