Creative Design Exploration

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Shayla

Shayla

WOW Framer
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Joined
Apr 5, 2008
Posts
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Washington State
I'm having a private talk with a Grumble friend
and wanted to expand it to the public forum.

The subject being that of how we explore the range
of our own creative expression. For artists, there's
always a balance between doing what sells and
doing what you really want to do. This is a challenge
on all levels. For beginners, who don't know if they'll
ever be good at all, and also for those most advanced
in the craft, who can become stunted into doing
endless self-mimickry and paralyzed by the fear of
losing support if they branch out.

That's the topic, and now I'm listening..... :popc:
 
Excellent topic.

As far as framing design, I love looking at books featuring creative framing. Not just Greg Perkins's very nice book, but some of the ones out there in bookstores actually have some fantastic design ideas in them. In reality, these kinds of designs are beyond what most customers would agree to, and some would be be a little over-the-top, crossing the line into crafts projects. Still, many of these are very inspiring.
I tend to do designs which are a bit more classic than wacky, although sometimes I get funky if the art calls for it. Many of my longtime customers will let me take chances, but some people are just conservative by nature and don't want to go beyond conventional ideas.
If someone tells me to just "do what I think looks best" and leaves something with me, I tend to spend a lot more time with the samples than I do if I'm working along with a customer. Same for designing something for myself.
Ultimately, it comes down to the almost limitless possibilites at our disposal vs. the Jurassic Park theorem: Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
Every now and then I fantasize about having a business where S.O.P. is that people just drop something off and I get to do anything I come up with, no matter how long it takes or how much it would cost. I figure most of the time the results would be within normal parameters but sometimes would exceed them. In my spare time (;)) I would make cool lamps and light fixtures out of found objects and the like.
:cool: Rick
 
Shayla,

If I'm making a frame for myself, for my art, I use the opportunity to play and explore, as here , or here, or here. As an artist, I won't compromise at this point, because as a frame maker I sometimes have to, though my clients give me a lot creative freedom.

And, I think of myself as a true artist; I can paint you a painting, design and build you a chair, "faux marbre" some of the columns in your castle, and carve a few "saints" for your chapel.

I think I'm blathering, so, since Susan, the wife said so, as she left to hang around with high muckety-mucks, I'm going in the house to make a simple pasta for the little critters and I, fresh tomatoes, fresh from across the street just now, some peppers, onions, garlic, calamatta olives, olive oil, and a little butter. Cheap red wine with ice cubes. Ahh, heaven.
 
Rick,

I don't want to make you jealous, but for a long time now, one of my customers would just email dimensions, a photo, and a random suggestion, like "floral" 5 inches wide. We both knew costs, but the freedom to look at something and go with my own thoughts, priceless.
 
Mar, Rick,

The pay is abysmal, though I am prone to grilling Salmon, Steaks, Pork loin, nice salads, some pasta for lunch when I do have employees around. An aside to cooking for the critters. I even did a saute for one employee, wild blue gill fillets, and wild, morel mushrooms ... course I was going to do that for myself anyway.
 
So far so good...What I want to do mostly,and what sells are usually the same things...Starting to get anxious E-mails from clients asking if I`m attending the next Convention,and what in their favorite genres I am bringing...YAY!!! this show season has actually kicked butt so far. L.
 
Wow... excommunicated from the discussion in in the second sentence of the second post. Sorry I offend you Rick.

Do you not find it a little offensive that after being anything (even a cashier at a Michael's) in this industry for one year, you can take the CPF exam..... and 3 years after that, do the MCPF and be considered a Master?

The "Craft" we practice (at one time) required a craftsman. But if four flat black sticks strung together by glue and pneumatic nails around a white mat is good enough, then maybe it's time I take up my buggy whip and retire.
 
So what do you have to say about creative design exploration?

In your own work, whether with framing, for others, or making
your own frame creations. I'm curious about how you've handled
that balance between what's expected of you and there's a market
for, or doing that which inspires you. I'm glad to hear that in Laura's
case, her market is supportive of her unique creations.
 
FramerDave said:
A minimum of five years framing experience is required to be eligible for the MCPF exam.
Click to expand...

Baer Charlton said:
of actual frame making or just in the industry?
Click to expand...

From the PPFA Certification Procedures and Guidelines, May 2010:

Eligibility requirements for taking the MCPF exam are:
· Minimum of 5 years hands-on experience in retail or wholesale picture framing
· Must have taken and passed the CPF Exam
· Must have taken the recertification course within the past 4 years

If you have any other questions about the MCPF exam maybe it would be best to start a new thread rather than get Shayla's discussion off track.

Apologies, Shayla.
 
Great topic Shayla!!!

I believe creativity is something that comes naturally to some, intimidates others and their are all levels in between. I have a moderate amount of creativity that is inherent in me. I have to work at not allowing myself to fall in a rut. It is too easy to allow it to happen.

Years ago when I was feeling like I was heading non-stop for the rut, I happened to read something about becoming a creative person. The premise was to look at something tangible, but to see past what it was and figure out what it could be or how you could adapt it to something else. Using this logic, think about a tree. At some point someone saw the tree and their vision lead to a tree house. Someone else saw it and created lumber. At some point a brilliant person saw that lumber and thought up the picture frame!

I went from seeing things for exactly what they were to having creative ideas based on what I was seeing. For example, walking down a city street, I now see architectural details as potential mat designs. While walking on a beach, I saw shells floating in the waves as they were being pushed ashore. From that I changed the way I framed some starfish and sand dollars. Using an additional piece of glass, I was able to make them appear to be floating. With a sand colors mat behind them, it reinforces the effect.

You do have to balance your creativity with what will sell, if you hope to make a business out of it. Yet at the same time keep in mind customers have a choice of frame shops and your creativity might be just the thing that gets them to choose you. Explore your creativity. Cherish it. Don't be afraid to share it with your customers. It is pretty incredible when you see your creativity "come to life" in an awesome frame design.
 

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As far as my art...I lead a Dr. Jekyll...Mr. Hyde existence.

My Dr. Jekyll art is my horses and animals and they sell more. They are enjoyable for me to do and I try to put some sort of emotional "something" into them, but as far as satisfying my artistic angst and the need to convey something conceptual...they fall short.

My Mr. Hyde work is really me...expression of what I am about and what I am trying to say. These are primarily the B&W figurative work with the "bondage overtones" but it isn't sexual, more mental...really! Of course, they don't sell as well as my other work...too serious and dark for most...but I do have a small following.

I can only do so many Dr. Jekyll pieces in a row before being literally DRIVEN to the Mr. Hyde work.

I always smile when someone gets a chance to see both genres together...it usually bends some people's minds...LOL!

So it is a matter of balance for me...I call it my "Ivory Tower of my Idealistic Artform vs. my Basement of Practicality of my Saleable Art."



As far as framing....I used to do ALOT of wild stuff about 15-18 years ago...in the mid Nineties...all hand painted, hand carved mats...(pre CMC!!)... and multi sided frames and fillets and even some custom hand-painted frames. Also alot of custom hardwood frames...dowelled, splined and inlay and such.

Not so much in the last 10 years. the demand hasn't been there like it was...at least for me. It was fun. Not necessarily what I would do on my own work...(NO Baer, I don't frame ONLY in white mats and black frames!! :p)...but a nice challenge. I also used to have about 6-8 clients that would just leave me their work to "do my thing" and just call them when it was done, price wasn't a concern...<sigh>...those were the days!! :)
 
Helpful to me, to help the creative framing juices flowing; love looking at frame designs. Might not always be something I can upsell to my customer, but then, my customers are just starting to get used to the idea that not everything needs a white mat/black frame. It's hard enough to turn them to something different.
I have also been working hard in getting my average frame price up. Customers who were used to average $60 take some time to get used to average $200
 
Thanks, all, for your input. I enjoyed reading and
thinking about your comments.

Just now, I'm thinking about the balance between
keeping on with what works for us, and exploring
new avenues of creative expression. In this regard,
it's almost easier for a beginner than for someone with
an established reputation. Once you're 'good' at something,
people naturally expect a certain level of excellence
with what you do, and the fear of not reaching that
level with some new effort can be paralyzing.

It's vital that we remain committed to doing good work,
but that we also give ourselves the courage (and the time)
to try new things that we might not be so good at in the
beginning. It's not all about being the top at something.
So much of creative fulfillment comes in that journey
of creative exploration, and that state of not knowing
where something is going is a vital part of it.
 
.
.
imagination.jpg





The full quote:

"Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Knowledge is limited; imagination encircles the world."
.
.
.
 
shayla said:
I'm glad to hear that in Laura's
case, her market is supportive of her unique creations.
Click to expand...
I still have my personal stuff.A few items will NEVER leave here...Stuff For mostly my own amusement,odd quirky things that in retrospect seem to be getting lots of attention when I sneak a few out,hmmmm..... L.
 
Shayla,

Your summary said it all. I agree that there are higher expectations from someone who has experience and past customers who know what a great job you can do. I also wanted to add, I feel blessed to have been a long time industry instructor. When you teach, or at least when I do, I try to keep coming up with something new to talk about. When the new stuff is shared, then it makes me stretch further to find more to talk about. Anyone who works at the design counter in a frame shop could use the same philosophy. If you want to keep growing, just tell yourself you have to seek out something new to share with your customers.
 
That's good advice, Greg.

I've been thinking about something else.

It's so easy to become overwhelmed by all the details
of work. To just get so busy that we stop taking time
to come with really good frame designs. I'm not an
amazing framer, like some of the people on here,
but I'm a good basic designer. And I'm thankful to work
at a shop where I'm allowed time to really look at
a piece. Customers come to me because they trust
I'll take time to find the kind of design that makes
their artwork sing. But even so, it gets to be such a
whirlwind of activity, doing everything else, that the
designing can seem almost like an interruption. When
in fact, it's one of the most crucial elements of success
with the job.

Anyone with enough practice and skill can pull a
design rabbit out of their framing hat, even on
a bad day, with a million other things on their mind.
But there's a difference between doing a design
that works fine, and finding the design that looks
just right on a piece. I'm interested in hearing what
others here have to say about how they keep that
balance.
 
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