Framing question

[Bartc]

Friends, I'm looking at framing options for my paintings with an eye toward sales.

From your experience can you give me an idea if there are any consistent trends in what type of frames people are actually buying? I realize the painting takes precedence, but framing matters too.

I've been using traditional real wood "plein air" frames, about 3" wide with no mat. Wondering if folks are preferring narrower frames, metal frames, narrow frames with matting, etc.

Any ideas you can share would be helpful. Framing is ridiculously expensive!

Thanks.

 

[Enyaw]

I was once told and it makes sense to me that you should see the painting and the frame is background music which auguments the painting but knows its place as secondary in the showing. I personally need to see a painting in a frame to judge its value where art dealers use corners.

 

[snoball]

I like to use a mat that picks up a color in the painting and then a simple frame. But if framing an oil, it is best to have a liner in the frame. The color of the mat can have a strong effect on the painting.

 

[Bartc]

Wayne and Sno, I agree with you both. Framing is an art in itself, without exaggeration. It varies with taste, and sometimes room decor.

But my question was not about what I might prefer, rather if you note any trend in what purchasers prefer.

The wide wood "traditional" plein air frames are most readily available at hefty prices online, rather than in the few local frame shops or the big box stores. The latter seem to carry very narrow, often plastic or metal, more like photo/poster frames, which I don't prefer, and involve wider mats to make up the difference. That's a modern look.

Most of my painting friends just scour garage sales, so they get a hodgepodge.

 

[Bartc]

Let's talk sales here, because that's the central question.

Size or the perception of size seems to matter. Stephen Baumann once posited that anything smaller than 16x20" would be purchased only to grace a bathroom sized wall (although he quipped that gave you a "captive audience".) I note that what seems to sell requires the perception of size, which is partly the painting and more-so the framing size.

I'm a plein air painter. Most of my work is in the 9x12" format, some very few in 10x20" or 12x16", of necessity due to carrying considerations in the field. So I compensate with what is considered a standard in that genre of 3-3.5" wide framing, which brings up the appearance to nearly that minimum salable number. Sure, I could use narrower frames and big mats (I don't usually use mats), which would necessitate larger glass. Museum glass is standard for pastels I do and size there gets very expensive. Plus I wasn't sure if buyers would like the narrow frame around a mat, whose color would then also impact the overall impression.

But I'm willing to consider whatever would make my work more appealing to someone's pocket.

Decades ago when I painted anywhere in acrylic, I could inexpensively cut tempered hardboard to any size, gesso and create works that required no glass, no mat, nor in many instances not even a frame. Easy peasy. That's not how I work anymore, and now I'm trying to sell some of my proliferating work, if nothing else than to pay for more materials.

 

[Enyaw]

…. The school of hard knocks .. no magic beans and one size doesn’t fit all ..

 

[john]

Just thinking about framing makes my brain hurt. I've tried almost all kinds and decided that in our house and decor a minimal/narrow straight simple wood one looks best. The larger fancy gold ones didn't look right with our plain decor.

I suspect that minimalist frames may be getting more popular as that seems to be the decorating trend. Maybe go to a local framer and see what they are selling?

But the one I like the most is one I made and it is not small relative to the painting, but the painting is small.

This is it here with one of the minimal kinds that I make. (Now that I look at it close it needs some repair ) I think it does depend on the kind of painting.

 

[Bartc]

I like the larger bottom one, John. That's what I would normally choose.

Do you have any experience with the difference when selling, however?

 

[john]

I haven't sold many Bart but the ones I did had minimal frames.

You might want to look at some of these plein air exhibitions. Vlad Duchev has a great channel if you haven't seen it. Gives one an idea of what the really great painters do. It can also make one feel inadequate The level that these guys paint en plein air is impressive. And the frames are gorgeous also.

 

[snoball]

Well, Bart, I usually let the painting sell itself. I am turning more and more to gallery wrapped canvas and painting the edges so they don't have to be framed. I have also scoured thrift stores, etc. for frames but most people like to frame according to what matches their decor (what looks good over the sofa, lol) so I mostly sell unframed and let the client do the framing. If they are commissioning I let them know that the price is for unframed.

 

[Artyczar]

I frame in a very simple blonde maple frame, usually no mat (floating preferably), when it's work on paper. Otherwise, no frame. I find the customer will always swap out the frame because everyone has different tastes. Best to go as simple as possible.

 

[Bartc]

If it weren't for the need to hang my pastels on a wall in a show, I would skip the frame altogether. I'm with all of you about the purchaser having their own taste and decor preferences. But pastels in a show must be framed and glazed and hung on a wall, so I have to do something and that something can't "cheapen" the impression.
Thanks Ayin.