Woodworks by John
CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
Is black the "new gold"? Seems as if many of the frame requests I've had lately are for black ones. They are easier than water gilded gold leaf which is what I'd like to continue to get better at but no matter what the commission, I always look forward to the challenge. What I like to do with black frames is use burnisher sealer as the base coat but tint it first to compliment the over-all palette of the painting. For example, grey burnisher/sealer has been tinted with a dark green (Mixol) to achieve a color close to the predominant color of the Sonoran Desert. For this frame, red burnisher/sealer was lightened slightly to compliment the painting by my wife, Diane Eugster. This painting is on stretched canvas and measures 14" x 18" and titled Here Comes the Sun. You can see the fields and the farmhouse in the distance and the goal was to isolate the subject from the rest of the world. To get the shape and size of the leaves I used a #7 gouge in a 14 & 20mm size.
If included an image of the profile used for the frame and as you may imagine grounding the background on the curve and cove can be a challenge. The molding measures about 1 5/8" x 4". I don't like to sand as inevitably, you lose crispness of the carve. The black finish is Ronan Japan Drop Black. I've been experimenting with it lately and find that even though the finish is described as "dead flat" if the timing is right you can burnish and remove enough to expose the base coat with cotton rags. I've found that you can develop a nice satin finish and also eliminate or at least minimize any brush strokes. Personally, I like it and you can read more about how this frame was created here in my blog: Woodworks by John
If included an image of the profile used for the frame and as you may imagine grounding the background on the curve and cove can be a challenge. The molding measures about 1 5/8" x 4". I don't like to sand as inevitably, you lose crispness of the carve. The black finish is Ronan Japan Drop Black. I've been experimenting with it lately and find that even though the finish is described as "dead flat" if the timing is right you can burnish and remove enough to expose the base coat with cotton rags. I've found that you can develop a nice satin finish and also eliminate or at least minimize any brush strokes. Personally, I like it and you can read more about how this frame was created here in my blog: Woodworks by John