March Metal Madness!

I have to admit that when I started in this family business a little over 10 years ago, I convinced my new family to allow me to discontinue the display and use of metal frames. They looked so dated to me, with their pastel 80's candy finishes that looked really fake. Sure, we would still be able to carry metal frames and sell them (mostly 1/2 inch plain black to use on posters). But I couldn't see using up valuable wall space to display the neverending examples- every shape in every color! So we pared down.

Imagine my surprise when one of my framing reps urged me to reconsider this decision
last year! Metals have changed big time, and aren't just for posters anymore! The new metals have
the same design elements of their wooden cousins, with some exciting trends in color. Let's take a look!



The basics are still here, of course, but with a better eye to current trends in color. Bold color in excellent finishes that help artwork to pop. Blacks, reds, blues, greens, yellows. Think kids artwork, movie posters, giclee prints and more. Silver, gold and even white, that provide a clean edge to artwork. There are about 20 different shapes available from skinny, flat topped to wide scoops, to lend the right feel to your piece.




Did someone say color? These are the samples that sold me on the whole idea- the Vivids! Fourteen brushed metals that take the colors of green, red, blue, even peach, and electrify them! To the right, we have Tangerine Twist, Tornado Red and Amethyst. I can see these on high gloss prints, photography, and a wide range of prints featuring bright colors and high contrast. I thought in the beginning that these might be a harder sell- I was wrong! These metals have been the most popular since they came in last summer!


Another thing I never liked about metals, they couldn't add any texture to the framing, unless
you consider a brushed finish texture. Well, that's another big change! Here are two examples of how texture has made an appearance. To the left, we see the Forged finish. It's metal- a hammered finish like this is a no-brainer! Another easy leap is the Natural Elements line, because metals like bronze, copper, nickel and iron are just that, after all. The Natural Elements line has a very organic finish- not glossy at all, with great depth in color. In keeping with the metal theme of these lines, they are kept in those natural colors only.

But even with all that, there was still one drawback of metal frames in my mind. Metal frames traditionally did not offer any styling or archival features that made them appropriate for use on more traditional works, like watercolors, pencil drawings, photographic prints, and more.

Enter the Gilded line. This is our choice for framing more valuable artwork, memories or keepsakes and utilize the strength of aluminum. In classic thin styles, with traditional elements like a red-rubbed gold, or a black with red edges, and decorative elements, these frames marry "old" design with new technology. They are the only metal frames that can accept a dust cover, ensuring the archival protection for these works!

There is more in store in metals- embossed finishes, decorative elements, duotones. Visit me to explore the options- and for March Metal Madness, we will take 25% off your order!

For the Birds

This framing project, for a four color screenprint, was a gift for Jan's daughter. This print measured 11 1/2" x 24", a substantial size that would be a prominent piece in her apartment in the city. The blacks in this print were more of a deep charcoal gray, and the vermilion and goldenrod colored blossoms among the tree branches were a nice contrast to the darker color. Overall, my impression of the print was a hip, urban sophistication mixed with an appreciation of beauty in nature.

The design for this frame would have to convey these ideas as well, while (as always) complementing the imagery. We first tried black matting, but it really looked boring- too matchy, and it made our eyes go right from the mat to the birds, ignoring the lovely background colors. Switching to a complementary brown, Crescent's Sepia, made the birds stand out while also helping the background have a voice. It works because the brown mat has a red tone like the vermilion. We added a second mat in Artique's Canyon- a golden yellow color that picked up the yellow blossoms perfectly. We left some of the white paper showing to break up all that color so it wouldn't look, well, confusing! The result was a muted palette that felt trendy, urban, but would stand the test of time.

A black frame would do the same thing black matting had done. We needed to continue the color scheme of the matting while repeating the darkness a little. We also wanted to make sure the frame had that marriage of rustic and urban we were reaching for. As a bonus, the frame we chose worked wonderfully in Jan's budget, because it is an economical choice! We went for Framerica's Bonanza Wood line in Espresso Walnut. Bonanza Wood is a line of pressed wood (mdf) frames wrapped in printed "paper" (it kind of feels like wallpaper- a little bit of vinyl in the finish.) I can't explain it, but that actually echoed the finish of the ink on the paper! "Real" wood looked too rustic and too real! The very subtle print on the Espresso Walnut has some semblance of grain in it, which tied into the grain marks of the image. A simple one and a half wide, flat profile kept all the interest in the image itself, where we wanted it, and the color went a little darker than the sepia mat, tying all the colors in the project together. Jan was completely pleased with the final product, and it was another one of those jobs that I wish I had a copy of for myself!

Celebrate the Love

We had so much fun getting ready for Valentine's Day this year! We have a small collection of vintage Valentine cards, and we decided it was time to show them off! These are all available for sale, a truly unique and thoughtful gift for your loved one this weekend or any time of year!


This vintage card was showing some wear and tear, so we separated the best components of it for framing. The rose and two hearts are floating on the bottom mat, and a second mat in the same color adds some depth. A painted bevel on that top mat was too thin to do it justice, so we got creative with some gold ribbon. Larson Juhl's Nouveau in gold floral was the perfect frame to tie the whole project together. The finished frame measures 10 1/2 x14.



With Love and Kindest Regards! Isn't that a sweet Vintage Valentine? The card itself measures just 2 1/2 inches tall, so it needed some dramatic framing to showcase it. We started by again floating it on the background mat and adding a second mat in the same color. This is always a good treatment for items that have uneven or interesting edges you want to show. We added depth to the look by putting a spacer between the two mats. See the shadow just under the card? That helps add some drama. A heavy top mat and a beautiful antique looking frame (yes, Larson Juhl again, their Bolshoi in green) do the trick as well. I like the more delicate (and worn) touches in the beading and the outer edge of the frame. This finished frame measures about 9x11.



Ok, so it's not a Valentine per se, but this antique print was a great addition to the group, with it's lovers strolling down the lane. I instantly went to the Biltmore line; I think the pattern in this frame reminded me of little swirls of leaves blowing around in the fall on that lane and lent a sense of romance. I knew that I would want to use the Biltmore gold fillet too, so all that we needed to do was pick the matting color. The top mat is Bainbridge's Sonora, a nice muted taupe color. The fillet got lost against the print, so we added a second mat, Crescent's Suntan. This final project measures 24x29, and would be a wonderful addition to any home any time of year.

The card that started it all! Valentines Cards used to be so elaborate! This "pop-up" card measures about 9" tall, and everything you see from the girl on down folds up under a flap. The image in the top right corner is from the outside of that flap; it was an easy task to reproduce it to be able to show it. With the flap open, the card is about three inches deep, from back to front, so we had to use a four inch deep shadowbox. The inside sides of the frame are lined in the same blue as the top mat, which sits back about three inches from the glass. Many framers boast that they can custom cut mats, and it is easier these days with a computer controlled mat cutter. But the beauty of being a third generation framer is that we know how to cut mats like this in special shapes, by hand like the traditional framers did. We added a spacer between the blue and the gold mats, to help fill the space in that deep frame. This final project measures 19x15, and is suitable for wall hanging or standing on a shelf or table.

Maybe your special someone will present a truly unique Valentine this year. Why not make it an heirloom and bring it to Gould Frame for custom framing! Happy Valentine's Day!