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Woodworks by John

Woodworks by John

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
Joined
Jul 4, 2000
Posts
348
Loc
North Las Vegas, NV
Business
Retired, work from home shop
I like experimenting with frame ideas but they may not always be the best so ....... could you give me your thougths on this? Found this linear design in a book by Lora Irish and it caught my eye. Part of its appeal is the over/under carving which I like to challenge myself with so I wondered how it would look on a floater style frame. Not sure if it pulls too much attention to the frame since usually a floater is understated and quiet -- it would need the right kind of painting. I applied a red burnisher/sealer and on one leg it's been rubbed back to reveal it under the black, the other is left black and the lowered down sections are smoother.
Anyway, just curious as to what other's on the Grumble thinks of this, thanks -- John
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I like it.
Not sure if it's better for a Floater or basic frame style.
 
Whether or not a floater frame is appropriate for the art is more how the edges of the canvas are treated than anything else.
Floaters serve two purposes. One is their inherent minimalism as an improvement on slat frames on college projects, and the other is to see 100% of the canvas surface.
The latter you can't do anything about, but minimal can be dodged as needed.
It's a frame. Does it compliment the art or not?

Nice finishes btw. Dutch black/red is one of my favorites, and one of the only that I have attempted successfully.
 
Usually, I'd say that it's too busy for a float frame.
But, given your skill at complementing your wife's artwork, it will likely be fine.
I always love seeing what you come up with.
 
wpfay said:
Whether or not a floater frame is appropriate for the art is more how the edges of the canvas are treated than anything else.
Floaters serve two purposes. One is their inherent minimalism as an improvement on slat frames on college projects, and the other is to see 100% of the canvas surface.
The latter you can't do anything about, but minimal can be dodged as needed.
It's a frame. Does it compliment the art or not?

Nice finishes btw. Dutch black/red is one of my favorites, and one of the only that I have attempted successfully.
Click to expand...
I like the black/red too. I use Japan black and then Liberon wax and either cotton balls or nylon scrubbies to reveal the base coat. Kind of tempermental and easy to go too far. If you ever try that it's wise to make some sample pieces to experiment with before doing the frame.
 
I like the design and the finish.
We do tons of floaters and I agree that the frame needs the right painting, but it would look excellent with the right combination. (Western, Industrial...:cool:)
With the right painting it could become a part of the painting without drawing your eyes to the frame over the canvas.
Of course, the matched closed corner looks great. :thumbsup:
 
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For a floater, I prefer the restrained elegance of the smoother, non-rubbed finish - blends in from a distance but reveals itself upon closer inspection.
 
neilframer said:
I like the design and the finish.
We do tons of floaters and I agree that the frame needs the right painting, but it would look excellent with the right combination. (Western, Industrial...:cool:)
With the right painting it could become a part of the painting without drawing your eyes to the frame over the canvas.
Of course, the matched closed corner looks great. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Thanks Neil, milling my own profiles so always do closed corner; agree with you on the industrial look and needing the right painting.
 
I see your design as a great option. You could create a second version with a more narrow "wall" but most importantly, it is nice to always see some floater frame options that have a little character and add some presentation options when selecting an appropriate moulding.

We already have a gazillion plain options from multiple firms with finish, shine and depth. We're often trying to raise the consciousness of our consumers to appreciate the value of presentation... Having an option like this takes them out of the plain, simple and cheap mode. 🤔
 
John Ranes II CPF GCF said:
Having an option like this takes them out of the plain, simple and cheap mode.
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Many people think floaters will be cheap because of the association with the old lath frame approach. I have to explain they are pricey because it takes a lot of work to make it look so simple.
:popc: Rick

I like the look of this a lot. I have a few samples of floaters that are more visually interesting than just an L shape, and people are pleasantly surprised to see them. Nice carving detail and finish on this.
 
Thanks Rick,here's another example I've done for a floater using a 3/4" radius bit. Finished with paint and silver leaf ( imitation), also experimented with some carving. Why follow the crowd ??
 

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Woodworks by John said:
Thanks Rick,here's another example I've done for a floater using a 3/4" radius bit. Finished with paint and silver leaf ( imitation), also experimented with some carving. Why follow the crowd ??
Click to expand...
I always hated floaters.

In my experience the customers, particularly artists, who wanted them prioritised "cheap" over any other considerations and trotted out the old "I don't want the frame to take away from the artwork" excuse. The problem with that is that, done properly, floaters are tricky and labour intensive. Charge enough for the time involved and the cheaper moulding suddenly gives the customer a heart attack. As Pamela Stephenson once said of her wardrobe choices "It costs a lot to look this cheap".

I definitely like your idea of trying to add some interest to these bland and uninteresting frames but I fear that the people who go for the minimalistic look won't be persuaded, especially if you charge appropriately for them.
 
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