Photo Collage

[MerpsMom]

I've taken on a large photo wall and need your advice. Client is using a very visible upstairs hall for the project: it's about 18' long. She'll be employing the voguish trick of leaning framed photos of varied sizes on narrow shelves, the shelves themselves being of different lengths. My part comes in when reframing a large collage of about 20 candids all about 3x5 or so with one 5x7 in the center. It depicts Dad/Daughter in very strict order over ten years, and is about 3'x3'. The other one is similar, but new pix from the next ten years. I'll frame it similarly, maybe change the neutral mat color a little. Question is this: is there any way to make this look less like a K-Mart deal (her words). I'm rather locked in with the first collage because of the chronology, so the second would seem to have to be treated in somewhat the same manner. BTW, acid paper mat, single opening, overcuts, bad layout, all describe the old collage. Anything's an improvement. Thanx in advance.

 

[Cookie]

MM - I just did a photo collage and the customer loved it. I mounted the photos onto black core matboards. I then cut around the photos with the mat cutter so the black bevel showed. (conservation was not a major issue in this project) I cut some photos rectangle, some square, some oval. They are then mounted onto a matboard, I arrange them in an interesting way with some overlapping a little on the others, some raised up on foamcore etc. The black core gives a border for each photo and you have great freedom in the arrangement.
You have to use a fairly deep moulding if you raise some of the photos, but it really gives it a nice depth and a great look.

 

[JPete]

Get those creative juices flowing. It will be so much better and you'll get two jobs instead of one. Redo the old.

If the pictures have open spaces do some overlapping with the mat cuts. Do a sample and have her come back and look at how sharp it is and sell her. Wouldn't it be nice if it was as easy as it sounds.

 

[Lance E]

Can you possibly get any objects (jewellery etc.) that are relevant to the people in the pics? This always throws a different look to the old boring K-Mart look.

 

[Scarfinger]

I often ask what is the story that is to be told. I ask what other items or information could be put in the frame so that when someone is viewing it they get more than just a bunch of pictures. Names, places, and dates can be a great idea. We have templates in the computer which allow us to set up text quickly in suitable sizes for mat title openings. We also keep a selection of colored and patterned bond paper ready to print on a lazer printer. Makes for a far classier framing job and often doubles the selling price. It also makes for repeat customers.

 

[Barbara Gough]

You could try clustering the photos to make a few "groupings" within the frame. That, along with small significant items, and/or a few raised or sunken photos would make it interesting. Even though the photos are all about the same size can you crop some so that they are not so uniform in size and shape?