Grab a Bargain this Saturday.

This Saturday, why not make the most of our showroom / store Saturday opening (10.00 am - 2.00 pm) and grab a bargain. Many mouldings in store at 20% below normal retail price.  Definintely worth a look.

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Beavering Away: Rob McRae Makes it His Business.

There is no single, linear method of going from complete novice to developing a framing business.  It is always a mixture of what skills you already have, what you have started to do for yourself, making good choices and taking opportunities as they arise.  Rob McRae trades under the business name of Beaver Products, which is fundamentally a framing gallery / workshop.  But as with many of us, the framing bug started at a simpler, more personal level.  For Rob, it grew out of his enjoyment of painting and supporting fellow artists by framing their work.

When he took the business on, it was already a picture framing service, albeit somewhat run down as the previous owner was retiring, and only opened a few days a week. Nevertheless there was a good customer base and, fortunately, Rob didn’t need to put a lot of additional resources into advertising. Currently there is no website, as such, however Beaver Products can be found on Google and social media.

And Rob has clear ideas about what makes things work, “Always discuss the customer’s requirements fully, while they are in the shop: there is nothing more embarrassing than having to ring them and ask which way up its supposed to go! As I have a reasonably successful business, I suppose I wouldn’t necessarily change anything. However in view of the enjoyment and satisfaction available to the picture framer, the only thing I would do differently is START OUT SOONER!”

For the full article visit: Rob McRae, Case Study and a big thank you to Rob for letting us share his experiences.

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Hamish Bell Frames

Another of our “ex-students” is Hamish Bell, who has a very successful framing gallery in Suffolk.  There are a couple of reasons we are bringing Hamish Bell Frames to your attention.  Firstly, it illustrates the range of opportunity people have developed following on from DIYframing training sessions; secondly it demonstrates what a vibrant, exciting environment framing can be to work in.

Hamish has many years of experience now in the industry and works with a wide range of media: fine art, photography, one-off pictures, conservation and archive pieces.   

For more information about Hamish Bell Frames visit the website: although a new site is imminent you will get a good flavour of what the business is all about, and thanks to Hamish for letting us show what’s happening in Suffolk. Read the full article

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Business Development Week

With the pieces about Rob and Hamish still running through your minds, now is the ideal time to remind you of our Business Development Week, 12th - 18th November, High Wycombe.   As well as the usual Art & Photography Framing Training Weekend to get you started, if you don’t wish to book the other days en bloc, you purchase each of the following as single days (or any combination you choose):

Organising & Planning a Framing Business, 14th November;

3D (Box) Framing, 15th November;

Conservation Framing, 16th November;

Fabric Framing, 17th November;

Creating Business Success, 18th November.

There are still some places left on each of the days.

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Mount Cutting: The Next Generation

For some time now, you have been telling us that you want to explore mount cutting in more detail: this has come across particularly after our Open Day Seminars where people like the ideas, but need a practical session to help really firm up what they’ve experienced.

As a result, we are close to designing two new training days, one to extend the range and styles of cutting techniques you could use and the second is to really extend the artistic style of mounts with adding your own colour.

A working title for the first is – Mounts: Extending the Cuts and will probably cover the following techniques, all hands on and each using Logan 350 Compact Elites:

- V-Grooves

- inlay mounts

- colour strips

- double fancy offsets

- mosaic inlays

The second day might be Mounts: Colouring Up and will cover these areas:

- colour bevel edges

- sponge effect doubles (sponged edge of inner)

- colour lines

- wash fills

- coloured paper strips

The aim would be to have the first sessions running either just before the end of this year or at the start of 2017.  Initially these would be in High Wycombe with costs for the first days being discounted to the price of current Basics & Mount Cutting days (ie £121.30 + vat per day)

We would like to hear from you to see just how much interest there really is, so, if these ideas appeal then please contact  DIYframing Courses: the briefest of notes will suffice, but please mention nearest town / city and we can gauge how popular these sessions might be.  The aim will be to take these to many more venues over time, assuming the interest is there 

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Dates

Some beautiful places to visit this autumn and into 2017

• MANCHESTER - 1st & 2nd October

   

• CHICHESTER - 8th & 9th October

• TUNBRIDGE WELLS - 22nd & 23rd October

• BRISTOL -  19th & 20th November

• LONDON - 26th & 27th November

• YORK - 10th & 11th December

• READING - 14th & 15th January 2017 

• LEICESTER - 21st & 22nd January 2017

Specialised Training Days

STRETCHING & FRAMING CANVAS BASED ART – 3rd October, Manchester

STRETCHING & FRAMING CANVAS BASED ART –14th October, High Wycombe

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT WEEK - 12th - 18th November, High Wycombe. Features: 3D (Box) Framing; Conservation Framing; Fabric Framing

For hard copy of all courses click: Training List. To view details of events at our main centre (High Wycombe) click: ALL COURSES.     Reserve places NOW, to avoid disappointment

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