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Masterclass: Mount decoration
01 July 2021
I finished my last 4walls article by writing about the ‘sum of all parts’. My point was that the artwork and frame together should be more than either would be individually. That point was emphasised for me when, prior to writing this article, I reviewed its subject, the ‘Mount Decoration’ video, which has just been released on Larson-Juhl’s website: https://larsonjuhl.co.uk/haven/vids/jon-price-masterclass. It was emphasised because the artwork that was chosen for the video really wasn’t to my taste. I struggled to find inspiration. It was only when I considered the colours within the piece and the framing design possibilities that I started to get excited. I’m still thrilled now, and that’s because the total sum of the finished pieces, the artwork and the frame together, are much greater than either would be on their own. Conservation aside, isn’t that what good framing is all about?
Like the Mixing and Stacking Mouldings video, the concept of the Mount Decoration video was to frame one piece of artwork in four different ways. I set one boundary: the techniques employed had to be achievable using basic equipment - in this case a Keencut Ultimat Gold mount cutter that I bought second hand for a few hundred quid. Each design is different, employing different mount colours and mount design techniques, combined with different mouldings. It’s a really good exercise for any framer to come up with lots of different frame designs for a single piece of artwork. This encourages the framer to do something different and to think out of the box. It’s also a great way to demonstrate to customers the value of your design knowledge and the techniques you utilise.
As I’ve said in previous articles, when designing I normally start with the mounts. I go through my mount chevrons pulling out any board that matches a colour in the artwork. In this case beiges, browns and greys. I then select neutral colours that match the artwork’s tone or the paper colour, if any paper will be showing in the final piece. Once I’ve selected these, I play around to see what colour combinations work. When the mounts have been decided upon, I choose mouldings using the same technique i.e. matching the colours in the artwork. Now, however, I also make sure my choices match the colours of the mounts. Having chosen a number of mouldings, I experiment until I find an overall design I’m happy with. I try not to limit myself to the standard designs but instead ask: ‘Would a third mount work?’ ‘Would a fourth?’ ‘Could I stack or mix mouldings with this design?’ ‘Could I add a mount decoration technique, like a V-groove or shadow mount?’ ‘Could I do something different?’
Design 1 – The treble mount:
This is about as basic a ‘non-standard design’ as you can get. As often works well, I’ve placed the darkest colour (Baghdad Brown 8007) nearest the artwork and the lightest colour (Ginger Root 8605) on top. I’ve also decreased the border dimensions on each layer. The top mount is 70mm on the top/sides and 80mm at the bottom; the middle mount shows 5mm and the bottom mount 3mm. A design technique that I use regularly is to choose a moulding that matches the colour of the inner mount. I think it’s a good way to bring balance. Here, I considered using a brown Anvil to match the Baghdad brown, but in the end opted for the brushed copper of 44160100 which adds warmth and matches the Spice Brown 8023 middle mount.
Design 2 – Double V-groove with corner grooves:
Here’s a design which looks quite different but, like the treble mount, V-grooves are only a small step away from a ‘standard design’. They are simple to execute but often add value. I know a framer who’s fallback design is a double mount with a V-groove. No matter how many times I see him use this design, it always looks good and his work stands out from the run of the mill single or double mounts used by his competitors. For my groovy design, I’ve taken this simple technique and embellished it by adding a second V-groove and ‘corner grooves’. Just about every ‘how to’ framing book demonstrates how to cut a V-groove. Therefore, I’m not sure there is any value in my going through the process step by step. However, the concept, using a manual mount cutter, is as follows:
The V-groove is made by cutting a bevelled aperture in a mountboard, further out from the centre than the artwork window will be. The cut-out from that aperture is then trimmed very slightly on all sides using an opposite bevel cut (this is normally achieved by putting the cut-out in to the mount cutter the other way up to the way in which it was first cut). The cut-out is then taped back in to the aperture and the two opposing bevel cuts form a V-groove. The window aperture is then cut as normal.
Corner grooves are cut in the same way except that the ‘cut out’ is only trimmed a few centimetres along from each corner. A scalpel helps to join the ends of the opposing bevel cuts.
As I’ve indicated, a V-groove is cut before the window aperture for the artwork. Therefore, a series of V-grooves is cut working from the outside in. That meant that the first things I cut were the corner grooves. These are positioned 45mm in from the outer edges at the top and sides of the mount and 55mm in from the bottom (due to the bottom border being 10mm wider). My first V-groove is 5mm further in, leaving my final V-groove 10mm out from the bevel edge of the mount window. The mount is Sepia 8024. It’s dark colour showing off the white of the V-grooves and matching a dominant colour in the artwork. The moulding is the bronze Spoleto 325130.
Most of the techniques I’ve used in the Larson-Juhl Masterclass videos are simple to achieve and effective. Experience tells me that once customers have seen these techniques, on friends’ frames or display frames, they ask about them and are happy to pay more for them.
In the next addition of 4walls, I’ll look at the final two designs in the Mount Decoration video; ‘different colour bottom mounts on opposing corners of the frame with matching mixed mouldings’ and the ‘3D double bevel shadow inlay’; after all I did say most of the techniques I used were simple.
Jon Price GCF(APF) owns Handmade Framing & Gallery near Bude, Cornwall. He has framed for world renowned artists, photographers and museums. Jon offers one to one framing courses and business consultancy for novice and experienced framers
Like the Mixing and Stacking Mouldings video, the concept of the Mount Decoration video was to frame one piece of artwork in four different ways. I set one boundary: the techniques employed had to be achievable using basic equipment - in this case a Keencut Ultimat Gold mount cutter that I bought second hand for a few hundred quid. Each design is different, employing different mount colours and mount design techniques, combined with different mouldings. It’s a really good exercise for any framer to come up with lots of different frame designs for a single piece of artwork. This encourages the framer to do something different and to think out of the box. It’s also a great way to demonstrate to customers the value of your design knowledge and the techniques you utilise.
As I’ve said in previous articles, when designing I normally start with the mounts. I go through my mount chevrons pulling out any board that matches a colour in the artwork. In this case beiges, browns and greys. I then select neutral colours that match the artwork’s tone or the paper colour, if any paper will be showing in the final piece. Once I’ve selected these, I play around to see what colour combinations work. When the mounts have been decided upon, I choose mouldings using the same technique i.e. matching the colours in the artwork. Now, however, I also make sure my choices match the colours of the mounts. Having chosen a number of mouldings, I experiment until I find an overall design I’m happy with. I try not to limit myself to the standard designs but instead ask: ‘Would a third mount work?’ ‘Would a fourth?’ ‘Could I stack or mix mouldings with this design?’ ‘Could I add a mount decoration technique, like a V-groove or shadow mount?’ ‘Could I do something different?’
Design 1 – The treble mount:
This is about as basic a ‘non-standard design’ as you can get. As often works well, I’ve placed the darkest colour (Baghdad Brown 8007) nearest the artwork and the lightest colour (Ginger Root 8605) on top. I’ve also decreased the border dimensions on each layer. The top mount is 70mm on the top/sides and 80mm at the bottom; the middle mount shows 5mm and the bottom mount 3mm. A design technique that I use regularly is to choose a moulding that matches the colour of the inner mount. I think it’s a good way to bring balance. Here, I considered using a brown Anvil to match the Baghdad brown, but in the end opted for the brushed copper of 44160100 which adds warmth and matches the Spice Brown 8023 middle mount.
Design 2 – Double V-groove with corner grooves:
Here’s a design which looks quite different but, like the treble mount, V-grooves are only a small step away from a ‘standard design’. They are simple to execute but often add value. I know a framer who’s fallback design is a double mount with a V-groove. No matter how many times I see him use this design, it always looks good and his work stands out from the run of the mill single or double mounts used by his competitors. For my groovy design, I’ve taken this simple technique and embellished it by adding a second V-groove and ‘corner grooves’. Just about every ‘how to’ framing book demonstrates how to cut a V-groove. Therefore, I’m not sure there is any value in my going through the process step by step. However, the concept, using a manual mount cutter, is as follows:
The V-groove is made by cutting a bevelled aperture in a mountboard, further out from the centre than the artwork window will be. The cut-out from that aperture is then trimmed very slightly on all sides using an opposite bevel cut (this is normally achieved by putting the cut-out in to the mount cutter the other way up to the way in which it was first cut). The cut-out is then taped back in to the aperture and the two opposing bevel cuts form a V-groove. The window aperture is then cut as normal.
Corner grooves are cut in the same way except that the ‘cut out’ is only trimmed a few centimetres along from each corner. A scalpel helps to join the ends of the opposing bevel cuts.
As I’ve indicated, a V-groove is cut before the window aperture for the artwork. Therefore, a series of V-grooves is cut working from the outside in. That meant that the first things I cut were the corner grooves. These are positioned 45mm in from the outer edges at the top and sides of the mount and 55mm in from the bottom (due to the bottom border being 10mm wider). My first V-groove is 5mm further in, leaving my final V-groove 10mm out from the bevel edge of the mount window. The mount is Sepia 8024. It’s dark colour showing off the white of the V-grooves and matching a dominant colour in the artwork. The moulding is the bronze Spoleto 325130.
Most of the techniques I’ve used in the Larson-Juhl Masterclass videos are simple to achieve and effective. Experience tells me that once customers have seen these techniques, on friends’ frames or display frames, they ask about them and are happy to pay more for them.
In the next addition of 4walls, I’ll look at the final two designs in the Mount Decoration video; ‘different colour bottom mounts on opposing corners of the frame with matching mixed mouldings’ and the ‘3D double bevel shadow inlay’; after all I did say most of the techniques I used were simple.
Jon Price GCF(APF) owns Handmade Framing & Gallery near Bude, Cornwall. He has framed for world renowned artists, photographers and museums. Jon offers one to one framing courses and business consultancy for novice and experienced framers
