Great discussion following the framing posts. Thanks for that.
Various people have made a number of suggestions, quite naturally reporting on other options, reporting their own tastes or practices, and so forth.
I suppose I'd really like to encourage something a little different.
First, backing up a little bit: Photography is a big house. It has "many mansions," in the words of the KJV. Everybody has a slightly different "take" on what it is and how it's best practiced.
To me, printmaking is close to the core of the art. And if you're a printmaker, I'd really encourage you to work out framing for yourself. Learn about it; look at options; get ideas; decide what you like and don't like.
As with "what to take a photograph of," "what a photograph should look like," sensors and lenses, color or B&W, film or digital, on and on—all of it—there are a myriad choices when it comes to framing. What direction would you take it?
One thing I might suggest, as an exercise. Take one print you really, really like—your own or somebody else's—and frame it as well as you can. Whether you do it yourself or you hire out the work. Just...get it right. What does that mean for you? Whatever that means for you.
The occasional effort to do something really well is an exercise, or amounts to an exercise, that really helps clarify our values and tastes. That's my belief, anyway. Back when I was a printmaker, every so often I'd work really hard to get a print absolutely perfect. I wouldn't do this with every print I made, Lord knows. But the effort, undertaken only occasionally, made me a better printer all of the time. I did that throughout my life as a custom printer, from the start to the end.
How would you frame a print if you really did it up right? It's not an interesting question, but it'll be an interesting answer.
Framing can be an afterthought, or something you just never do, or something you take for granted...or it can be an integral part of your creative practice and an extension of printmaking. Up to you. But it's fun to look into, fun to experiment with, fun to make up your mind about. Give it a shot one day.
Mike
P.S. To our American Friends, enjoy the Super Bowl today. Since I have no dog in the fight, I'm hoping for good close game. Personally, I'm still a little amazed about Brett and Aaron sharing the mic last night. That's big news around here.
Cheesehead royalty. February 2nd, 2013.
Original contents copyright 2013 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.
(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:
No featured comments yet—please check back soon!
