Putting You In The Picture (Frame)

Andrew Thomas - 'Rehanna' featured in the Purbeck Journal Exhibition

Whilst I wait for my latest experiment to dry I might as well put my time to good use. Over the last year I have tried to give artists helpful hints about a whole manner of things. I think I have been mostly coming at it from a gallery owners point of view to help artists avoid the pitfalls.

I covered Artists Statements, Portfolio Structure, Presentation, Framing, How to Approach a Gallery. I am pleased to report that they all received great feedback and were in fact useful.

I have a few more to bring up today just to get them off my chest really.

Presentation, just because you are an artist/photographer this doesn't automatically mean that you know the best way to display/exhibit your work. There is a ton of free advice out there. Use it! Get second opinions maybe even third opinions. Don't be fooled into thinking that you should adopt one style and stick to it forever.

A uniform approach can be achieved purely by selecting the same colour frames. But mounting seems to be an issue that throws a curve ball. Window mounts with several colours? No, do not do it! A colour that is anything other than neutral. Don't do it! It's all about the work not the mount. There are a plethora of neutral tones in most imaages. If you are mounting a body of work look for the one that ties all the images together.

People want work that will sit comfortably in their lounge or hall. A white window mount can very effectively draw the viewer in.

A really important tip is ensure your framer strings your work correctly. I have had several works at the gallery so loosely strung that the string is visible at the top of the frame when the image is hung. Or strung upside down. This really won't do. Get them to wrap your work when you have checked it out not before. Once you have paid and left the shop there is very little you can do about any mistakes.

If money is an issue and you can't afford to have work framed, do your homework look for the best that you can afford. This won't necessarily be found in the first shop that you visit.

Ok that's all I have to say, but if anyone wanted some advice about framing I am more than happy to provide it. Especially if you are planning to show with me.