Creative Stuff

[MerpsMom]

How many of you are doing what we might call Creative Matting? I seem to be stuck in the conservation/preservation-simple work-up mode. After reading January's PFM and the clock (which we've done with ballmarkers from golf courses), and that cut-velvet thing, I wonder if it isn't time to do some really fun things to get the adrenalin going. Or...maybe most of what we're receiving deserves the simpler work-up, but the other is fun.

[Angela]

I've noticed that my matting options aren't as creative as they used to be. On the other hand, I'm doing more with stacked frames and fillets than I used to do. Now all I need to do is combine all of that into some stupendous designs. . .

Angela

[framechick]

My New Year's resolution was to show fabric mats and fillets on almost every job. I shied away during Christmas season. I don't know if that counts as creative. I have not been taking advantage of the capabilities of the new (last fall) computerized mat cutter, which is another resolution. I have, however, been selling double mats on multi-opening projects, which I would have tried not to do in the past.

[Scarfinger]

I have been visiting the antiques on ebay to look for designs. I found pictures of interesting things in the antique furniture section. I draw them in CAD and then cut them on my Fletcher F-6100 computer mat cutter. I also found some interesting shapes in antique hardware - one of my popular mats I call "Escutcheon". This is the decorative plate that goes around a keyhole - some of them from the past are quite elegant.
Scarfinger

[JPete]

The only thing creative lately is to say yes if they ask if they should pay for it now. A bird in the hand is still worth two in the bush. Huh Terry.

[ChrisW]

I try to do something extra on every frame , either french lines, crossover v-grooves, photo or kobe corners, suede (or some of the new textured) mats or fillets. If someone brings in a photo, I ask if they have something that belonged to them, pipe, pocketwatch, piece of jewelry, something we can put in with it. We are also doing alot of freehand mat cutting ,and no I don't have a CMC...yet. I figure it's the only way to stay ahead. If you only do double mats and slam it in a code 5 frame you're no different than Michaels or any of the other big box stores. Our reputation is growing because of this but it has taken a while. This Christmas I heard the phrase " I was told to bring it here for something different " over and over and they don't ask how much the extra design costs because it's what they want. They want service AND creative design to make their frame unique.

PS. our sales doubled this Christmas.

[This message has been edited by ChrisW (edited 01-18-2000).]

[BUDDY]

MM;
I hope you aren't insinuateing that if you do conservation then you can't do Decrotive ,Or that decrotive is something less then conservation.
I agree with what ChrisW said about customers being told if they want something different to come to my shop.I feel that if you can do decrotive matting and know what it takes to be truely conservation then you have a much better varity to offer and probably have developed skills that make conservation easy.
The only danger is the opinion that decrotive is play. it can take a lot of time and you best make sure that you are compensatedor stick with what you are familiar with .
Buddy
Ps I'd love to show an example but I've never been sucessful at postin pictures,maybe some ine can help?

[MerpsMom]

No, I wouldn't imply that, Buddy. Actually, I was slamming myself for taking the easy way out during the Christmas rush. I really miss doing the fun stuff--and I can do it CP at the same time--so was only looking for kindred spirits http://www.thegrumble.com/framer/ubbs/smile.gif And...sure enough, up pops inspiration from this group!

I can't do the photo posting either. Maybe someone can give us a tutorial, or JP would say to hit the Search feature. Think framer told us how to do that once. Actually, I can scan something, and I can attach something, but I can't attach a scanned something. Poo.

JP, don't speak too loudly: Terry seem so angelic when he's napping.

[Mel]

MM:

Glad you brought this up. I, too, needed a little kick in the design behind. JPete's idea of adding something personal to those boring (to us, but not to their families) photos is really good.

[JPete]

Oooops. The something personal is a great idea and have done it but not my credit here.

You know you can send those pictures to Framer and he will put them up. That I know how to do. I'm working on the other.

Scan your picture, go to file, send, e-mail to framer.

[MerpsMom]

Yeah, right. "I can scan, I can attach, I can't attach a scan." Working on that. How 'bout snail mail to framer? http://www.thegrumble.com/framer/ubbs/smile.gif

[Terry Ellis]

I beg your pardon but the number of birds (deflocked or not) I've had in the bush is my business. And for your information I have not been, and never will be angelic. I have been a bit crook the last few days but now that you have woken me up I am ready to pounce on anything. Loose that is.

Loose? oh oh sounds like you know what again.
Terry

[framer]

BUDDY wanted his picture and message posted here; however, I thought best to place them in the Picture Frame Design Forum for the following reasons.
1. The load time of the graphics is 3 - 5 minutes with a fast modem. You expect to have longer load times in the forum.

2. That's what that forum for.

The link to BUDDY work http://www.thegrumble.com/framer/ubbs/Forum5/HTML/000014.html

Thanks BUDDY

framer

[James Miller]

Wow! Great mat cutting on that first one, Buddy. Thanks for sharing the pictures with us.

[JPete]

Wow! Why don't you go into the TOF and tell us what you got paid and what you should have charged.

[MerpsMom]

That last one was prophetically funny! Now, just how come you think he didn't charge what he should have gotten paid? http://www.thegrumble.com/framer/ubbs/smile.gif http://www.thegrumble.com/framer/ubbs/smile.gif Perhaps there's a sound reason we framers don't get into the creative stuff as often as we'd like: hope he shares the amount!

[BUDDY]

The angel was done for a customers daughter to show in her home during a Christmas parade of homes. So naturally I wanted it to look good. When we tried to cut small leaves into the corners they didn't look good and were difficult to cut, so we enlarged the pattern until we thought it looked really nice. If memory serves me, the entire job cost less than $200. the big problem was we only allowed $30 to $40 for the carving since we thought it was going to be small.
The next piece was even worst. This piece was part of contest for framing given in conjunction with an Art Auction on a local PBS station. The terms of the contest were that they supply the art and we donated all of the framing. And since I had won in the past, and I knew my fellow framers would go all out I knew I had to do something really different. The proceeds from the auction goes to programming on the station. All we receive is PR and awards. If memory serves my right the piece drew $595. The print was valued at $85. But pieces in this auction rarely draw what they are appraised at. I did have inquires from another gallery about reproducing the mats since Jazz Fest is very popular here, but I knew that they would want them discounted so I didn't do it.
When we first started we use to throw in a little extra in the matting for free to draw customers and build a reputation. Well, it worked, but now customers assume that we'll still do it for free, or they act shocked when they see the price. Don't get me wrong, a lot of people say they have never seen framing like ours at any of our competitors. But our competitors are only too happy to let us do it while bragging on how technically correct their work is or how museum like it looks. So although I do truly love what I do, and would probably do it for free, if you are going to stay in buisiness make sure you pay for your time. After all, you could be doing what everyone else is and still making money.
Buddy

[Mel]

Buddy,

This not your ordinary show and tell! That is truly excellent work. You, too, should be teaching, Buddy. But, can you tell me what a three-handed Dexter is? I have only two hands, and the chrome Dexter I've had for 20 years is the only one I know about (and it doesn't do anything nearly that good with my two hands).

[BUDDY]

The angel was done for a customers daughter to show in her home during a Christmas Parade of Homes. So we wanted it to look very nice. We first were going to cut small leaves into the corners but when we found it to be very difficult and not as attractive as we thought it would be we changed it to the large opposing leaves that you see. If memory serves they paid less than $200 for the whole thing. The worst part was that originally we only allowed $30 - $40 for the carving.
The second was the worst. This piece was done as a entry in a framing competition done in conjunction with a local PBS art auction. The terms of the contest were they supplied the art, we donated the framing. since I had won in the past and I knew my fellow framers would go all out, so did I. Yes, I did win. The piece generated about $595, the art was valued at about $85. However, these pieces rarely go for their appraised value. All monies go to the station for programming. I did get PR, since it was shown on air and bragging rights when I brought the awards home, but no money.
One of our biggest problems is that when we started we developed a repetition for throwing in decorations. The trouble is since people got it for free they don't want to pay for it now. and it takes a lot of time, which our competitors are only too happy to let us do while they bragg on how technically correst and museum like their work is. So if your going to do this, make sure you get payed for your time. As you can see I love what I do and I'll keep doing it but it does make it difficult to make ends meet when the money is not there.
Buddy (Hope this didn't get printed twice, the sight was having problems and dropped our message three times.)

[BUDDY]

Sorry all for the duplication. It kept droping our messages and we didn't know if it got there.
Mel, the old dexter that you have is the same one that I use, that is if it's crome and it uses a #3blade (not three hands,I only use one hand, but a lot of four lettered words when things don't go right. Maybe that's the trick.) Besides Mel, I've thought long and hard about how to teach design, and I've come to the conclusion that you all know, if the dear Lord gave it to you, you can do it, if He didn't??????? But of course if you love what you do, it does make it a little easier. Once again I hope I don't sound too vain, but I do have more if anyone would like to see them.
Buddy

[framer]

I just added another design to the design forum. I had rejected posting this earlier because the design did not photograph well. It was a black frame with a double black linen mat with 56 Lifesaver candy rolls used as a fillet between the mats. I posted it because it was one of my, just go for it designs. It really was a great looking piece but the photo's just don't show it.