Mount and Frame

A corner photo of a watercolour which is mounted, and framed in a gilded and painted frame.

Another example of bad work

Here is another example of poor quality framing, masking tape is totally unsuitable for attaching art to the mount! The top picture shows how the art has been secured all the way round with masking tape, this stops the paper from naturally moving with changes in temperature and humidity, and can cause bad rippling and unnecessary stress of the paper.

Generally speaking the art should be fixed with only two small hinges at the top using a water activated adhesive and archival paper. The bottom photo is from the front of the art (there are drawings on both sides), here you can easily see the solvent adhesive in the masking tape coming through the paper, (nasty spots where the mount meets the image) causing potentially irreversible damage to the art.

Artist Jeremy Houghton

Broadway artist Jeremy Houghton collecting some framing in style! This fabulous Bentley has been in his family since his Grandfather bought it brand new many years ago.
Jeremy paints in oils, watercolours and other mediums and is always coming up with new and interesting ideas for framing his work. He is currently rather fond of painting flamingoes.

www.jeremyhoughton.co.uk

Workshop update

The builders have started laying the blocks this week.

The Frink is finished

Framed in a simple Neoclassical fluted frame with antiqued bronze powder finish.

A Spanish Decoy by Nigel Ashcroft

This one is my favourite

Frames, frames, frames

These are some of the frames I have been working on for the last few weeks. The watercolours are by Nigel Ashcroft for an exhibition at John Noott Galleries in Broadway, www.john-noott.com

Front view of the new workshop

Starting to look like a building...

The steel framework was put up this week, now we just need some good, dry weather so the brickwork can be done.

Work is flooding in at the moment, and no sign of it slowing down. I can't wait to move into the new workshop!

The foundations are nearly finished

The concrete foundations are nearly finished.

Don't put art against glass!

Most framers will advise you not to put art in a frame without a mount, spacer, or slip. This photo of a very nice drawing by Elisabeth Frink shows what happens, moisture condenses behind the glass and can have a very damaging effect. Luckily the paper had not stuck to the glazing.

The foundations are being laid

February 8th 2010 - The foundations are being dug and put in place

Ground works for the workshop

January 2010. After nearly 2 years of planning, the ground works have started! There will be two workshop units built on the site.

New workshop plans

My workshop is on a small industrial estate in the countryside, currently I am in a 900 sq ft unit which is a good size but it is basically a large garden shed. This photo (taken summer 2009) shows where my new unit is being built. It is sad to see the trees going but more are being planted in other areas of the estate.

The finished framing

The silver leaf was distressed, given some patination and then sealed. The picture is glazed with Schott Mirogard UV plus, the mount is Colourmount bright white cotton museum board.

The frame and slip painted with bole

The raised edges and pastiglia were painted with Baroque brown bole. The slip and frame are now ready to be gilded.

Painting on the bole

The frame was painted with Victorian grey bole (rabbit skin glue and fine clay), bole is needed to create a water gilded finish.

Doing the pastiglia decoration

I drew in pencil the stylized jasmin flowers, and also the words 'love' and 'peace' on the top and bottom sections. These patterns were built up with gesso, an old technique called pastiglia. This is a time consuming process. When the pastiglia was dry it was sanded smooth.

The frame and slip are sprayed with gesso

I brushed on a coat of gesso (made from rabbit skin glue and whiting), and then sprayed on two coats. When the gesso was dry it was sanded smooth.

Sizing the barewood

I sized the obeche frame and slip with rabbit skin glue, this prepares the surface for the gesso. It prevents the glue from the gesso being absorbed into the wood and therefore creating a weak bond between wood and gesso.