A Frame for Halloween

Frame T-Shirts for Sale

Following some interest in the frame t-shirts I had made for myself, from other framers and art fans, this is the first frame design that will soon be available to buy from my online shop. It features a late 19th Century engraving of a carved Italian frame. Details to follow when the shop goes live.

Antique Frames within Frames

Antique Fittings

Early 19th C Frame

An early 19th Century frame in need of restoration due to the later overpainting and various losses and damage. You can see some areas where the inner ornament is missing and the good original water gilding can be seen beneath.

Horrifying Frame Progress...

White Gold

This is one of my favourite frame profiles, it is a custom design and here it is finished in one of my regular water gilded finishes in 12 ct white gold on various bole colours.

Louis XV Carved Reproduction Frame

A good quality carved reproduction Louis XV swept frame.

Framing at the Museum of New Zealand

Here is an interesting framing article I found recently, it is about the re-framing of a painting by Nicholas Chevalier, called 'Cook Straits' (circa 1880). The painting arrived at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in just a slip frame, so a more suitable period reproduction frame was made by Matthew O'Reilly. There is also an article about the conservation of the painting.

Constructing the Frame for 'Cook Straits' by Chevalier

Competition Prize Progress

This frame I am making for a Halloween competition prize is coming along nicely. It is completely over the top, but it is fun doing creative and unusual projects sometimes... as a change from the usual antique frames, water gilded and painted frames, and regular orders.

Finished Ornament Mould

Gesso Everywhere

Making a Hard Plaster Mould

Here I am making a very simple mould for making corner ornament. A silicon impression from an original carved boxwood mould will be used to make a new mould. The stages are:

• Make a fence from scrap wood
• Fix a piece of glass to the fence with double sided tape
• Smear the glass with petroleum jelly
• Weigh out 560g of hard casting powder and measure 200ml of water
• Stick the silicone impression to the glass
• Add the plaster powder to the water and mix well
• Pour the plaster into the fence

This will make a practical mould that can be used with compo or epoxy putty, not as crisp or refined as an original boxwood mould but a good alternative. 

Halloween Frame

Halloween is nearly here and I am making a fun project frame for a prize giveaway. This goblin head is 3D printed, I have used 3D printed ornament a few times on projects, the technology was introduced to me a few years ago by another framer. The frame will also have some skulls seen below, although these are more traditionally made in vinyl moulds and hard casting plaster.

Big Swept Frame

A very ornate, 9" wide antique swept frame from the 19th Century.

18th C Neoclassical Carved Frame

Moulds and Mouldings

Behind the Scenes at the National Gallery Framing Department.

Making a Mould

Frame T-Shirts!

Metal Leaf Swept

A swept frame that has been refinished in metal leaf and bronze powder with a dark finish. 

Handmade Samples

Refinishing a Swept Frame

Frames, Ornament, and Details

Cutting Down an Antique Frame

Surface Cleaning

Surface cleaning a 19th Century Barbizon frame.

Sealed Enclosure Frame

A sealed enclosure frame is used for damp or humid hanging enviroments. This one is made using Alphamat Artcare mountboard and foamboard, Correx backing, Tru Vue Museum glass, and ArtSorb sheets. These materials are condition to around 50% relative humidity and then a material called Marvelseal is heat sealed to the glazing to make an air tight enclosure for the art work. An aluminium frame finished off the enclosure.