How To Make A Picture Frame Sitemap

PREFACE - While some new materials are available and techniques are somewhat improved, all the various operations of picture framing are still done in basically the same way. Picture framing is still a hand operation and is likely to remain so.

For this reason, the text itself has not been changed because the basic methods involved remain the same. As is well known, fashions in picture frames may change but genuine style is the ideal to strive for. It is difficult to err on the side of simplicity.

1. PICTURE FRAMES - The picture frame, as it ex­ists today, is derived from the doorway or entrance to temples, palaces and cathedrals. From a functional viewpoint, it might have been more practical to place doors at the sides of these buildings, but the impor­tance of the door framing an impressive picture of the interior was never overlooked.

2. TOOLS - While good taste is to be ob­served in all the stages of picture framing, good crafts­manship is the first requirement when working with tools and actually making the frame. Time spent in sound construction will not only reduce the necessity for repairs, but will help develop the beginner's skill and speed. It takes but a few minutes longer to make a strong joint than it does a poor one.

3. MOLDINGS - A MOLDING IS A BREAK in a flat surface designed to form an accent by catching light and shade. The various basic shapes of Moldings and their technical names are shown herewith. All Moldings, however, can be classified broadly into three categories: Flat or angular, single-curved and compound. The last named may be a combination of two different curves or of curves and angles to­gether. These combinations make possible very in­volved and complex molding designs.

4. MITER CUTTING - To  TEACH  THE  USE  of Wood-working tools or any mechanical process without an actual demonstration involves many words. While the following has been made as concise as possible, repetition of rules may be found. Wherever it does occur it is because certain simple practices to produce good work are overlooked only too often.

5. JOINING - Three things distinguish the well-made frame from the careless job. First, the sides are cut exactly the same length so that after the frame is joined, each corner will make a true square. Second, the miters must be cut at a perfect angle of 450 and be absolutely vertical or 900 to the length and thirdly, there must be perfect joining; the miters must meet with no projecting edges. With constant attention to these three requirements the beginner will find it easier to produce good frames.

6. INSERTS - Inserts are frames within frames. They are used either to make the molding appear heavier and wider, to form a decorative border next to the picture or to reduce the size of larger frames to fit smaller pictures. With ingenuity, an insert can be fitted to a frame which, because of its size and shape, seemed impossible for use with a particular picture. Several methods of making, cover­ing and finishing inserts are described in the fol­lowing

7. FINISHES - At first glance, this section may appear considerably extended in relation to the rest of die book. It is detailed because it is the finish which will ultimately make or break the frame. No matter how well constructed, designed or decorated a frame may be, an inharmonious finish will ruin the final effect.

8. DECORATIONS - REFERENCE HAS BEEN MADE concerning the decoration of frames by using the seven basic motifs of design alone or in combination as outlined in the book A Method for Creative Design by Adolfo Best-Maugard.

It is the purpose of this section to point the way toward the simple decoration of frames so that the beginner can exercise his own ingenuity and taste. It would be only too easy to present a set of patterns and rigid formulas to be used for the decoration and fin­ishing of picture frames. The beginner in frame-making will do well to learn first how to finish frames so that they harmonize with the pictures and only later consider the problem of carved decoration.

9. REPAIRING - When a frame needs exten­sive repairing or touching up, it is usually both quicker and more satisfactory to refinish it completely after repairs have been made. Minor repairs, however, can be made successfully without too much effort and without re-finishing the entire frame.

10. MATS - Mats, as distinguished from mounts, are flat pieces of cardboard or other material that have an opening or "window" cut in them to reveal that part of a picture it is wished to show and to help in isolating it from a background. They may be in any color, plain, decorated or covered with some material such as cloth or paper.

11. MOUNTING - Mounting, as differentiated from matting, means the adhering of a picture to a backing. It is extensively used whenever the operation will not destroy any of the intrinsic value of the pic­ture. For example, all prints which have a plate mark showing or those which are hand-printed such as wood-cuts or engravings would lose in value if they were mounted. However, water-colors or sketches and paintings on paper as well as drawings can be mounted and will be the better for it because they will not buckle after framing.

12. PASSE-PARTOUT - A very useful, though more or less limited and temporary method of framing a picture is by the use of passe-partout, or binding the edges with paper or cloth. It is especially well suited to small pictures and will last a considerable time if correctly applied.

13. GLASS-CUTTING - The primary requirement for accurate glass cutting is a smooth, clean working surface. It must be smooth because any irregularities may cause breakage through uneven pressure when cutting. It must be clean so that the glass will not be scratched if it is shifted. Flaws in the glass such as air bubbles are bad enough but scratches show up as black lines if a light mat is used. As suggested in the section on assembling, a large, sturdy bench is essen­tial which can be covered with heavy wrapping paper or sheets of cardboard kept aside for the purpose. The cardboard can be used over and over again.

14. ASSEMBLING - Assembling (or fitting) is the final operation of fastening the picture in the finished frame, applying the backing paper and attaching the hanging material. This part of picture framing also requires the utmost cleanliness and careful workman­ship. A badly assembled picture, no matter how care­fully the component parts may have been executed will present a sloppy appearance in a short time. It will admit dust, become loose in the frame and event­ually "go to pieces". On the other hand, a well-assembled picture will actually reinforce the frame and maintain its fine appearance for many years.

15. EXPERIMENTAL FRAMES - The best of contemporary de­sign does not attempt to break away completely from the past to create something merely for the sake of originality or newness.It attempts to utilize the best of what has gone before with the much wider range of materials available today and, in a creative spirit, to adapt the design to the needs of modern living. Louis Sullivan said "form follows function". Before we can decide on the form of the frame we must de­cide its function for the picture and the room in which it is to hang. It is always the first consideration of sound contemporary design in all fields.

16. NOTES - Asmall, efficient and inex­pensive MITER VISE for joining frames is now avail­able. It will hold any average size molding securely for fastening and is especially useful for very small frames.

An automatic POINT-SETTER works like a staple gun. It drives diamond-shaped POINTS and makes the work of assembling pictures quick and easy. The point is driven half its length into the molding. The tool comes in two sizes and its trade name is "Point-master.”

17. SOURCES - Since large quantities of materials are not generally needed in picture framing work, except for a few highly specialized items, all sup­plies can be purchased economically in retail stores. For this reason, only general classifications have been made. Some materials are sold under various trade names but are often made by the same manufacturer; it is difficult to detect any difference among them ex­cept price. If the retail stores in your locality do not handle a particular item, write to supply houses in large cities.

THE END