To frame or not to frame?

BigDoor

Grumbler
Joined
Jun 7, 2004
Posts
32
Loc
Canada\'s west coast
I'm creating a line of framed art prints for the retail market and I just had my local framer quote me on some types that I picked out along with matte, glass, etc.

I know I have expensive taste but these frames weren't overly large but they were in price. Is there any suppliers that carry high end frames or other options that I could frame my artwork in that won't cost an arm and a leg? Should I go with pre-made? or custom? I've looked at the suppliers of dollar stores but they are really cheap and not very good quality. The artwork is highend and so are the retail outlets. I wonder if it's worth offering a line of framed prints at all? Any opinions?


I'm I asking a lot? If you have suggestions I'd really appreciate them. Thanks in advance.

www.bigdoorart.com
 
I may be prejudiced, but I truly believe you get what you pay for. Custom framing looks like custom and will last, if done well.

Your framing choice should always flatter your work.

But you are not sure if you should even offer your prints framed or not? What say the stores who will take your work. In galleries, they often split the price of framing.

So depending on where your art work goes, some clients like to choose their own. I think you need to have a handle on who your art buying customer is.

hope this helps...Frop
 
Your local framer may not be in the wholesale framing business.
There are less expensive lines, but in general you get what you pay for. "High end" and "arm and a leg" are often inseparable. Perhaps what you want is "what passes for high end" rather than the real stuff.
Check out who you competition is and see how they get their price structure so low. My guess is that they bring the framing in house and buy huge volumes of products to get their best pricing. When you got the price from the framer was it for one or for 500?
 
Originally posted by BigDoor:
Is there any suppliers that carry high end frames or other options that I could frame my artwork in that won't cost an arm and a leg?

I'm I asking a lot?
If you want high end, you have to pay high end prices.

-Mike.
 
I would be MAD if I purchased a pricey piece of artwork only to find out the artist was too cheap to frame it properly and I ended up with a piece of acid-stained, U-V faded garbage that I could not display. You could bet that artist would not see another dime of my money!

You're a "high-end" artist and you shopped for framing in a dollar store? :rolleyes:
 
Size, BigDoor, doesn't always equate to price, particularly on upper end mouldings. If you are going to offer your customers a high quality product you will need to follow through and not sacrifice on the frame moulding. Trust me, many of your retailers have seen them all and they will spot a "cheapie" that is being passed off as a quality frame in a heartbeat.

Regarding "an arm and a leg", I am curious as to what these 2 appendages are going for nowdays?? Is it like cheese, cheap in Wisconsin, higher than the udders on tall cows down in Florida??

I would suggest that, if you want to test the waters, do a few examples in the good stuff and show them to your prospective customers. Get some feedback from them. Maybe have a few medium priced pieces built to use for backup. But, go cheap, expect cheap in return.

Framerguy
 
Did you get pricing for singles or multiples?
Do you and/or the framer know what kind of (potential) volume this might produce?
Is the framer knowledgeable enough to ask for better pricing deals on quantity purchases?

There are LOTS of choices, but generally high end look = high end price. Gold paint vs gold leaf; good wood vs scrap lumber; consistency of finish -- all affect the price.

Roma Moulding offers the Affordable Solutions line - usually well priced AND nice looks. When bidding on large commercial jobs we use this line frequently.
Here's an example: We're completing a job this week for about 60 pieces. By getting joins (at chop price), we cut our labor on each piece a little bit. On another moulding for the same job we bought 400' when we only needed 250 and saved $1/foot. On large jobs like yours sounds these can make the difference on the per price piece.
By asking for discounts from our vendors we were able to maintain an acceptable COG AND give the customer a fair price.

BTW we're a long way from the west coast of Canada, but we'll bid on it if you'll pay shipping... :D
 
Back
Top