A simple square wooden frame hand painted in a darkest grey tone, created the right finish for this eye-popping Op Art Bridget Riley Poster, which was float mounted on conservation board and UV filtered glass raised.

'Focusing isn't just an optical activity, it is also a mental one.' Bridget Riley

We create individual hand finished frames. Visit our client space to view our frame samples or contact us for framing advice.

If you are considering displaying a piece of memorabilia we recommend our conservation framing options, such as with this piece with a large amount of sentimental value. A client brought in a special edition commemorative  tea towel with a design of the 1969 Moon landing which needed re-stretching and framing.

With the image on the towel being bold and colourful, we decided framing it up close, without a mount, would be a particularly neat way to frame it. Wide frames could have been used but we found narrow frames also worked well.

The client chose one of our narrow ash frames which had a pinkish-grey paint & wash hand finish. We stretched the towel over an acid-free board and the frame was glazed with Anti-Reflective glass to give excellent clarity and to allow the brilliance of colour to be seen.

Visit our client space at Fine Artisan Conservation Framers to see our full collection of hand finishes and selected frame options or contact us with your requirements.

A competition to mark the beginning of Summer 2016, Fine Artisan is giving away a unique hand painted and gilded picture frame, worth £250.

The frieze design is based on a William Morris floral pattern, hand painted in oils, accompanied with distressed 'Moon Gold' leaf water gilding. The size of the frame is 100mm x 140mm.

How to Enter:
To win this frame simply do one of the following before 30th June 2016:-
 - Like and Share our Facebook post about this competition
 - Retweet our Twitter post about this competition

The winner will be picked at random to collect their prize during our normal opening hours.

Terms & Conditions:
The winner will be chosen by Fine Artisan Ltd. Fine Artisan's decision is final. We are a London based company. The winner must either collect in person or arrange for someone to collect the frame during our normal opening hours at Fine Artisan Conservation Framers, 5 Pennine Parade, Pennine Drive, London NW2 1NT. We will put an artwork/photo into the frame, free of charge, supplying a mount if needed. This offer includes ordinary glass, a mount and back board only. Any other items required such as specialist glass, extra fittings/fixings or a mirror must be paid for by the winner. The competition ends on 30th of June 2016.

The paintings of Roberto Pagliarulo, although modern, have a distinct classical element making them congruent with traditional frame shapes. His most recent work takes inspiration from Italian landscape and culture, often including a mythical quality, drawing the viewer into a captivating perceptual experience.

The frames we made for Roberto's paintings reflect his union of contemporary and classical: the designs chosen are traditional yet simple; modern yet including shapes found on older styles of framing.

His confident use of colour means frames with a painted finish are a fitting choice. The designs chosen allow for the creation of clear, bold areas of colour to successfully frame the image.

For this oil of Hercules we enhanced the richness of royal blue with the addition of gilding along the inner section, whilst keeping the frieze a flat off white.

You can view more art by Roberto Pagliarulo and information on his website.
Also with Highgate Contemporary Art and Lena Boyle Fine Art.

At Fine Artisan Conservation Framers, we consult and engage with our clients to create individual hand finished frames. Visit our client space to view our frame samples or contact us for framing advice.

French Lines are a splendid form of mount decoration, used especially on watercolours, prints and maps. They can be complex combinations of lines, panels and colours, or they can be much more simple, comprising two or three lines of a single colour.

Just a single line can add a traditional note to a framed artwork without being fussy or distracting.

Although mainly used on traditional pieces, French lines can be also used for contemporary work. A ruling pen can be loaded with a variety of painting media meaning colours can be subtle or strong, pale or vivid.

Lines around artwork have been used for centuries but the wash lines we know today were largely developed in the 19th century and include the use of coloured papers glued to the mount, gold tapes and coloured powders.

French lines embellish a mount, creating a frame within a frame, to balance the space and draw the eye to the picture.

When a mount is lacking in definition, due to its similarity to the artwork in colour and tone, lines can help to frame the artwork.

Visit us to view our full selection of mount samples with French Lines.

Unusual artworks often inspire an alternative approach to framing.

For two book pages illustrated with gold leafed miniature paintings depicting Sufi Whirling, a deep solid Oak frame with Black Stain and Wax hand finish was a great choice because of its richness and simplicity.

More traditional shaped and gilded frames were also considered, but our client decided to match their other frames ordered which were contemporary in style.

The pages appear to be suspended between two sheets of anti-reflective glass which creates a magical illusion of floating, which compliments the meditation described in the paintings where the Sufi figures perform ritual positions and spinning.

The depth of this oak frame means it can stand unaided, as well as being hung on a wall if preferred. As the wallpaper behind would be seen through the glass, this can add new design and colour elements depending on where it is placed.

By displaying it as an object on a shelf or table, you would be able to see the reverse of the pages and also the gold leaf could be lit effectively to shine.

Visit our client space to discuss your unique framing requirements and view our frame collection.

Alexander Young MA (RCA) studied at the Edinburgh College of Art and the Royal College of Art.  He is a realist, figurative artist who paints portraits and objects found in his domestic setting. He explores the idea of taking everyday objects and through painting them transform and elevate them to see them afresh. He mainly paints in egg tempera on a gesso ground.

He has exhibited at the Royal Academy of Art and Dulwich Picture Gallery amongst others with work in private and public collections. You are welcome to contact us for further artist details.

Visit our client space at Fine Artisan Conservation Framers to see our full collection of hand finishes and selected frame options or contact us with your individual requirements.

Create your own 3D displays in our 20x20cm off-the-shelf Assemblage Frames.

Each solid wood hand painted frame is made in our workshop providing a display depth of 45mm with an acid-free mountboard included.

Collect an assemblage of objects, pop in your favourite makes and finds or design an imaginary scene. Use mixed-media such as fabric, card, felt.

Display your 3D treasures, photos, memories and maps. Assemble your art.

Choose from a range of colours. All Assemblage Frames are easy to open and ready for you to create your display. Priced at £30 each, purchased in store only.

Share Your Assemblages:
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Share your photos using the hashtag #FineArtisan
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Visit our client space to view our full collection of hand finished, gilded and selected ready finished frames available for custom framing.

Cross-stitches are carefully embroidered with attention to detail, so they should also be framed with consideration. We stretch and mount cross-stitches to conservation level, so tension is even and they can be easily removed.

Our selection of thin gold leafed frames with etched surfaces are a beautiful choice for needle art. With this traditional floral cross-stitch we decided on a classic cream mount to enhance the warmth of the colours and to tie in with the gilding on the frame.

We chose a gold with green etched frame; a soft verdigris which compliments the greenery in the cross-stitch design. Anti-reflective glazing was also chosen for clarity on the details.

Visit us to choose from our wide selection of frames which suit different styles of cross-stitches and other fabric art.

These delightful mixed-media felt art collages by Artist Lis Maimaris, were float mounted to display them in their entirety and to provide space for the three dimensional element of the pieces. This kind of framing presents the artwork as both an object and a picture.

The rich colours of the art pieces suit the warm, subdued grey mount board we used. The oak frame was stained an appropriate colour; the visible grain perfectly in keeping with the magical woodland scenes depicted in each artwork.

Mounted to Conservation level, they are easily removed from their mounts and are protected by Conservation mount board and backing. This will provide a good level of protection, so they can be enjoyed over a long time.

Contact us with your custom framing requirements. Visit our client space at Fine Artisan Conservation Framers to see our large range of frames and finishes.