Dark Artist Frames

I like all sorts of different art styles and painters, and really like it when artists take a real interest in framing their work. A favourite of mine is Cam Rackam who is known for album cover art, clothing design, and as well as painting some wonderfully dark and interesting paintings, he also hand crafts and adapts his frames. To me it looks like he uses a base Louis XV swept type frame then adds ornament and symbols to make unique frames for his art work. All images from Cam Rackam Instagram.

A Simple Black and Gilded Frame

Black Gesso Frame

This frame sample is covered in gesso, the base paint is red/brown with black on top. The paint is rubbed through, and then it is finished with shellac sealer and wax.

Black Gesso Frame

A frame with textured gesso that has a red base paint colour with black on top. The sight edge is dark gilt bronze powder.

Hogarth frames

 Image 1. - 18th/19th Century carved Hogarth style frames (pine and carved detail)

Image 2. - An antique 19th C Hogarth copy (pine and carved detail)

 Image 3. - Good 20th C repro Hogarth frames (pine and composition)

 Image 4. - 19th/20th C Hogarth style frame (gesso and composition)

Image 5. -  A modern Hogarth moulding

I have mentioned before about so called Hogarth mouldings, nowadays this seems to mean pretty much any black and gilt frame, associated with framing antique and period prints. Although the modern Hogarth frames bear very little resemblance to the original Hogarth frames which were really quite special, they were made from polished fruit wood with a sanded flat and carved border. Even the modern and 20th Century mass produced versions, which really look quite cheap and nasty (see photos 4. & 5.), started out as a pine frame with carving and ebonised finish (see 1. & 2.) and these versions look very good on antique prints. Lastly it is still possible to have hand made Hogarth frames made (image 3.) which are much more authentic then and pre-finished factory made frame.

Black and gilt ripple moulding

This late 20th C ripple moulding frame was cut down from 20" x 16" to 14" x 16". Because of the gilt corners the frame was reduced in size by removing the unwanted sections around the middle of each long size. The back and rebate spacers were covered in hessian fabric and the canvas was float mounted on the backing.

Black oak

An oak miniature frame which has a black stain finish and shellac sealer, it will be waxed and polished.

Gold mitre blocks

Corner block - black

Horse racing canvas

This painting on canvas by Jeremy Houghton has been framed in a deep cove frame with   silver gilded bevel sight edge. 

Black distressed finishes

Gesso, red, black, bronze powder gilt.

Primer, red, black, bronze powder gilt.

Two frames with variations of the same finish, the moulding reference is A160 from Rose and Hollis and they are for one of our favourite artists: Jeremy Houghton. We have used lots of variations of this moulding for his work, from simple black paint (Plaka) and wax to water gilded and distressed paint finishes.
The top frame has a gesso base which fills the grain and adds real texture and interest to the surface, this was exaggerated by applying the gesso so it gets lots of air holes and with rough brush strokes. The bottom frame does not have any gesso base, instead Zinsser BIN primer is used, so the wood grain is still visible. The sight edge on both frames is finished in bronze powder which is then distressed. Both frames were distressed all over with 0000 wire wool, this also creates a polish to the Plaka, and also 800 grit wet and dry paper. The frames were finished with a coat of wax and a final polish.

Black frame

This deep cove shaped frame is a lovely shape and has a sprayed black finish which is finished with wax and a good polish. The moulding is bought in ready coated in gesso, which can then be finished with gilding or a paint effect.

Black and gold

Here I am painting a frame black, the inner part of the moulding is water gilded. The frame in the other photo has two gilded sections.

Jeremy Houghton

This painting, called 'On Air' is by Jeremy Houghton, it has been framed in a black painted scoop shaped frame with a white slip.