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Re: Matting/Framing, etc.

     Logan Matt Cutter.
My personal opinion of sx-70's is to make your window mat butt right up to
the edge of the image area, and make your borders around the image area
large.  This is not cut in stone (no, of course not; cut in mat...:)).
     Try Graphic Dimensions for your cheap frames, black metal ones come in
all kinds of sizes by the inch, easy to assemble.  There is also
Contemporary Frames--order either Contrast Grey or Black or # 611. Both
companies are on the web.  I would question using a black frame with sx-70s
(?) maybe another softer color being better.
     I personally have Budget Framers cut my archival mats for me to my size
specs, and then do the rest of the framing myself. They have the big machine
that does the clean cuts instead of my puny portable Logan matt cutter.  The
place gives me a discount because of being a "reseller".  I don't know if
Budget Framers is a chain but I assume so.  But making friends with a local
frame shop is good to do.  Maybe display your work there, too.  I just find
my time is better spent not cutting my own matts (what the heck is the
spelling of mat? mat? matt? matte?), and the price is passed on to the
consumer anyway (after the initial shock of outlaying your own bucks).
     My two cents for now.
Chris

> First, until I get a little more up to speed (see "Second") on how to do
> matting and framing myself, any advice on what qualities to look for in a
> shop -- aside from price and being nice to someone who will be asking a
lot
> of questions?  Since I do sx-70 manipulations, most of my work is just
"off"
> square -- so pre-cut mats won't work for me.  They either need to be done
> individually or at least at done in batches at 4x4, 8x8, etc.  I've found
a
> wholesale place in washington State (unfort I am in DC!!!) that will cut
> whatever sizes -- they have a min order of $100 to do wholesale prices.
The
> website seemed to ofer reasonable prices though.  See
> http://www.matshop.com/.  So, I am thinking of going with these folks.  I
am
> also curious as to what you all might recommend as a "starter" set of
pieces
> to go out with -- say at a craft show or flea market.  Is there a certain
> number of certain sizes that I should consider doing?  I would also plan
to
> take a portfolio with original manipulations that people could look at.
> There are a lot of books about marketing and I've done some research on my
> own, but first-hand accounts would be appreciated!  I mean ANY advice on
> getting started.  (This is more than one thing, I know, I just got going
and
> couldn't stop!)
>
> Second, I think I need to learn to do my own matting.  SIGH.  The only
> workshop I found in the DC area conflicts with a weddning I am goin to
(June
> 16-17).  Any advice?  I've checked out a couple of books on this topic,
but
> would appreciate recs for "first time" equipment purchases.  I've seen
> Logan, Alto(s), and Fletcher equipment on ebay. . .does anyone have any
> input on these and their ease of use for a beginner?
>
> Oh, one last thing -- I went walking aound DC's Eastern Market on Sunday
and
> looked at peoples' various presentations of their work to get ideas.  I
saw
> that a lot of mats did not "fit" the work perfectly -- there was a border
of
> bare paper around the print -- so maybe I am being too anal retentive
about
> mat opening size. . .if my stuff is usually almost square, maybe as long
as
> I size it to fit within the square with a certain amount of bare paper
> showing, that is ok??  Also, most folks had some work only matted PLUS
some
> work in very simple black plastic frames. . I wish I could recall what it
> said on the backs of these frames. . .Anyway, EVERYONE had work in them. .
> .I got the impression that they were a good way to present a work that
could
> be taken home and hung immediately by buyers who did not wish to be
bothered
> with finding a frame - at the same time, they required very little
> investment on the part of the artist.
>
> Thanks so much!  Again, I know this is a long email and I am very sorry if
I
> have overstepped even the bounds of "off topic".
>
> Patty
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