Frames for Gallery Show?

tron_ · Jun 26, 2015

Hello,

I am going to be throwing a solo exhibition and have about 40 prints I would like to show. Roughly half are 10"x10" and the other half are 8"x10". I prefer a matted frame but alas I need about 40 frames.

Does anyone have an idea how I can go about getting 40 frames the cheapest way possible?

Respectfully,
Suraj

dasBlute · Jun 26, 2015

probably still the build-them-yourself "nielsen frames"

DWThomas · Jun 26, 2015

Faced with this a year or so back, I bought on line from Frame Destination, an APUG advertizer. I didn't do a whole lot of shopping around, as I have bought small quantities from them in the past and found they are quick and good. One definite plus is their acrylic glazing is high quality with a protective film for safe handling. I cut my own mats, so I didn't get into that. I went with a simple matte black sectional aluminum profile.

That show was my first such endeavor and I have to say the cost of mounting it was sobering! I sold a few pieces, plus I typically recycle the frames, so I see the glass half full -- at 74 I now have a lifetime supply of frames!

Anyway, best of luck.

gone · Jun 26, 2015

This is the bane of photography and watercolour/prints. The framing issue. I would seriously think about matting them w/ linen tape and hinge mounting and displaying them w/o the frame and glass or plexi if the gallery is OK w/ that, and they may not be. Or hinge hang them w/ a mat overlaid, and you can buy individual sheets of plexi and clips that go around the edges to display w/o the surrounding frames. I like these a lot. Like #3 here

http://freshome.com/2012/08/22/12-affordable-tricks-to-originally-bring-photography-into-your-home/

I wouldn't necessarily string them on wire like in the photo though. Hang them w/ hangers in the back using a suitable stiff material like masonite for your mount to hang on a gallery wall nail.

If you choose to have someone else cut out and supply the 40 acid free mat boards (I will use nothing but museum quality 100% rag boards), you are looking at serious money. Here's some great info below on the difficulty you have in front of you, and it gives you all the information you need as far as archival issues. I love painting on stretched canvas. You simply hang it on the wall and you're done. A dry mount press would be in my future if I was going to display in more galleries.

http://www.reframingphotography.com/content/mounting-matting-and-framing

David A. Goldfarb · Jun 26, 2015

Thread moved to "Presentation and Marketing"

Rich Ullsmith · Jun 26, 2015

Wow, forty frames/glass/plexi/mats/hardware. . .yikes. I hope you have many elves in your employ.

Consider mounting on matboard, adhere the matboard to fiberboard and hang it that way. Then if a print is purchased, you can still cut a window mat and frame it.

Your sizing makes it a little tougher to do this on the cheap . . .8X10 displays well on 14X18 mounts, but 10X10 would need a step up to something larger. 16X20 is a good standard, but too large for 8X10 imo.

So I am trying to visualize a gallery show of 40 mounts, two different sizes, and possibly different orientations. 40 is a lot.

RobC · Jun 26, 2015

If you frame them with the cheapest frames you can lay your hands on, why would anyone want to pay for cheap looking framing. They are presumably going to want to hang the print in their home. Have you considered that? Poor presentation is a reflection of your professionalism/integrity.

Rather than use cheap framing just hang them with clips and offer framing to the buyers specification or some good looking offering of your own choice. That way you pay nothing upfront and the buyer can frame themselves or you can get those that sell framed and you will have the money to do it with up front.

Of course this assumes the gallery allow you to do that.

Some "open" galleries can/will provide standard frames.

This is what stopped me from doing an exhibition years ago. I rekoned I would need at least 60 prints and cost for framing would be £40-£60 a shot. That's approx £3000 for decent quality framing for a small exhibition. You need to be prapred to pay this if you want prints to sell.

Alternatively you may be able to mount to aluminium and laminate on top which may be cheaper than frames but I've never done that so not to sure about it.

Peltigera · Jun 26, 2015

I would display them in frames - unframed pictures look worse than cheaply framed pictures. I always provide two prices, one framed as displayed and one mounted but not framed so people can frame to suit their homes.

doughowk · Jun 26, 2015

Several years ago I did a 26 print exhibit. Did all the matting and framing myself using a local wholesale supplier (had to get a business license). Making the wood frames was time-consuming but saved me alot of money. You could also use a company such as framing for yourself for the raw materials.
But for sure ease, Frame Destination is a good investment of your valuable time & money.

Btw, where and when for the exhibit? I'm visiting the state shortly.

Bob Carnie · Jun 26, 2015

I rent gallery quality frames with art glass to my clients.. but the OP is quite a distance from me

Basically we have four sizes... 16 x20 20 x24 24 x30 and 36 x48 - currently I have huge stock in Black... but we are currently making Blonde - Maple and Brunette- stain walnut for the 2016 season.

Some of my frames have seen 4 shows since I started this program last October.

DWThomas · Jun 26, 2015

Rich Ullsmith said:
{ . . . }So I am trying to visualize a gallery show of 40 mounts, two different sizes, and possibly different orientations. 40 is a lot.

It's a lot of work, but depending on the size of the prints and the size of the space, not necessarily that large a show. The exhibit I put up in early 2014 had 38 pieces; a few 5x5 in 8x10 frames, a few 5x7 in 9x12 frames, 1 or 2 8x10 horizontal in 14x15 frames and the rest about 10.3 square in 16x20 frames. It was enough for the space, but not crowded (IMHO). Here's a walk-thru of that one major experience. The actual hanging was done by the gallery director, but I did have some input, and we had a number of pieces grouped where they shared a common theme.

There is a gallery in a private high school near me where an art club I belong to holds an open juried show every year. We typically hang about 80 to 90 pieces. That is pushing it, but some pieces may be oils or watercolors in frames 30 to 40 inches wide. Though I might have an inside track, I've avoided applying to do a solo show there because I think 30 or 40 16x20 frames would look lost in the space. (And I'm not really equipped to go another size or two up. (And it's a hell of a lot of work!))

I just looked up my outlay for last year's affair. Bear in mind I had many of my larger pieces already in mats, just needed additional frames. I laid out something over $900 to do the work myself. As of this writing, sales and a couple of awards have recovered about half that, but as I say -- I now have a lifetime supply of frames!

walbergb · Jun 26, 2015

Bob Carnie said:
I rent gallery quality frames with art glass to my clients.. but the OP is quite a distance from me

Basically we have four sizes... 16 x20 20 x24 24 x30 and 36 x48 - currently I have huge stock in Black... but we are currently making Blonde - Maple and Brunette- stain walnut for the 2016 season.

Some of my frames have seen 4 shows since I started this program last October.

Bob, you never cease to amaze me. Brilliant idea.

RobC · Jun 26, 2015

DWThomas said:
I now have a lifetime supply of frames!

LOL, this is something I also considered. What if very little sells, where the hell am I going to store 60 frames that need to be kept in good condition?

cliveh · Jun 26, 2015

tron_ said:
Hello,

I am going to be throwing a solo exhibition and have about 40 prints I would like to show. Roughly half are 10"x10" and the other half are 8"x10". I prefer a matted frame but alas I need about 40 frames.

Does anyone have an idea how I can go about getting 40 frames the cheapest way possible?

Respectfully,
Suraj

Do you need to frame them? I went to a Weegee exhibition in Oxford where the prints were mounted with drawing pins. If your prints are good, they should not need the dressing of a frame. How about hanging them from string with bull dog clips?

Bob Carnie · Jun 26, 2015

well thank you.. this is one idea that is really working.. I am in communication with rental gallery's or gallerys within a 700 mile distance from Toronto , my
goal is to have my clients book space in their gallery cover the month and the gallery takes small commission and helps market the shows.

These frames are critical to this success as it give many opportunities for our artists.

walbergb said:
Bob, you never cease to amaze me. Brilliant idea.

RobC · Jun 26, 2015

even the greats use clips to exhibit images....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek5aT50C514#t=64

tron_ · Jul 6, 2015

Picked up some frames from Framing Destination. I figured it would be an investment worth making!

RalphLambrecht · Jul 6, 2015

tron_ said:
Hello,

I am going to be throwing a solo exhibition and have about 40 prints I would like to show. Roughly half are 10"x10" and the other half are 8"x10". I prefer a matted frame but alas I need about 40 frames.

Does anyone have an idea how I can go about getting 40 frames the cheapest way possible?

Respectfully,
Suraj

Careful with going cheap.acheap display solution can ruin your entire show. A good presentation is key.I'd say Nielsen frames are a good solution.Halbe frames from Germany are better but cost much more.

RalphLambrecht · Jul 6, 2015

RobC said:
even the greats use clips to exhibit images....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek5aT50C514#t=64

The greats can afford it;until we are great,we can't

MartinP · Jul 8, 2015

I did a quick calculation based on shop-bought frames here (with discount) and matting. For all 16" frames size it came to around 1400 euros, though you could probably find a better discount than me. Framing is not low-cost, even when it is 'cheap'.

As a low cost but still presentable option, look at 3mm or 5mm self adhesive foamboard, with the photos flush-mounted to that. These can then be fixed on a white 3mm or 5mm foamboard backing to give a pseudo-matt appearance, possibly you might even like to space the photo away from the backboard by a few mm but that could look rather odd in some lighting. Hanging would be done with a pair self-adhesive eyelets on the backing board and a string between them - the mounts are so light that mounting-wire is unneccesary. Foamboard materials are best bought as large amounts from a specialist, instead of individual sheets from an art-shop.

Bob Carnie's hire-frame idea is an excellent one and I wish him and his exhibitors great success with it.

Jim Jones · Jul 8, 2015

At the local annual arts & crafts fair I cram about 30 photos in 16x20 frames onto my display panels, and offer many more mounted and matted that can be framed on the spot if a buyer wishes. While this won't work in some galleries, perhaps the OP's gallery would be willing to assume the task of framing on demand. Buying frames and pre-cut mats in quantity from Frame Destination saves some money.

Frames for Gallery Show?

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