Cead Mille Failte
"A hundred thousand welcomes" is the English translation of this Gaelic salutation. This cross stitch was expertly mounted over an archival board and framed with a perfectly patterned moulding. These projects showcase the time, talent, and creativity of needle artists, and we are experts at helping our customers achieve their finished piece. I wonder how one might express "a hundred thousand stitches"?
The 12 Days of Frame Shop Christmas
Happy Holidays from Valerie, John, and Clare. We are grateful for your business and friendship, and look forward to seeing you soon! In the meantime, sing along...
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Mat Design 101
One of the most common questions we receive from customers during the design process is, “Should I have a mat?” followed by, “How much mat will show?” The answers depend on several factors, including the type and size of the artwork, archival and mounting requirements, current trends, and, of course, customer preference. Our design team, led by Master Certified Picture Framer Valerie Becker, is experienced in crafting the perfect mat design for each custom project.
Some artworks require matting to be properly mounted for museum-quality preservation within a frame (yes, we do that). Delicate artworks with holes, torn edges, or unsightly borders may look incomplete without matting. Art prints with wide paper borders may be improved with a single or double mat. Sometimes a mat is unnecessary and can even detract from the design. For example, this sweet needlework was completed with a border that perfectly served the framing composition without a mat.
According to industry expert Chris Paschke of Designs Ink, professional framers and designers typically follow proportion and ratio guidelines, such as maintaining mat margins that are wider than the width of the frame, avoiding “stripes” by using wider mat margins, varying widths of extra mats and art borders, and ensuring “breathing room” for matted artwork (2001). Paschke suggests that contemporary designs demonstrate wider mat dimensions.
The first image below represents a “gallery style,” with a wide and thick white mat—providing plenty of breathing room for the little fox. To make more sense of this concept, consider the wide mat as a wall in a room with the fox image hung on it. Would you look first at the plain wall, or the fox?
A little Photoshop magic shows the fox again with a thin mat. Although the image is larger, the thin mat and frame start to look “stripe-y,” which can be distracting to the eye and create subtle confusion.
An alternative to the “wider mat” guideline is when a piece of artwork is float mounted. This type of design is characterized by an artwork that sits on top of, rather than under, a mat. In these designs, it is standard practice to maintain a small mat margin, as seen to the left in this pastel by a customer’s little granddaughter.
Extra mats and specialized fabric mats use color and texture to enhance the framing design. The print below by Andy Warhol is matted with a bright base color that accentuates the artwork’s “Pink Lips.” The dramatic blue suede mat atop the ship draws the eye to the artwork by gently contrasting the art’s highlights.
However, the most important rule of matting is that there are no hard and fast rules. The overall goal of framing is to enhance the artwork and draw the eye to the object(s) being framed. Much discretion on how that is done is left to the eye of the designer(s). As Paschke notes, “Some framers have a natural eye for identifying a design that fits, and this is often why some designs appear much more successful than others” (2001). Experience, training, and a discerning eye for aesthetics are essential components of the formula for “right” matting (we’ve got those covered).
We are excited to work with you on your project, and we guarantee our designs. Stop in or call to schedule an appointment with MCPF Valerie and her team!
References:
Paschke, C. A. (2001, June). The essence of design: Proportion. Retrieved April 30, 2017, from DIP Online website: http://www.designsinkart.com/library/D-EssenceofDesignProportion200106.htm
The Fabulous Fillet
In the world of framing, a fillet (pronounced "fill-it") is a tiny frame with a reverse lip that fits inside a traditional frame or beneath a mat. Fillets add extra flair or dramatic enhancement to a frame, providing an additional level of showcasing for a piece of art.
For instance, the ornate fillet around the pastel Madonna adds a touch of elegance to the rustic-style frame. Our first-place chapter winner featured a blue frame fillet that perfectly matched the bold blue in the needlepoint. Finally, the beautiful Belle is displayed with a bold mat edged in a delicate fillet, giving her design just the right amount of sass to match her personality, according to her owner.
Fillets exponentially grow the creative possibilities of framing design, and as we always say, the more creative options the more fun to be had!
A framing limerick
There once was a framer named Valerie.
Who framed art that hung in a gallery.
It was beautifully done and the process was so fun.
And it was only a small part of my salary.
Creative prompts
What a wonderful environment for sparking creativity!
For me, creativity is often inspired by a blend of curiosity, emotion, and the beauty of the world around us. In your community, the preserved downtown, the Mississippi River, the bluffs, and the authentic working elements offer a rich tapestry of sights, sounds, and stories that can trigger a creative response.
The changing of the seasons and the longer autumnal light add a unique touch, creating a canvas of brilliant colors and intriguing shadows that seem to invite artistic expression.
Here are a few creative prompts that might resonate with you in Red Wing:
Nature Walks: Take a leisurely walk along the Mississippi River or through the river bluffs. Observe the changing colors of the leaves, the reflections on the water, and the wildlife. Capture these moments through photography, painting, or writing.
Historic Exploration: Visit the preserved downtown and imagine the stories of the buildings and the people who lived there. Write a short story or poem inspired by a particular building or location.
Industrial Inspiration: Watch the barges, railroads, and manufacturing activities. The interplay of machinery, human effort, and the environment can inspire both visual and written art.
Seasonal Changes: Embrace the changing seasons. Create a photo series, paintings, or journal entries that document the transition from summer to autumn.
Community Connections: Engage with the local community. Attend events, talk to residents, and discover their stories. Use these interactions as inspiration for creative projects.