Urban Art Association

Home Framing - A step by step guide to simple framing, by Hubble Bubble on Jan 15, 2016 20:17:40 GMT 1, Greetings all

Pre xmas I put a thread out there for some advice on the Tracey Emin posters I'd bought.  I was looking to frame up all four of them (three 'Heart is with you Always' and one 'Favourite Little Bird').  One each of the 'Hearts' for both daughters and my wife, the 'Bird' for our collection.

Here's the thread

In it, SturbanHasSaggyTits kindly put up a pic of his Emin in a Habitat frame.  It looked terrific.  So with four to do, and them being gifts for the ones I love, I figured I'd have a crack at some home framing.  

Here's the story...

I ordered up the habitat frames.  It took nine frames and three deliveries before four arrived intact (without the glass smashed - see pic below) 



but I persevered (I'm good at that, some call it being stubborn) and was ready for phase two.

SturbanHasSaggyTits had indicated the mount size he had had cut but I wanted to be sure so cut my own out of some art paper (the white 'cut out' on the cardboard below)



Then, I offered it up against the print...




Despite it working for SturbanHasSaggyTits , I wasn't happy that I could guarantee covering up the type at the bottom of both prints and decided to make it slightly larger... so I did another one (this time in black art paper) and offered it up again...



Okay... much happier with that.  So now I knew I could order up a mount that would work on both prints.  Best to check it against both though...



Sweet.  Now we were cooking on gas. I went online and ordered up gummed acid free, archival fixing tape from www.ukpictureframingsupplies.co.uk and ordered the pre cut mounts (acid free) and acid free backing from www.picturegalleryuk.com

Once they'd arrived, I put on my cotton gloves especially purchased for the occasion (really important to avoid damaging prints, but especially these shiny posters)



and went to work on the first one.

First thing to do was centralise the print onto the white backing board...



This is trickier than it looks and it takes repeated placing of the top mount to get the positioning correct.  But once it's in place, it's time to very, very carefully lift the mount and fix the print in place using simple 'T' hinges that touch the artwork as minimally as possible...




Don't worry about the above... the print was straightened before the second hinge went in  .  Use scissors to trim the edge of the hinges and replace the top mount...



Then place the whole kit and caboodle into the frame.  Inevitably, you'll need to do this several times as microscopic dust particles will nestle up against the glass and look like huge dog turds.  It's frustrating but it's the little things that count.  Eventually, it will be finished...



And you can wrap it, ready to be opened on xmas day to (hopefully) joyful delight.  I like to think it's been a way of getting my girls started on their 'art journey' but whatever the truth of the matter, when you see things like this on your daughter's instagram, you know it's been worthwhile...




Total costs were as follows:

4 x Emin signed posters including shipping     £ 221
4 x Habitat Frames (sale price)                      £ 120
1 x pair white cotton gloves (Boots chemist)   £    5 (approx)
1 x roll acid free fixing tape (inc delivery)       £   17
4 x 800 x 600mm acid free backings
4 x 800 x 600mm acid free mounts (cut)        £  71 (includes delivery)

Lots of time                                                  £ donated free of charge 
          
Total for 4 x framed signed Tracey Emin posters  £ 434


So... just thought I'd catalogue that.  It's not quite the home framing that some of our esteemed members like iamzero get up to but, for me, it was a start and something I really enjoyed.  It's not going to stop me going back to Gary and the top framers for my important works but, for stuff like this, it showed me there is another way.  Hopefully, if anyone's thinking along similar lines it will encourage them to give it a go.

cheers

HB

Greetings all

Pre xmas I put a thread out there for some advice on the Tracey Emin posters I'd bought.  I was looking to frame up all four of them (three 'Heart is with you Always' and one 'Favourite Little Bird').  One each of the 'Hearts' for both daughters and my wife, the 'Bird' for our collection.

Here's the thread

In it, SturbanHasSaggyTits kindly put up a pic of his Emin in a Habitat frame.  It looked terrific.  So with four to do, and them being gifts for the ones I love, I figured I'd have a crack at some home framing.  

Here's the story...

I ordered up the habitat frames.  It took nine frames and three deliveries before four arrived intact (without the glass smashed - see pic below) 



but I persevered (I'm good at that, some call it being stubborn) and was ready for phase two.

SturbanHasSaggyTits had indicated the mount size he had had cut but I wanted to be sure so cut my own out of some art paper (the white 'cut out' on the cardboard below)



Then, I offered it up against the print...




Despite it working for SturbanHasSaggyTits , I wasn't happy that I could guarantee covering up the type at the bottom of both prints and decided to make it slightly larger... so I did another one (this time in black art paper) and offered it up again...



Okay... much happier with that.  So now I knew I could order up a mount that would work on both prints.  Best to check it against both though...



Sweet.  Now we were cooking on gas. I went online and ordered up gummed acid free, archival fixing tape from www.ukpictureframingsupplies.co.uk and ordered the pre cut mounts (acid free) and acid free backing from www.picturegalleryuk.com

Once they'd arrived, I put on my cotton gloves especially purchased for the occasion (really important to avoid damaging prints, but especially these shiny posters)



and went to work on the first one.

First thing to do was centralise the print onto the white backing board...



This is trickier than it looks and it takes repeated placing of the top mount to get the positioning correct.  But once it's in place, it's time to very, very carefully lift the mount and fix the print in place using simple 'T' hinges that touch the artwork as minimally as possible...




Don't worry about the above... the print was straightened before the second hinge went in  .  Use scissors to trim the edge of the hinges and replace the top mount...



Then place the whole kit and caboodle into the frame.  Inevitably, you'll need to do this several times as microscopic dust particles will nestle up against the glass and look like huge dog turds.  It's frustrating but it's the little things that count.  Eventually, it will be finished...



And you can wrap it, ready to be opened on xmas day to (hopefully) joyful delight.  I like to think it's been a way of getting my girls started on their 'art journey' but whatever the truth of the matter, when you see things like this on your daughter's instagram, you know it's been worthwhile...




Total costs were as follows:

4 x Emin signed posters including shipping     £ 221
4 x Habitat Frames (sale price)                      £ 120
1 x pair white cotton gloves (Boots chemist)   £    5 (approx)
1 x roll acid free fixing tape (inc delivery)       £   17
4 x 800 x 600mm acid free backings
4 x 800 x 600mm acid free mounts (cut)        £  71 (includes delivery)

Lots of time                                                  £ donated free of charge 
          
Total for 4 x framed signed Tracey Emin posters  £ 434


So... just thought I'd catalogue that.  It's not quite the home framing that some of our esteemed members like iamzero get up to but, for me, it was a start and something I really enjoyed.  It's not going to stop me going back to Gary and the top framers for my important works but, for stuff like this, it showed me there is another way.  Hopefully, if anyone's thinking along similar lines it will encourage them to give it a go.

cheers

HB