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Fundamentals of Starting Up a Professional Framing

3rd Article written for the PPFA

A major benefit of turning picture framing into a business is the apparently low, start-up cost. This is especially true if premises are not part of it. BUT don't let this give you the impression that it is something you can drift into. The key word in the title is "Professional". Keeping a handle on some simple principles will ensure your business works. It's a bit like entering a race.

 

"On your marks ..."

Starting your own picture framing business can work.

Don't take something on without planning or preparation. For example, galleries and shops, which "look just right", really need closer examination. Remember, you need to be earning from day 1, because you will pay rent from day 1. You also need to know that the business will earn money.

Whether you intend working from business premises, a rented workshop or home workshop, always find out about:

  • Competition - check local shops, galleries, yellow pages, local advertising and web searches. Are you working against successful, established businesses?
  • Actual competitors - visit shops, ask about their services. Can you offer something different or better to win custom over?
  • Potential customer base - gauge spending potential. Does the area suggest people spend on picture framing?
  • Potential business customers in the area - art shops; photographers; pubs; hotels; café / restaurants; smart offices. What do they want from a new picture framers / gallery;

If you intend to take on an existing business examine:

  • Reason for sale - if it's a good business, why sell?
  • Books and trade - is there a profit? Who uses the current service? Is there potential for improvement?
  • Premises - right look, but business is slow, how will you change that?
  • Potential links with local businesses.
  • See who visits the premises.

Finally be practical:

  • Are you up to operating a business - talk to others and find a "mentor" who has successfully done it,
  • Learn how to frame pictures - a range of UK School of Framing courses available
  • Research framing trends, fashions and techniques.
For more, click In Full icon below

 

Posted on: 12-Aug-2008@08:03:28, updated on: 12-Aug-2008@08:03:28.

 

Winners In Maidstone

Dot Penn: success on her prize winning day.

DIYframing recently ran a competition with Craft Focus Magazine to win a day's training with UK School of Framing. There were a number of winners and we talked to one of them when a group was training in Maidstone recently.

In amongst a pile of publications where she works, Dot Penn spotted the latest copy of Craft Focus Magazine. She noticed the piece about framing your own artwork, and read on, finally deciding to have a go at the competition.

"I dibble and dabble in all sorts of arts and crafts and I fancied having a go," explained Dot. "Right from the start I had a feeling that I was going to win."

The Basics of Framing training workshop she settled for will come in really useful. She has loads of pictures; some left to her by family as well as her own pieces. All are too good to get rid of. It has taken several years for her to organise it all, but she already has over 100 hanging. Most were framed by a contact in the business, although Dot has been buying up old frames from charity shops and a friend has been cutting them to size for her.

However, there are still many more pieces to work on. Dot loves doing things for herself and she is really excited about what her new skills will achieve. She now has her eye on the next project: re framing a number of her aunt's pictures. Doing her own framing will save money and help to extend her sewing hobby. She is also a cake decorator and can see a real challenge ahead. How do you frame hand coloured decorations such as flowers and plaques? DIYframing will have to do some research to help out.

Her training day was a great success. Dot really enjoyed its practical nature and the fact that you go home a beautifully framed picture. She feels much more confident about tackling her backlog of artwork. Friends, who saw the finished article, were really impressed; right down to the beautiful lime-wax finish. They thought that would take a course all of its own: in fact just 15 minutes. She's particularly pleased about learning how to cut glass and intends to practise on a few glass off-cuts, so that she is a real whizz with the cutter.

Dot loved the whole experience. "The course was brilliant and good fun. The others in the group were really interesting too. Now I'm just itching to get started. In fact it's my wedding anniversary today and my husband's buying me a mitre saw as an anniversary gift."

From what Dot has told us, it may just be the start of her shopping list.

Posted on: 12-Aug-2008@07:44:37, updated on: 12-Aug-2008@07:44:37.

 

Summer Open Day

It's amazing how quickly events come and go. In fact our free seminar in August was fully booked within just a few hours of publicising it. Therefore, we thought we would give you a bit of advanced warning about our Open Day:

Saturday, September 13th at our base in Beaconsfield, 10.00 am - 2.30 pm

Range of new mouldings on show in DIYframing shop.

The showroom will be open, with the full new range of mouldings, kit and other materials to browse through. As well as the full product range available for purchase, there will be special reductions on a range of items (details to be released nearer to the event). In addition we will be setting bargain prices on ex-demonstration tools and special offers on selected materials such as moulding packs.

High points of these days are always the FREE seminars and demonstrations. This year we have a guest presenter in David Wilkie. He is one of the UK's leading framers, having won several prizes for his beautifully designed and created pieces. He will be talking visitors through his design ideas and the techniques he used, as a preview of the two master classes he will be leading in October 2008.

Each presentation will last about 30 minutes, with time set aside for questions after. In order to take advantage of these seminars, you will need to book seats in advance. Places will be limited to 30 seats per session.

Free Picture Framing Seminars with David WilkiePresentation 1: Mounting Passion

- applying colours & finishes to a wide range of mount styles to give added value and dynamic, aesthetic qualities to framed artwork

 

Presentation 2: Finest Cuts

- sculptural effects that imaginatively designed, cut and positioned mounts (and mount-board sections) can have on the impact of a piece of framing.

To book your place on either, or both presentations contact:

tom@diyframing.com or free phone 0800 801061

 

DIYframing staff will all be on hand to demonstrate our framing tools, from hobby kit to the full, professional workshop.

There will also be information about the UK School of Framing with opportunities to discuss and find more out about the full training programme available, venues and costs.

We look forward to seeing you here.

Posted on: 02-Aug-2008@08:17:46, updated on: 02-Aug-2008@08:17:46.

 
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