Skilled XS vs. Not-So-Skilled XS

Taste is important, and I think that one has to trust ones own instincts. I bought a lovely seascape at a silent auction that was matted in beige and very simply framed. I took it to my framer and picked out a double mat that picked up the purples and pinks of the sunset and a simple gold and silver toned frame about 2 inches wide. When I picked it up, the framer said that he'd thought my mat colors were crazy but he was very impressed by how it had turned out. He thought the mat really set the picture off nicely.

Of course, not everybody wants pink mats on their pictures... but this hangs in a medium blue room and is quite nice, although not as nice as when it hung in my greenish diningroom.

Elizabeth

All this talk about mats and frames made me look at the stuff on the walls in my living room. I was very surprised to note that all the bigger pieces are framed in some sort of gold or silvery frame. Nothing with a lot of carving except for a needlepoint that's done in a gold leaf bamboo. All the other needlework is framed in black.

I guess I don't really look at those things when I'm in the room and just take them for granted.

Lucille

It depends on the framer's own color sense.

We just discussed at EGA last month that the guy I use is one of the best in town. I try to go when the father is in, because the son seemingly has no clue; I wanted an olive green mat to match some of the stitching and he came up with screaming lime that didn't match anything in the picture, then I even pointed to the mahogany stitching I wanted the frame to match and he pulled down a black frame.

Yikes. Of course, there is the little issue of everyone not seeing color the same way - perception, rods & cones, etc. But, this sounds pretty yucky

- hope the customer is happy.

Yeah, yeah - I get it. As I wait to hear back from the results of the last

2 "in-person" interviews, and do laundry to go to a thrilling "Engineering/Sciencce/Tech" & "Health Careers" (2 paviliions) job fair - at a Ritz-Carlton - no less. What fun.

ellice

It's more than diplomacy. When you work in retail, and in something that involves people's personal tastes, knowing your customers is really important - for repeats. If you've never seen a customer before - you can certainly try to guide them - as often in a framers they'll start by telling you their thoughts, then you have to show them selections of moldings that may suit, and winnow that down - following the clues you get from them - which aren't always apparent. Same with showing selections of mats. But, there are people that if they say "no - that's not what I'm thinking of" - you better follow that and shift gears. Because some people really do have strong ideas - whether you like them or not, think they clash, don't work, - and that's what they want. And, especially, once they've made a choice - no matter if you think an alternative was much more suitable - you had best just say "OK" and confirm it - without rolling your eyes, or asking again "are you sure" - because that can just piss them off - and they will walk out.

Framers may have regular customers that always do something the framer may think isn't good - but will execute it well - and that's that. When I first started working at my friends LNS/framing place - she'd give me a nudge at times - to "just let it go" or not even try to move some regular out of their box of pre-selected ideas. She knows her customers.

OTOH, some people, indeed, by judiciously showing them an alternative, and just saying "well, I was looking at this and this combination crossed my mind - how do you like it as an option" will look again, and maybe let you guide them into a better choice. Some, you can even say - well, if you look at this molding/mat....the color, or carving, or fill in the blank picks up that stitch or accent color or conversely tell them it dulls, etc. But there are indeed many people that it's best to just say, "OK - we'll take care of that" - the same as people don't want their stitching critiqued, many don't want their taste in framing or art or anything else critiqued.

That's a standard technique - put alternates at opposite corners, and then you should also rotate them - so you see them by each end of the piece to be framed. Also, that should be done with the molding corner samples. Just like getting your eyes checkec "1 or 2?" and winnow down the choices.

ellice

Just glad I wasn't the one who waited on her. Or did the pick up. I'd have had a hard time trying not to steer her differently.

Some times we all discuss why something doesn't work - just as an exercise in framing. And why some unexpected things work - color theory and all that.

I know you do - it's resume day out day here too. No local job fairs scheduled except at head hunters until cooler weather.

Cheryl

Exactly.

I'm one of those who has trouble deciding on how I want something framed. Luckily I've had wonderful framers who have been able to suggest things. For instance, I did TW's Tempest. I'm not a great one for orange and purple, so I gave it to my framer and said, "You choose." She put a fairly wide greyish purple mat (with a fine line cut into it so it almost looks like two mats) and an orange stained simple wood frame. Absolutely perfect - and something I would never in a lifetime come up with.

The only thing I can do is to recognize the right choice once it's put against the finished work.

MargW