Posts Tagged ‘Before and After’

Original frame

This photograph, printed on canvas, was put into a frame that was far too small for the subject.  The customer wanted it re-framed to match pictures of her other horses and horse memorabilia she has in an ‘equine gallery’.  In order to give more space around the head a mount matching the sky colour was used.  This was edged with a gold inlay and a neutral v-grooved mount.  A walnut moulding was sourced to match her other frames.

New frame & mount

v-groove, inlay & double mount

Box frame with circular mount

My customer was sentimentally attached to this picture plate but felt it was rather dated.  I constructed a foamboard ‘sink mat’ to house the plate in and so as not to see the edge of the plate I cut a circle of black mountboard to frame the face inside inside the gold double mount.  A deep rebated plainwood moulding treated with ebony wood dye was used to finish the job.

Plate before framing

Finished frame

The frame and mountboard around this embroidered silk was in a very poor state.  As you can see from the photos the frame had been chewed around the edge which had caused the glass to come away from the frame on one side.  The mount was discoloured and the silk buckled.

'Chewed' frame

New frame and mount

The frame was past redemption so I replaced it with the same moulding.  I replaced the double mount in the same colours as the original and after stretching the silk the completed frame hopefully looked liked it did when it was first commissioned!

The following watercolour was single mounted in a dilapidated framed; the mount bevel discoloured probably due to a poor quality board.

Watercolour in original frame

Watercolour in new frame

The customer left it to me to decide how to frame the artwork.  I used a triple mount using a soft green (taken from the picture) and an off-white mount next to the artwork to lead the eye into the image.

The frame is oak that has been waxed with a medium oak coloured wax.

I was asked to reframe a painted majolica tile – the original frame was very worn and did nothing to enhance the picture.

Original frame - Majolica painted tile

New frame - Majolica painted tile

Although at first this seemed an easy job to find an appropriate moulding for the tile, it actually proved to be very difficult.  I wanted to pick out the blue, brown and gold colours in the embossed tile and I feel the new moulding has a slightly rustic quality that complements the image.

I really enjoy taking on refurbishment jobs.  Artwork that has been around for some time but is still loved  by it’s owner presents  a challenge but the end result is usually very good for both parties.    Unless the customer has a definite idea on what he or she wants I come up with a suggestion and go ahead once agreed.

As you can see, some of the mounts and frames have been changed quite drastically and some have stayed more or less the same but freshened up.

Original frame - embroidery

This embroidery had been ‘open’ framed.  The backing material had dulled down over the years and the frame was worn.

New box frame detail

Because the embroidery was beginning to deteriorate I recommended that it was put behind glass.  A box frame was made using a deep rebate moulding lined with black core gold mountboard.  To enhance the embroidery a v-groove was carved in the mountboard.

New box frame

The customer loved the end result and was very happy that she could enjoy her Mother’s embroidery for many years to come.