Spoiled rotten

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B. Newman

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Sep 5, 2001
Posts
4,855
Location
Kodak, Tn. USA
I have done spoiled myself rotten!

A few weeks ago a customer was looking at a small ornate gold frame for a letter written in the 1800's. She really liked the moulding, but needed something a little "browner." So I told her that I'd check and see if it came in an antiqued version.

I checked and checked - but nothing. Finally I said, "Shoot! I'll just antique it myself!" so I wiped a coat of Minwax Special Walnut stain on, and voila! It looked great!
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Already sold it again!

Then today, "man, I really like this frame, but I wish it was.... a.... lit...tle....

Off to the stain table and again looks great.

Then I needed a mat with a little "movement" to the color - out came the acrylics and sploched in some light gray... Man, like I said, I've done spoiled myself.

Where's Cheryl "Queen of the altered finish" Crocker? I wanna do some more!

Anybody know of a good book on this?

Betty
 
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Glad to hear we're not the only ones who do this kind of thing. Acrylic paint, staining wax or stain - whatever it takes to get the right look.

We have one customer now who simply won't buy an "off the wall" custom frame. We end up antiquing everything she buys.

We've got one Nurre moulding that we had to cut a sample of "our" version because we kept selling it.

And we're doing a nice Roma frame tomorrow in a midnight blue wash :cool: because we couldn't get the perfect look with something in a standard finish.

Oh yeah, and they pay for the refinishing, too - minimum charge of half hour labor.

I'd be interested in a book on this stuff, too. Just putting the "custom" back in custom framing, right, Betty?

Tony
 
I'm sure you two must be violating a number of copyright laws.

I keep running across altered corner samples on my wall. They are half original and half something I did to them to experiment.

Unsually I can't remember what.
 
I alter finishes on frames once in awhile. Sometimes to get just the right look and sometimes because the frame comes into the shop looking nothing like the sample!

It's a good skill to practice and it is another way to set myself apart from my competitors.

I have never created a sample of one of my finishes for the sample wall.

"Unsually" I forget stuff too. ;)
 
Deb,

I'm a moderator. I get to make up words.

Sometimes they gain general acceptance.

Unsually they don't.
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Since the vast majority of mouldings on the market
are finished by machines, they have consistant coatings, but will lack the elegance of a well done hand finish. Many can be improved with
added finishing, but one must take care, since
things can go wrong. It is best to work with profiles that is cutting from length, so that
one can practice on the scrap. One material that
works very well is casein. This protein based paint can be found at art supply houses under
the brand name, Shiva. It can be thinned with
water and enough alcohol to make it flow.It produces a beautiful matte finish and it is
used by most high end frame makers in the finishing of their karat gilt frames.

Hugh
 
Thank you so much Hugh. I will get some of that and start experimenting.

Since a lot of my antique work involves matching stains on other pieces of caning, I learned how to mix colors. I also learned a long time ago to write down everything. I've had customers come back years later and ask for the same color. The problem with that is most caning darkens with age, (and especially if there is a smoker in the house - ahem - what does that say about your lungs...) and we must take all that into consideration in color matching.

I've made several extra corner samples. We only do chop right now, so I just ask for some scrap moulding or an extra sample and do each leg a different color.

Betty
 
Moderators have the ability to edit/remove messages from their particular forum and control the content of whats seen. Moderators are the ringleaders for each forum. They get to make up words.
Click to expand...
 
it's in the job description!
 
I was just grouting some tile at home and was wondering if this had some applacation for frame alteration? The stuff is tough to remove once dry and comes in many shades.
 
Re-finishing commercial length mouldings has been going on for as long as I can remember, probably much, much, longer.

Another way to get that flat, dusty look, if you don't have Casein paints, is to mix up a little rottenstone with water & acrylic paints, or just plain rottenstone, water & a little white glue. That is the way I have been doing it for years. I used to be able to get rottenstone in a variety of colors, including white & red, seems all thats available now is grey.

John
 
One of the courses offered at the WCAF was in specialty finishes on leaf moulding. They also delved a bit into altering finishes on metal leaf. Really fascinating. Combining Casein, various dried powders (like rottenstone), shellac, waxes, rabbit skin glue and abrasives, the variations are limitless.
 
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