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French matting

J

J Phipps TN

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Jul 14, 2004
Posts
1,423
From
Kingsport TN
Does anyone out there know of any classes for french matting. I will be in Atlanta in Sept. but didn't see any listed? Would New York have any?
shrug.gif
 
Mon Dieu!
Zis is an outrage!
I demands sateesfaction!
En guardè!

… Oops, je surrender!
 
/\ is it friday already? /\ BRB I think the chopper and underpinner is fighting again.
 
Yes, Mr/Ms Phipps, from one Tennessean to another, welcome to the grumble. Never a dull moment!

Betty
 
I didn't notice that this was your first post. Boy were we kind of rude! Welcome to the grumble.
 
Never make your very first Grumble post late on a Friday afternoon if you're hoping for serious responses.

No rudeness intended. Welcome to The Grumble.

I hope you're not French.
 
Ron,
That wasn't rude and I appreciate the advice. I'm still learning about this new web site. So far I really love it. I've always wanted to talk to other people in our field, but all of the framers around here consider everyone thier competitor,which I understand,. Still it would be nice to have someone who understands what dry mount means and how frustrating cutting a 14 opening mat can be.(as you can tell I don't have a computerized mat cutter yet).
I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone.

JPhipps (Jennifer)
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Oh, sorry Jennifer.

Welcome to the Grumble … yada, yada, yada.

Didn’t mean to be rude,

<font face=palatino size=1> … but Ron started it!</font>
 
Bill, I don't think it was so much rude as impertinent. After all, we didn't insult Jennifer - just the French.

I tried to maker amends by eating some of their fries last night with my fish, but I'm not sure anyone noticed.

Nicely done with the small font size, BTW.
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Welcome to The Grumble Jennifer.

You're right about it being nice to be able to talk to people who understand and sometimes even sympathize.

NB: I didn't start it and it's not my fault.

Kit
 
Jennifer! It's nice to have a name (and gender) to talk to. If you are coming down I-40 toward Knoxville and have time, give me a call. You're welcome to stop by. Our shop is about 4 miles off the interstate and located on our farm.

Yeah, I have "competitors" as well, but I wouldn't mind talking and sharing with them. By the way, do you belong to the PPFA? We're planning a meeting in Ky on September 20th.

Again, welcome. I'm not near the framer that most everybody else is, so I can't help much with the French matting, but I looooove marketing!

Betty
 
Hi Everyone. Back to the french matting class question...thanks for the referral, Cliff. I used to offer private workshops for a few framers at a time, but that proved to be impractical logistically. Also not very cost effective for the students.

Perhaps you all could put a bug in the ear of the show organizers if this is a class you'd like to see more often. I'd love to do it.

In the meantime, I'm happy to answer any french matting questions here and on HH.
 
Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to this post,But I do appreciate all of the advise.
And Maria, It would be great if Atlanta had some french matting classes. I would be the first to sign up. In the mean time do you have any samples that you send out for my customers to be able to order from?
By the way, Your Web site is great.
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Thanks for the website feedback. It will be updated shortly to include some articles I've written on techniques and some other goodies...so check back again.

Yes, I can send out a package of samples and info. E-mail me privately with your info.

Sadly, I won't be in Atlanta this year. Happily I'll be in Greece! But I'm working on setting up some french matting workshops in the future...will keep you posted.
 
Hey Wis. gang, how about bringing Maria in for one of our meetings next year?

Betty, I'll be in TN the week before your meeting. Too bad I'll miss it though. Will try to look you up on our way through. Going to Gatlinburg via Sparta (relatives).

Ron, I'll check the roadsides for that hubcap.

Amy McCray
Hickory Hollow Framery
 
Ursala Hobson of Philadelphia made a French Mat video quite a while ago. I bet that it is still available at one of the framing bookstores-like PPFA or Decor. Many, many, years ago she gave a seminar for the Delaware Chapter of PPFA and was so inspiring.

Susan Gittlen CPF
Whispering Woods Gallery
Holland PA
 
Also check the PPFA bookstore, (the advantage of being a member) there are a couple of books on french mats. Really there not as hard as some think. Order you a really good ruling pen from either United or other distributor, stay away from the less than $10 pens and the mat majic ink is a fairly inexpensive way to practice.

Then when you have an hour to play, start practicing on scrap matboard (not like we don't have any)by lightly drawing with a pencil some straight lines, load the pen with ink and practice. The one thing you want to watch out for is your starting and stopping points. But I'm sure when you receive your goody pack from Maria you'll understand more about this.

See you in Atlanta,
Roxanne
Langley House Gallery
 
Roxanne, I use a straight pin to just barly ***** a hole at the corner of the lines. Put a post-it note on the diagonal line of holes. Then start and finish your lines on the post-it notes.
I do all of the vertical lines first, let it dry, move the post-its and draw the horizontal lines.
 
Just in case your wondering the ***** is P R I C K
 
Actually Dave my brain must be working this morning and I knew what the *** was. Scary thought isn't it.

The post-its are a great safety back-up. Many moons ago when we had the Decor ABC shows in Dallas I was taught how to correct a corner that the ink went a smidgeon too far. The only problem was that I was never 100% happy having this small little top layer of matboard missing. Customer would probally never notice it but my eye would go to it everytime.

Roxanne
 
I'm doing more of these as the interest in vintage prints has increased.
I bought a used Mat Magic set from another local framer a while back...he just never had any demand...and have branched out from there.
A good place to pick up decent ruling pens is on eBay. Some of the older German brands are good, and if you can pick up one of the offset style pens your life will be much easier.
The post-it note sure has proved to be a versatile product in our business. I use them on my marking gage to register the pinpricks in the corners. Another product that uses the same wax based adhesive is Easy-Mask masking tape. I use it when doing a watercolor panel because there is much less of a chance of damaging the surface paper of the mat...just heat it slightly with a blow dryer and peel off.

It would be great to have a class at the DecorExpo in Atlanta.
 
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