Arqadia Mountboard.

We realise it may be hard to get excited about mount boards, but for us at DIYframing, the tension has been 'mounting' for almost a year now. The notion of extending the range has been on the cards even longer, but the reality is that finally “stocking” a catalogue as vast as Arqadia’s takes up space. It was initially suggested that we created space at Woodlands Farm (Beaconsfield), but once a move was being explored, those plans were put on hold. However, rumours had been floating around during training sessions, anticipating a time of even greater choice.

Now that our new Cressex showroom is open, we finally have the space, the technology and the storage units to accommodate the whole range, which extends to over 200 shades and styles. When you think of what picture framing is all about, how the combination of colour choice and mount cutting style influences how we view artwork, then you begin to recognise that this is the most significant development in our product range for years. Mount board is an item that is used at all levels of framing and that all of you will end up buying at some point.

What has probably excited us most, however, is that we are now in a position to supply specialist mountboards that you may have had to get elsewhere in the past. The Arqadia range features around 150 white core boards, of which almost 60 are conservation grade: the first time we have stocked any conservation grade boards. All of Arqadia's Conservation boards fully comply to the Fine Art Trade Giuld's (FATG) Conservation level: for some framers, conservation board is their “base-line” board.

There are 15 black core boards, 5 “metallic” boards and 11 with a “suedette” finish. There are also thicker boards, 2mm & 3.5mm.  You will need cutters especially designed to work with these thicker boards when creating mounts. The Framers Edge and Platinum Edge systems already have appropriate cutters built in: the alternative is the Logan 5000 4 & 8 Ply cutter which can work on a rule, or any of the other Logan Mount Cutting systems.

Where boards are designated as black core, there will be a white core equivalent meaning that you can play around with the combination of black bevels, layered on top of a white core panel (or vice versa). The same applies to thicker boards, where you will be able to find a matching, standard thickness board if you intend to vary the depth in a mount.

The full catalogue of Arqadia mounts, shades and styles can be viewed in the Arqadia mountboard section of our site.

While all of this doesn’t mean we’re abandoning the Britannia boards: you can still buy the same vibrant range of trusted colours,it does mean that your choice has been almost quadrupled over night! Colours and finishes that you may not have had access to before. So, maybe some of our excitement at the new changes will rub off on you.

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December Dates and Saturday Opening!

Our Showroom will be opening on Saturdays from this weekend, opening from 10am until 2pm it will make it far easier for you to get hold of supplies at your convenience.  

If you are quick there are still a few places available for our Art and Photography Framing Weekend at our Cressex HQ in High Wycombe this weekend, the 4th and 5th December.  There are also places available for the course to be run in Poundbury, Dorchester on the weekend of the 11th and 12th December.  

Christmas is very nearly upon us!  We will be closing at midday on the 24th and will reopen as usual on the 29th.  We will also be closed on the 3rd January 2011.  We will do our utmost to ship orders received by midday on the 22nd December for delivery before Christmas but will not be able to ship anything on the 24th or the 29th.  So you should check your stiocks and order early to keep you going!

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New Titles for your Library

It’s now almost a year since Vivian Kistler sadly passed away: she must have influenced everybody in picture framing enormously. In many ways she provided so many of us with our route into picture framing. Anybody aiming to develop their skills will have researched the many books, videos and posters she created. Unfortunately, that whole body of work is currently on hold, and no clear indication about future publication of her work has been forthcoming.

The result is that the many titles featured in our store may well be running out: stocks on all Vivian Kistler titles are limited so it really is a case of buy now while stocks last. In fairness, any published material about picture framing (other than very simple hobby style books) is hard to come by. We are researching that area and gradually trying to bring together a series of titles that will support and extend your framing repertoire, as well as increase your knowledge of the fine craft of picture framing. Here are the first few, new titles we have for you.

• Textiles Handbook Framing and Presenting Textile Art, by Annabelle Ruston. (Paperback. 160pg)

This book provides a thorough introduction to presenting and protecting original textile art. It features tips on correcting imperfections, discolouration, missing stitches, etc. There are clear and easy-to-follow instructions for squaring needlepoint, stretching and mounting textile art, fabric extensions, support, heavy fabrics and large pieces, plus how to choose a good framer, if you don't do it yourself. The illustrations provide some great ideas for projects you could try for yourself and plenty of background, to ensure you take care of this type of art in its frame. In short it offers an ideal exploration and development of areas covered in our training module: Framing Fabrics

• The Art Of Mount Cutting by Lynn Hall GCF Adv (Spiral Bound, 80pg)

The book was written to encourage creativity in anyone who enjoys mount cutting. It clearly illustrates and details fifty different mount designs and has become a best seller for framers wishing to extend their skills.  It is now used as a Study Guide for the Advanced GCF Mount Design and Function module. It provides additional ideas to those explored on our training module: Master Classes (Mounting Passion)

• The Acrylic Painter's Pocket Palette by Ian Sidaway

The aim of this book is to give the artist an easy at-a-glance guide to over 2,000 acrylic colour mixes, tint variations, and glazes. Beginners to painting are often confused by the science of colour mixing, and it can take time, effort, and experimentation to arrive at satisfactory mixes. This book will take some of the trial and error out of the process, as well as revealing some surprising combinations. With framing in mind it becomes a very useful reference book for creating your own frame finishes, using acrylic paints: it works well alongside our training module: Adding Decorative Finishes to Frames

• Starting Up a Gallery and Frame Shop by Annabelle Ruston. (Paperback 238pg)

 This is an invaluable and comprehensive guide. Covers all the basic questions, such as pros and cons, choosing premises, start up and running costs, typical property agreements, contracts, financial projections, grants and cash-flow, sourcing products, effective marketing, display, pricing, employing staff.  It is an ideal exploration and development of areas covered in our training module: Business Development Week

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The Grand Opening

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The New 'All About Framing' Gallery

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Social Networking

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