You probably wouldn't guess that the frame around the Salsa Fixins', tomatoes, peppers and garlic, is probably the most expensive frame there. Framing is a big expense for artists. Your work needs to show well but the frames get so beat up when they are moved in galleries or shows. The gold frame was probably about the same cost from JMJ Frames. They come to Texas with a truck load of frames about every two months. A great place to get beautiful frames at a reasonable cost. If you are in the area I will be glad to let you know when they are coming. I can put it on my calendar .. good idea, eh?
Some artists use the same frames for all their work. This works well if you show in galleries. I usually try to have a frame that compliments the work, is a reasonable price and I can get it easily.
For the other frames, the one of the hill country is from Art Supply Warehouse. They send frames with padded corners in individual boxes. Very nice. The Salsa frame is from FramesbyMail.com and the other two are from Hobby Lobby in Austin. Hobby Lobby has reasonable prices for custom framing (and museum glass which can be cut while you wait). They just take a couple of weeks or more for framing and I am usually on a short deadline somehow.
Standard size frames, 5 x 7 inches, 8 x 10 inches, 11 x 14 inches, etc., are the least expensive. Any different size requires a custom frame and that can work out to be very costly. Sometimes, though, paintings just fit in a different format, like the Salsa painting. It is 6 x 12 inches, so required a custom frame. The top frame is 12 x 24 inches and it just happened that JMJ Frames had some in that size made up, so I didn't have to pay the custom charge. Nice when that happens.
If you use mats on your paintings for pastel, watercolor or drawings you can usually use a standard size frame and just have the mat cut to fit the artwork. Many artists cut their own mats. I have not invested in a mat cutter as I rarely frame with mats anymore. I like the look of the pastels right against the glass.
Let me know what you think?
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I intended to post this last night but was sidetracked by the Olympics. I sketched a bit in the afternoon in the travel sketchbook with the Prismacolor pen. I sketched on the back of a page where I had done the last watercolor sketches so the paper is warped. That certainly didn't help the sketch with my non-dominant hand as it is hard enough to do on smooth flat paper. Sigh.
Number 3, towel rack. It is white and this is not a great sketch at all. Maybe a do over is in the future. Number 4, small table. Guess we can say the same for this sketch. The table is wooden and has a slate top that is almost black. It is not lopsided!
Number 5, large appliance with the challenge of drawing with the non-dominant hand, which in my case is the left. This is the fridge .. really.
4 comments:
A judge at one of our art shows was horrified by the huge fancy frames at the show he judged. I tried to explain that people were trying to sell their work as well as win a prize in the show. He still did not like fancy frames.
I usually get mine on sale at Hobby Lobby and do all my matting and framing.
Bag Blog, you are so right about shows. It is recommended that you use simple frames and off white mats. I have heard that judges have ignored great paintings in the fancy frames or with colored mats.
Oil painters can use gallery wrapped canvases with no frames, but those aren't inexpensive either.
Thanks.
Good Morning Jo! I have spent a while with you - other blogs will have to wait for another day! You share so much and it's all delightful and informative! So happy you had a great Alaska trip - love the photos - thanks for sharing! Am crazy about western (cowboy) stories - and the post about your dad painted a portrait with words! What a rich life you live! Wonder what software you use for sketching on the IPad? I think I will get the Sketchbook Pro app...wonder if that's what you use? Thanks for the tips re framing - last week I ordered frames from American Frame (fka Graphic Dimensions). Am very pleased with the frames and the service. I needed custom sizes. And - back your current post. The wall and the paintings (and frames) are beautiful!
Hi Rosemary, thank you so much for spending time here! You are always so busy, too. I have a couple of programs for sketching and use "Brushes". I like it best, but may be because it was the first one I tried on Gene's iPhone before I had one. Maybe I need Sketchbook Pro, too. Ha. Brushes has worked well for me. I use American Frame, too, and like their service. I have a couple of prints on their site for sale. I forgot to mention that you can do that. Thanks for the reminder.
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