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WHAT’S NEW? ABOVE: Adair’s
techniques may be time honored, but his designs are often
cutting edge:
(upper left) a deconstructionist
approach is simply to gild the edge of the canvas, shown
on a painting done by Adair himself, Have a cup of coffee
and
see
Mt. Fuji;
(lower left) an example of a floater made for
a Jackson Pollack piece, where the edges of the canvas are
exposed but
protected;
(center left) a frame designed by Washington
Interior Designer Thomas Pheasant uses cut pieces of dowel
with a burnt chalk
finish;
(lower right) a larger
version of the dowel frame done in natural oak;
(center right)
a deconstructionist, environmentally-friendly frame (inspired
by Adair’s daughter’s
concern about recycling) created by gluing off-cut remnants
from other frames to plain board in an interesting pattern;
and
(upper right)
a new Arts and Crafts-inspired design by Adair called, Sea
Fantasy, with a starfish motif. | Selecting the Right Frame
To
select an appropriate frame, first look at the painting itself.
The frame should complement
the work of art’s content, color and texture and should
balance with its scale and proportion. Next consider the painting’s
age. A frame’s profile or shape and ornamentation usually
follow the style and period of the painting.
You also want to
look at the environment in which the art will be placed. Is the
space
traditional or contemporary? What is the ceiling height? Budget,
of course, is a factor. Antique frames can be expensive; period
replicas generally cost much less.
Some clients have clear visions
of what they want; others look to Adair for guidance. Adair presents
frame options based on the painting’s attributes and the
client’s tastes and budget.
Knowing What to Look For
If
you are commissioning a custom frame, it helps to know some basics
about traditional methods and materials.
CONSTRUCTION – A
splined corner joint is more durable than a miter cut reinforced
with glue and nails. Splines are thin strips of hard wood attached
to the back of a frame to keep the corner from opening up.
PREPARATION – To
make a uniform base for gold leaf, the frame maker applies to
the raw wood several layers of gesso, a mixture of glue, traditionally
made from rabbit skins, and chalk. Next the preparer applies
bole,
a fine clay and glue mixture that provides a soft layer between
gesso and gold leaf. Bole color, usually red, provides a warm
undertone for the gold leaf and can be adjusted to be sympathetic
with the
painting’s colors and tone.
GILDING – The quality
of gold leaf is important; ask for 22 or 23 karat. Also, the
traditional
water gilding technique, as opposed to oil gilding, allows more
of the clay color to come through and provides a richer surface
depth and greater brilliance.
A custom frame that complements
a painting will help ensure that you enjoy your investment
for years
to come. ws |
