 Jared L. Loftus |
Matting and Framing I have 21 images and I now know how to sign them. But custom framing is $100+ per image and none of the pre-sized frames work with my pictures. Any suggestions?
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Mark Feldstein |
Buy your own mounting board and standard frames with glass, cut them to the proper size you need, matt and mount your prints, insert into frames, add picture wire with eye screws, and voila !! By the time you'd calculate your time to do this properly at, say, $40 bucks an hour, you'll probably end up saving - parts, labor, oh and tools for mounting like matt knife and blades, mounting tissue, framing corners/blocks, bevel cutter, and dry mount press or at least a good iron, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh - roughly $5 bucks a print, maybe. (That's not counting reprint fees for the ones that need reprinting for problems in the mounting process. :<( $100 bucks a print is about a good average these days for framing a 16x20 in a standard alum. frame with a double matt and mounting. Not a bad price actually.
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Mark Feldstein |
Since it seems by your last posting that you plan to hang these in coffee shop type places, try this: Mounting in frames may help with sales and frames are reusable if prints don't sell and the cost can be added to the price of the print. But to do this less expensively, try just mounting the prints on a simple matt board with adhesive spray (that's probably going to be non-archival), usually bright white matt, put a beveled overlay on it cut to the size of the print, sign it and hang it up on the wall with a price using hardware designed for that purpose. Eliminates the cost of the frame and glass and might get you started less expensively. Take it light ;>) Mark
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Jared L. Loftus |
Thanks Mark! That sounds like a great idea until I get some capital. Would this be acceptable at an art fair as well?
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Mark Feldstein |
Depends on how much you charge and the quality of the print, I guess. M.
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Jared L. Loftus |
Okay well thanks i'll look into that
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Mark Feldstein |
Here's a few more thoughts I came up with Jared. If you use a two part matt, one to mount the print and the other as a beveled frame, hinged to the other one, you can always salvage the beveled part for another print if the one you mounted it with doesn't sell. Get a roll of artists celophane print wrap. Works like food wrap for prints. Wrap, cut and tape it to your picture before putting it out for sale. It'll keep the print and matt clean and dry when its handled. Try taking your work around to frame shops, see if they'll sell your prints for commissions, like 50% of the sale price, like posters in bins at art shops, ya know? They should be able to help you set a price for your work, which should be your best stuff. Tell them that you'll keep the work fresh with new shots on say a monthly basis. Make sure all your work has a business card attached firmly to the back of the matt under the wrapper.
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Bill Boswell |
Don't be too discouraged about purchasing standard size frames with glass but cutting your own mat and hanging them in the frame. I purchased a Logan cutter for about $150 and have cut dozens of custom size and color mats that suit my photos exactly. Local shops were quoting about $20-$25 to cut each mat so I paid for the mat cutter with about 6 mats and the size and color are exactly what I want. I get a ton of satisfaction cutting the mats and mounting my photos in them. Use a "floating" mount and it is very easy and does not require any new equipment. Also, no one takes the care you will with YOUR photos. Hobby Lobby and Michaels often have a 40% off coupon which is great for the cutter and mats. The Logan cutter comes with a video that shows you exactly how to do it. After about 2-3 mats you will be an expert and the cuts will be beveled and look as good as anything you would buy. I've even done double mats and they look perfect. Good luck. It is not that hard to DIY.
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Bruce A. Dart |
Jared, Cutting your own mats requires some tools and practice. There are many stores which sell pre-cut mats in standard sizes, as well as ready made frames. You can gradually work into the custom framing bit and save some money. If you are selling prints and doing that as a business, in many states you need a sales tax license (from the state government). At that point you can also avail yourself of wholesale prices from frame suppliers and save some money there as well. With prints 11x14 and larger (not the overall mat size) you should mount them to a relatively acid free artboard. The 11x14 and 16x20 prints, even in a mat, tend to buckle and ripple on display. Many of these suppliers also have (pre-cut if you don't have a big cutter)mount board with the adhesive already on it, ready to mount. As to the plastic sleeves, they do protect the print and mat if you have numbers of them on display where they are handled. And while mats are perfectly acceptable at county fair type exhibits, the plastic sleeves generally are not. The don't tend to stay flat and as such detract from the quality of your print. In the past several years I have judged several photo shows and county fairs in the region and can share several observations about those entries. If the camera has a date stamp for images, TURN IT OFF as it detracts significantly from your image. If you think an image is worthy of diplay, follow the strength of your convictions. Make a decent sized print and mat and frame it so that THAT PRINT looks good in the mat and frame. If you can re-use it later, fine. But don't plan on it. I've seen many great images ruined by the maker throwing it in whatever mat and frame they had handy, even if it didn't particularly compliment the image. (AND YES WE HAVE ALL BEEN GUILTY OF NEEDING A MAT OR FRAME AT THE LAST MINUTE AND USING WHAT WE HAVE, INCLUDING MOI.) I have also seen some excellent 4x6 and 5x7 prints that might have been among the "Best of Show" if they had been enlarged, matted and framed. While each print should stand on its own, it is impossible to judge a snapshot sized print equally against one 11x14 or larger that has a professional looking mat or double mat and frame that enhance the image. The bottom line is -- "Less is More." One or two great images on display will get you much farther than a dozen prints that are shoddily prepared. Start small and work up. Present your work well and you'll probably sell some.Don't put a huge price tag on your work (this is all relative I know)but don't be afraid to put a value on your work and the materials. You can't sell it for less than you have to make it and stay in business. Look art the "market." If all of the prints are selling for $100, for example, (and they may be selling for two or three times that) and you offer prints at half that price, your prints are perceived as a lesser quality even if they are as good. Make them as good as you can, charge a fair price, and GO FOR IT!! Bruce
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- Jill Odice Contact Jill Odice Jill Odice's Gallery |
You can always custom order your mats from Logan. They will cut them to any size you want if you order a minimum of 50 ... Another way to show your work without buying frames is to get plexi glass cut the same size as your matted print. Get the plastic screw in kind of holders used for mirrors and just put up your photo on the wall behind the plexi glass...This is only if the place you are showing at agrees to letting you put holes in their wall :-) MCS industries also sells bulk frames that come complete with glass, backing and hangers for really cheap. The only thing is they have a min.order of around $300.00. Their prices are really good.You willneed a tax # and references to open an acct. with them, but the money you save in framing will make up for the trouble it takes to get an acct with them.
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Ed Estes |
Jared, I agree with the advice from Bruce. Your presentation is very important. Getting good quality matting and backing is not that expensive even for the acid free materials. I do not know what size prints you have or the quantity, but aluminum frames like what Nielsen Bainbridge makes can be found at many retailers and online. Matting of all types can be found at Redimat.com. Putting prints into the clear bags is perfect for the sale of the matted print but for presentation in a gallery or art show, they need to be framed. If the prints are hinged using conservation standards then if needed, it is easy to remove a print and reuse the matting and framing for another show.
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