Sunday

Old Studio Photos



I found and scanned these old print photos recently, they are of my first studio/workshop in Broadway. I think this would be about 2003. The room was for many years a grocery shop and made a really nice framing studio, the old stock rooms out the back were my workshop. The huge frame in these photos was made by a cabinet maker and was brought to me for gilding, it only just fitted through the double doors. I really liked this studio but being in Broadway it was very expensive and really I needed more work space instead of a studio, also as my work was/is predominantly trade based I didn't really need a location with passing trade.

Large Painting


A large painting on board that has been framed in a box frame, with a gap around the inner frame and then another outer box frame.

Oxford Frames



Here is a good selection of antique Oxford frames, the description for this type of frames being:

'A picture-frame the sides of which cross each other and project some distance at the corners' - (Oxford English Dictionary).

An in depth article about these 19th Century frames can be found on the National Portrait Gallery website: Oxford Frames by Jacob Simon.

Wednesday

Finished Gilded and Painted Frame



Broken Rebate


This antique slip (re-gilded at some point with metal leaf) has been damaged during shipping, pressure on the back of the painting has caused the rebate (rabbet) to split. 

Gesso Trays



A couple of tray frames coated with gesso. The inner sections only had 3 coats, but the face and sides had 7. Next comes sanding and smoothing, probably the least enjoyable aspect of making handmade frames.

Tuesday

Round Mirror Frame


This 18th/19th Century round mirror frame had many layers of later applied gilding and paint, here it is being stripped and a more original gold leaf finish will be restored. This is another frame for the Belmont project.

Large Tray Frame


A large tray style frame for a painting on board.

Painted and Gilded Frame Wash




 The next stages for this frame are to have some colour washes on top of the painted middle and side sections. The masking tape is then removed it will then be left to dry overnight. 


Monday

Deep Canvas Tray Frame



Deep canvases are often hung without a frame, which I think is how they are intended to be displayed, sometimes also with the sides painted. But occasionally they need to be framed. Here I am making a tray frame for a deep canvas by using some strip wood for the sides/front, and the back is made from a profile that is usually used as a slip. This frame will be gessoed and the face will be gilded.

Painting a Frame


This frame is just being painted on the middle section and sides. The gilding is burnished on the outer section but the inner part is not burnished. The gilding is masked off while I do the painting.