Ask the Experts at All in the Frame!

"Keeping the Planet Informed in One Thousand Words"

May 14, 2011
by Dr. Phramely
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What is Custom Framing?

Q: What is Custom Framing and why is it important?

A: Let me start by saying that I am so glad to be answering this question. I believe that many people don’t really know what Custom Framing is and I am thrilled to explain the process and its importance.

Custom Framing is the art of hand crafting a frame, to meet the precise needs of the art or picture owner. This work is done on-site by a skilled professional, who knows how to take the time and care necessary to not only meet design needs, but also to protect your art from the elements.  Custom Framers have a great deal of knowledge about framing and design, and can make educated suggestions as to how to frame a piece best.

Custom Framing is important for a number of reasons. The first being that with Custom Framing comes a Framer. Who can guide you through the process. When purchasing a ready-made frame “off the rack” you often run into issues with size, quality and genuine value.  Ready-made frames often contain acids that can damage your art over time, as well as cheap glass that offers no UV protection. Although ready-made often offers an excellent price point the overall value of building a custom frame is significantly greater. A Custom Framer can create exactly what you want within a reasonable budget with archival materials that protect your art.

The second reason Custom Framing is important is design. Custom Framing allows you to create a framing presentation that enhances your artwork without over powering it. Custom Framing brings together the color, style and texture of the art with the interior design of the space. Custom Framing also allows you to choose the right profile, matting, or other details of frame design.

The final reason Custom Framing is important is preservation. Whether your piece is of monetary value or simply sentimental value, you are always framing it to protect it while it is displayed. Genuine Custom Framers only use 100% cotton rag or other all natural and reversible materials in mats and appropriate archival protective processes for framing. It is important to know that the use linen tape, Japanese hinging techniques, and the use achival photo corners to secure the art to the matting to avoid shifting in the frame is necessary. While the use of cellophane tape, masking tape or basic white glue should never be used to attach the art within a frame.

In all Custom Framing is a great choice for a piece of importance to you. It will help you achieve the look you want for your piece as well as preserve the piece long term.

- Dr. Phramely

Meet Suzanne

July 30, 2011 by Dr. Phramely | 0 comments

Suzanne is the newest member of the All in the Frame team! Suzanne Beaulieu grew up in a small town in central Maine. She studied art and communications at the University of Southern Maine and graduated with a BFA from Memphis College of Art. After moving to Sarasota in 1994, she began her career as a custom framer. Over the years, Suzanne has framed everything from animation cells to football jerseys. She especially enjoys consulting directly with the client to make something specifically for them. She has a great sense of design and color and is happy to work with people to find the perfect combination of materials to fit their needs. She has many hobbies, including cooking, making handmade jewelry and improvisational acting.

We are thrilled to have Suzanne in our frame shop…welcome Suzanne!

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Big Box Store Framing vs. Independent Framers

July 17, 2011 by Dr. Phramely | 0 comments

One of our valued employees once worked in a big box store and recently gave us some insight into the differences between independent framers and the big box craft store. We thought it was really interesting and important to share with you.

The biggest difference between big box stores and independent framers is usually the staff. The big box store’s framer usually is there only part-time. They are often people without any formal training and could be just working their way through college, or were just thrown in becuase they needed someone to fill a position. People at indepent framers usually make it their career, and tend to have many years of experience.
Box store’s give their designers sales goals and insist that they sell certain glasses, mat widths, and numbers of mats, as well as starting with a certain price range of moldings. The sales process is geared towards selling only framing materials that provide them their highest profit margin, disregarding what is good for the art or your homes decor. Independent frame shops do their best to make sure that your framing brings out the most of your art, and your personality.
Big box stores give the illusion of value, they advertise prices from 40% to 60%, but the truth is their prices are inflated 40% to 60%. Your independent framer often has prices comparable to big box stores 60% off, and your framing is done by a skilled professional, with better quality materials, and superior mounting techniques.
Big box stores claim to do archival framing, but often fall short. Your independent framer cares for your art, and does his best to make sure it’ll come out of your frame in the same exact shape you brought it in. It’s not uncommon for a big box framer to cut corners with deadlines looming.
Big box stores usually don’t have the same amount of molding and mat choices as independent stores, and are less knowledgeable about those products.
Local Independent Framers contribute to your community’s economic success.  More money stays in your community when you patronize locally-owned business as opposed to shopping a national chain – money that is used to employ local people, support local non-profits, and buy local products.

 

 

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Have you seen Carlo Ametti at All in the Frame

July 14, 2011 by Dr. Phramely | 0 comments

All-in-Frame-Sailboat-9x12--EP96-2-PC-v3
Who is Carlo Ametti?
Well… Nobody really knows Carlo Ametti – but to those who have glimpsed a persona – he would appear to be a very private, reclusive Italian gentleman – almost an enigma who has shunned fame and fortune.
We see him as a 58 year old Italian, of noble birth, his skin tanned by the Mediterranean sun and his face weathered by the cold of the Alps combined with northerly winter winds.
Born, we believe, in the hill country of Tuscany – from whence his love of fine wine and good food would originate – he studied in the land of the masters and spent much time in Florence and around the Amalfi coast.
Travels throughout the world in his younger days would explain his developed love affair with the art of beach and coast.
All-in-Frame-Sailboat-9x12--EP96-2-PC-v3
All-in-Frame-Laying-Down-9x12-EP-96-2-PC-v3


 

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Photo Restoration

July 9, 2011 by Dr. Phramely | 0 comments

Photo Restoration

Do you have a photo that has been damaged? Most of the time a damaged image can be restored.

A lot of things can happen to a photograph, water damage, acid staining, sun fading. I should note that most of these can be avoided with proper framing, but if you have a photo that is damaged here’s what you should know.

First the restoration process is digital. It is done by scanning the image as it is into a computer software. Second, the process requires a high level of skill to be a true restoration and not just and interpretation. There are many software companies and online operations that merely take the remaining image and fade out the damage into a vignette or mimic the surrounding without trying to produce the missing or damaged content.  Our print restoration process is done hands on, as we do our best to eliminate the damage without compromising the image.

Contact us anytime for information on restoring a photo.

Click on The Photos Below For Examples

Photo Restoration
Photo Restoration


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June 21, 2011
by Dr. Phramely
0 comments

People Are Talking…

Some of our customers wanted us to share these comment cards with you.

Name:Sandra Moore
How Was your overall experience at All in the Frame?Wonderful
How do you feel about the quality of our products / Services?I have had many painting framed over the years and the quality and staff of all in the frame did a wonderful job

Name: Kathy Backus
How Was your overall experience at All in the Frame? Excellent A+++ Easy to work with – Creative framing experience (abundant) great products and expert – all the way
How do you feel about the quality of our products / Services? Top Drawer the professional
advice was so helpful in deciding the value of the price/ so to create a wonderful piece of art.

Name: Charles Varah
How Was your overall experience at All in the Frame?Excellent, Friendly, Helpful, Knowledgeable
How do you feel about the quality of our products / Services? Good Range, Choices, Easy to View, Visualize

 

Our customers are AMAZING at All in the Frame!

 

 

Happy Father’s Day!

June 18, 2011 by Dr. Phramely | 0 comments

AllintheFrame

We had a wonderful custom framing story at All in the Frame that we wanted to share with the world. Doris Plummer came to us with a box of mementos that she wanted to have framed for her husband  HMCS James Plummer, USN. In the box was a combination of military memorabilia her husband had collected as well as pieces she had found at flea markets and rummage sales. The box had been sitting in the closet for quite some time and Doris decided to sneak it out of the house and over to our shop to be turned into a loveLY Father’s Day Surprise. The only thing Mr. Plummer noticed missing was his metals, and his loving wife assured him he did not need to worry about it.



Mr. Plummer was surprised and thrilled by his gift and Mrs. Plummer couldn’t have been happier with the work of our custom framer Dan Duffey.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY from All in the Frame!


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June 8, 2011
by Dr. Phramely
0 comments

What is Giclee?

Q: What is Giclee?

A: Giclee is fine-art inkjet printing. Giclee is usually used as reproductions of original artwork or a mean of printing photography.  Giclee is a French word meaning “that which is sprayed” and references the highly advanced method of fine art reproduction using archival dye based inks. A computer controlled inkjet printer design specifically for this process creates a near continuous tone image on fine-art media like canvas and water color paper.

- Dr. Phramely