Why Choose The Art Folio?

Professionalism
Did you know that there are no formal qualifications for Picture Framers? That's right, none! Anyone who can shell out a few thousand dollars for some basic equipment and rent a shop can call himself a framer and go for it. During the downsizing boom of the eighties many retrenched middle - managers with reasonable redundancy packages did just that. Many became pretty good framers too, but you wouldn't have wanted them handling your work while they were still learning.

Unfortunately, many people with little or no knowledge about framing are still buying or starting framing businesses. Believe it, there is much more to framing than four bits of wood and a sheet of glass. I have been in this industry since 1987 and I am still learning. There are always new products to evaluate and new types of artwork coming out every day, some requiring special handling if they are to look their best and last any time.

Here are a few of the factors you should consider when you decide to get something framed:

What the artwork is worth?
This can go beyond monetary value. A painting by a now dead relative may have a sentimental value which makes it priceless even though it is no masterpiece. Similarly wedding photos and University degrees deserve the best care and top quality materials to prolong their lives.

How good is the framer?
Can a lay person assess this? You betcha! Look around you in the showroom. Is the place clean and tidy? Is there artwork other people have brought in laying around waiting for an accident to happen to it? Look at finished work or prints displayed for sale. Are the frames appropriate? do all the colours and textures of matt, frame and artwork harmonise with each other? Are the corners of the frames neatly cut and joined with no discernible "steps" in the frame? Can you see overcuts in the corners of the matts? Generally, visible faults indicate a poor standard of work or laziness and you should look elsewhere.

Does the framer care about you and your work?
This is subjective but it is important. Does the framer stop working and greet you promptly when you enter? Is he neatly dressed and groomed? Does he take the time to find out what you want and explain the options fully or does he show you one idea and try to wrap it up as quickly as possible?

At The Art Folio our service is second to none. Your work is wrapped in bubble - wrap for safe transport home, delivered if necessary and we provide all the standard hanging hardware free of charge. For complex or large items we can put you in touch with a professional hanging specialist

Is the price fair and can he justify it if asked?
This is a complex issue and a hard one for a non-framer to evaluate but a good framer won't mind explaining his price structure. The range of materials available is mind-boggling and if you try to compare prices from shop to shop it is unlikely any two framers will show you the same thing. Generally, however, you will get what you pay for.

Some framers, when confronted by a customer "just wanting a price..." or who is obviously shopping around will be bluffed into showing the cheapest options they have. This may result in a cheap job you will never really be happy with.

Likewise some may encourage you to spend more than you want to. Ask about the quality of the various frames and what you are getting for the extra money. Any good framer can show you several options at different prices and give you a top and bottom figure for a job. Then it is up to you how far you want to go. Remember, you will have to live with your choice for a long time.

A good job will give you far more long- term satisfaction than a good price.

Why is framing so expensive?
Give me a dollar for every time I have heard this and I'll retire to the south of France. (Well, South Perth anyway!) Expensive compared to what?

Please don't try and draw comparisons between the work of a custom framer and those ready-made frames you see in K Mart and most photo shops. Ready-mades are usually cobbled together from shoddy materials in Asian sweatshops and imported by the container load. The better quality ones are usually only slightly cheaper than a custom-made frame.

By contrast every item a custom framer sells is a one-off, tailor made in materials chosen by the customer and designed to display the artwork at its best while protecting it as far as possible from deterioration. In any purchase, you would expect that a custom made item would cost more than an off -the-shelf product. Tailored clothes and once-off furnishings all cost more than ready - mades so why shouldn't custom made picture frames cost a bit more?

Generally the price is directly related to the quality of the materials and the size and difficulty of the job.

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