Things about Frames

I treat my art as a business, so I keep records of my expenses and sales.  Frames represent about 50% of my yearly expenses.  This has been consistent for at least the last 4 or 5 years.  That was when I decided that my work deserved more than just a cheap frame.  I do not make the frames but I do install my panels and canvases myself which eliminates some of the expense.  I have found a number of good websites that carry quality frames that cost much less than those from custom frame shops.  I have my favorites from each company.

My "go to" company is Florida Frames.  This is a small business.  A human always answers the phone- no phone tree.  It is actually easier to order over the phone than via the website.  They will send free samples if you aren't sure what you want.  If you find a frame you love from a specific company that isn't in the catalog, they will order it if they do business with that company.  Their prices are very reasonable.  Shipping from Florida to South Carolina is not expensive and is fast.  They also give volume discounts (if you buy 3 that are the same frame and size).  This is not a wholesale business but their prices are just as good.  My most used frame is #1100, made by Juhl Larson.  Here it is-

The lip is a warmish silver, kind of like pewter and it goes with just about everything.

I like several frames on Pictureframes.com  They carry a rustic plein air frame, perfect for beach/rural scenes.  I use it in black-

 

I also like their slim light weight floater frame for larger pieces.  The silver version is very nice, not too shiny, and I have also used the gold.  Very economical for large pieces and they add very little weight.   Each comes in 2 depths so it is important to measure the depth of your stretched canvas.

This is a 30x40 canvas.  The frame adds almost nothing to the size but gives it a nice finished look.  Click on for a larger view.  This is especially good for large paintings that need to go in tight spaces.

I also love ArtFrames  They have elegant plein air frames of every description and with a variety of finishes.  They are pricier than the other sties I use so I usually buy them for special paintings, mainly those by other artists that I have collected.  Here is a painting by Barbara Jaenicke in one of their frames that was in an American Impressionist Society exhibition-

If you are on the West Coast and plein air frames are your favorite, Kingofframes has beautiful options.  They have recently gone to flat rate shipping on small frames making it more economical than it used to be for Easterners.  I especially like this one-  "Arroyo"

I carry my paintings to shows and exhibit areas on a regular basis, so naturally little accidents happen.  I have found a wonderful product for touching up minor defects.  This is another way to stretch your framing dollars.   Rub 'n Buff comes in a variety of colors including 3 different golds.  Amazon carries these products at a reasonable price and offers some color sets.

I used to pick a frame for each finished painting, and once framed I never changed it. Now I rotate frames almost as often as I grocery shop, which is less than it used to be but still... Doing this is good for frame economy.  That is to say that at any given time I have paintings in frames that I have on display in my studio or plan to exhibit elsewhere, and unframed paintings that can be rotated back into a frame on an as needed basis.  That is why settling on a set number of favorite frames that usually work with my painting style and subject matter allows for maximum flexibility.  If a painting sells online and I don't have a frame for it I will buy a new one, but I always offer the option of buying a painting unframed for a discount.  Collectors sometimes want to pick their own frames. 

If you did not read this previously, here is a related post about framing tips-     

What's on the Back of the Painting 

Of course your can eliminate frame expenses entirely by using gallery wrapped canvases or cradled panels.  This is a nice contemporary look and some collectors prefer it.  I think that my paintings look better framed (and I really hate painting edges!) but many paintings look fine without one.

I hope this has been helpful!