Opinions Wanted Trends In Custom Framing

[thebevelededge]

What are some trends in framing that you think are popular for artists who are looking to sell or compete in juried art shows?

In your galleries, what sells more; a painting/print with a white mat, or a customized colored mat?

As art buyers, are you turned off from a potential purchase of art b/c the framing has been customized with color mats, & decorative/ somewhat detailed/ ornate frames?

 

[Jeff Rodier]

Since most of us are retailers we can tell you what the general public is looking to purchase. 99% of the time if a customer asks for a white mat and black frame the goal is cheap. All of my custom framing is package priced so the frames are all the same price. Once I tell the customer it is all priced the same they drop the black frame sample and choose something they actually like rather than settle for black.

I have over 1,000 artists and photographer customers and most have dropped the black white combo because consumers know the cost of framing. The black and white combo has very little value to the consumer since it comes off as a Wal-Mart frame and is considered a freebie. Most consumers consider the cost of reframing in an appropriate manner and want to pay that much less since it needs reframing before they will be happy hanging the artwork.

Nothing hanging in my store is a simple black frame with a white mat. Occasionally I have somebody ask if something on my walls can be framed in a black frame and white mat. When I tell them it will be the same price they usually tell me they thought the price would be much lower since they have been conditioned to believe that the black and white combo means it should be heavily discounted.

Here's another point for photographers, sign the photo and not the white mat. Several times per month a customer has me change a white mat with a signature on it and they tell me they don't care about the signature. A digital signature on the photos fixes the problem but it needs to be there when the photo is printed to remain in the future.

 

[Joe B]

I agree totally with what Jeff said. My slowest seller is the B&W to the general customer - they can go to WallyWorld or Ms to get a cheap ready made and will not pay my prices for a B&W. Unfortunately many of the Juried shows require black frame white mat. Reason being the promoters of a juried show want all art/photography to be put on the same level for review and not have some art judged differently because of the framing. Plain and simple, sometimes the framing is what makes a carpy piece of art look good or a good piece of art look carpy. Ok, so I guess that makes sense.

When an artist or photographer comes into my shop for framing, but the piece isn't to be displayed in a show, they seem to always pick a different mat and frame combination, generally one that compliments the art and the majority of the time that isn't B&W.

The one exception, in my area of the country, with what Jeff said is the digital signature issue. Most of my customers that pay the higher price to purchase signed art or photography want original signatures and they want those signatures to be seen after the framing is complete. Digital signatures don't make it with my customers. Also, like Jeff said, my customers want the image signed not the mat or white border of the print. Generally they want the white mat remove so the signature is lost. With prints the majority of my customers don't want to see the white border and if the signature is in the border then it will be covered with the mat.

Again this is the perception in my area but I'm sure all parts of the country have differents wants and needs.

Just my $0.02 Joe B

 

[tedh]

.The trend I've been seeing for a while is consumers buying cheap frames from Walmart and asking me to cut a mat to fit the frame and subject.

Our "cheap black frame" is actually Neilsen profile 11, but I get some great plastics for half the cost of the Neilsen,or less, so I try to upsell them.

 

[Dave]

I may be crucified for saying this, but I actually prefer black frames with white mats for b&w photography, albeit I always go for 8 ply mats. I like the gallery look and would frame them this way for my home. I have a client who collects Ansel Adams, Lyne Davis, Imogene Cunnigham and the like and we did go to ebonized walnut cap frames for his collection and I can't imagine another way that I would frame them.

Color photography is different and commands a little more imaginative presentation.

Black frames and white mats are generally a bit less expensive in my shop because I buy boxes of these (along with a few other mouldings) and packages of digital white board and have a cost savings which I pass on to my customers.

We are adding Dr. Seuss art to our gallery and are framing a number of these LE prints in black frames with white 8 ply mats and a number in customized presentations. Geisel's art is hot now and attracts both the print collector market and the general public. It'll be interesting to see what presentation is preferred. I would guess that the print collector would prefer the b&w presentation while those buying for their homes would like a more customized look.

 

[Prospero]

I've never seen a White mat.*

Off White, Snow White, Antique White, Bright White, Polar White, White Ripple, Arctic White, Glacier White,
Soft White, Avalon White, Hot White, Cool White, Smooth White, Dove White, Warm White, Puffy White,
Script White, Egg White......

To name but a few. And the differences can be dramatic on a wide mat.



* I know there is one, but I have never seen it.


Arty societies and colleges tend to like all the students work in white mats for exhibitions. It's like a school uniform. Levels the playing field.

 

[Baer Charlton]

Arty societies and colleges tend to like all the students work in white mats for exhibitions. It's like a school uniform. Levels the playing field.

From my years of dealing with art students/photography students, and more
importantly, their teachers.... it's not the school.

The teachers like an 11x14 image better than an 8x10 because it can't
come out of a simple laserjet or inkjet printer.

The white mat is so they are looking at the same thing consistently,
with only the images changing.

The outside dimensions are set by the teacher, based on how many
students there are, and how long the teachers arm is........ WHA?!?!

True story.... they all want a uniform sized stack to pick up and carry
and they would like it as light as possible.....
hence: 16x20 which with an equal mat results in a 10x14 image....
but fits in a WalMart or Dollar Store frame.....

as for shows..... I have been to several lately where mats and frame
are missing.... the "art" is T-pinned to the walls.

I stood blinking and looking innocent as I asked the student how much
of the image would be lost when I had it 2" thick "Gallery Wrapped" . . .

I could have sworn he gagged. . . the answer is <5x7

 

[Pat Murphey]

I've never seen a White mat.*

Off White, Snow White, Antique White, Bright White, Polar White, White Ripple, Arctic White, Glacier White,
Soft White, Avalon White, Hot White, Cool White, Smooth White, Dove White, Warm White, Puffy White,
Script White, Egg White......

To name but a few. And the differences can be dramatic on a wide mat.



* I know there is one, but I have never seen it...

Crescent 2253, Bainbridge 8634... We have them here in the former Colonies.

 

[Mike Drury]

I agree with you Dave. We frame A LOT of b&w photos and black wood frame and white mats look great on theese. We show many profiles of black, stack them, frame then float them, there are lots of combinations even with the white mats 6,8,12 ply that a creative designer can use to impress clients and by the way, improve the bottom line. Color photos are another story. We like Jeff frame the majority of them in frames other than black. Mike

 

[RParrish]

I may be crucified for saying this, but I actually prefer black frames with white mats for b&w photography, albeit I always go for 8 ply mats. I like the gallery look and would frame them this way for my home. I have a client who collects Ansel Adams, Lyne Davis, Imogene Cunnigham and the like and we did go to ebonized walnut cap frames for his collection and I can't imagine another way that I would frame them.

Color photography is different and commands a little more imaginative presentation.

Black frames and white mats are generally a bit less expensive in my shop because I buy boxes of these (along with a few other mouldings) and packages of digital white board and have a cost savings which I pass on to my customers.

We are adding Dr. Seuss art to our gallery and are framing a number of these LE prints in black frames with white 8 ply mats and a number in customized presentations. Geisel's art is hot now and attracts both the print collector market and the general public. It'll be interesting to see what presentation is preferred. I would guess that the print collector would prefer the b&w presentation while those buying for their homes would like a more customized look.

I agree with Dave for gallery purposed something neutral (and for galley purposes white mat, black frame is neutral) is required, once the work is sold the client can do what they want to it.

 

[Ylva]

It is so different from store to store; we can only tell you what our own experience is....

I sell very few black frames. Even for BW pictures; a lot of times a dark grey works better than a harsh black. But the perception is that it's cheap.

Lately; I've seen more customer asking for white frames...still with colored mats though. The only times I sell 'white' mats is when there is a lot of white in the art itself. I almost always opt for a double mat in that case; it is near impossible to match a white to a white and a double (colored) mat creates a bit of a barrier.

I frame to the art. When someone comes in and asks for a black frame; sure I'll show it to them. Then I ask why they want the black frame and can I show them some other options.
Rarely do I sell the black frame afterwards.

 

[Grey Owl]

Positive trends for wrapped bevels

A trend I'm seeing for younger customers (eg) under 40, is the interest in wrapped bevels. Some framers call them bevel extensions.

I don't know if it is just because I sell them, but I'd say 60% plus of my people photography last year had them. I use them in place of the middle mat in triple mats. I even did one on a three window mat.

 

[wvframer]

Over the last 12 mos. we are selling a lot more black moulding. And it is not the low-end, but the high end black. I don't know what to make of it, but my top 3 sellers are all black and well above my low priced frames. In prior years, since 2006 when I started tracking them, my top ten have all been gold or furniture woods.

And we are doing a lot more oversize work. Paintings, maps, shadowboxes, jerseys with objects, all in the 40 x 60 range.

I am also seeing a lot more customers under 40 which is encouraging.

 

[Prospero]

Crescent 2253, Bainbridge 8634... We have them here in the former Colonies.

Do they look the same?