Carlo Maratta frame

This is a classic example of a carved and gilded, English 18th Century Carlo Maratta frame. It has come in for some minor repairs, and to have a sight edge slip fitted. It was cut down sometime in the past, luckily it is a good fit for the customers painting, although needs a very narrow slip to cover some rough edges around the canvas. A Maratta frame of this size (rebate 25" x 30") could cost anywhere between £1000 and £1500

Duncan MacGregor at Broadway Modern

We have recently been working on lots of paintings by Duncan MacGregor, for his annual exhibition at Broadway Modern. They are framed in a white scoop shape slip with a chunky silver square frame.
 
http://www.john-noott.com/artist/macgregor~duncan/macgregor~duncan.php

Work in progress

Here are a selection of jobs we are working on at the moment, from the top we have a late 20th Century English swept frame with some minor damage, you can see the white sections I have replaced.

Next we have a frame which is being painted with red bole, this is one of two frames for paintings of African elephants and rhino, the other frame can be seen at the top right.

Our make-shift drying rack (some shelves) has 5 frames which have been painted with gesso.

Then we have two photos of some antique gilded frames which need tidying up. I especially like the bevel profile with shot inner ornament.

The last photo shows two frames which have been gessoed and then painted, they will next have a very pale/subtle colour wash. That's it for now!

Edward Noott gilded and painted frames

We have just finished a big order of frames for an exhibition of paintings by Edward Noott. They are water gilded, most in 23.5ct gold, but a few in 12ct white and 22ct moon. The gilding is combined with paint, washes, and colouring with pigments. The exhibition will be at John Noott Galleries in Broadway and it opens on 24th September 2011.
http://www.john-noott.com/exhibitions/edward~noott~2011/edward~noott~2011.php

Back at the workshop

I am back at work now after a great summer holiday. Here are a couple of deep frames which are used to float frame some paintings on board. The wood is obeche and is finished with clear wax.

Now for a fun frame

Now for a completely different and unusual frame! So I started with a couple of frames made from offcuts, a 6” x 4” and 10” x 8”, both flat square sections. These were sized and then painted with gesso. I then drew on some very simple motifs and symbols, the ones on the larger frame were built up with gesso, while on the small frame the symbols were incised with a metal scribe. Next came lots of different bole colours, and water gilding in various types of leaf. The gilding was then distressed to get the different bole colours showing through, and finally the frames were sealed. I was going to do some burnishing and punched decoration but enough is enough and that would have been a little over the top! The finished framing is a little present for my wife.

While this frame is intended as a bit of fun, I think a similar idea, using pastiglia, incised, and punched decoration could make a very unique and special range of wedding and general photo frames.

repairs

This nice period frame was falling apart at the corners and had a split and broken rebate along two sides. It has been tidied-up and made secure.

Another icon framed

This icon has been framed in an antique fluted cove frame, which has been cut down to fit. The back of the frame is extended to accommodate the depth of the icon, the Artglass anti-relective glazing, 5mm spacer, and Correx backing. The new back extension to the frame is painted and finished in gilt cream to match the existing colour, it is fixed to the frame with screws. The job is completed with an antique brass ring hanger at the top.

Dali frames

Here are three beautiful frames around paintings by Salvador Dali. Photos taken by Mrs Framemaker on her recent trip to Spain.

Insect watch

It has been a rather uneventful and best forgotten week at the workshop for one reason and another, the most exciting event happened today when we found a big grass hopper in the moulding racks. Here he is, sitting on a length of moulding.

Some contemporary framing

Here are some paintings by the artist Melvyn Warren-Smith. The winter landscape above is framed in a scoop frame with two water gilded sections and a sludgy green paint which is distressed to show the red underneath. I made a sample like this nearly 10 years ago, more out of experimentation than anything else, and this is only the second frame I have made based on the sample. That is probably an indication that it is not very popular, but I have always liked the look of it, and it is certainly not something you would see everywhere.

The two fox paintings and the fire on a beach are framed in pretty standard gilded and painted jobbies, the one fox at the top is rather drunk on vino and old speckled hen.

Another 19th Century compo frame

Here is another good quality compo frame, it is probably French, late 19th Century, and is called a Barbizon frame, although the name is associated with a number of frame styles, I think this as a classic example of the style. I have some other Barbizon type compo frames I will post photos of sometime soon.