Tuesday 10 June 2008

Painting is sooooo boring

I am telling you: painting frames is just mind numbingly boring. I spent the evening with it. Kept looking at my self-assembly floater frames (they are very pretty) and my paintings. It was a task I surely could have done without. Had meant to order white frames for the oil paintings. Of course, the white frames were out and I said: och, no probs, I take the untreated ones and just DIY them. I should not say these things, I know. Not that I can't DIY them, but I probably could have used those hours better.



So, while painting away, I kept casting my eye across - frames, oil paintings, frames, oil paintings - hm, something's odd here. Hm... keep painting, casting my eye across - frames, oil paintings, frames, oil paintings - hm, something is definitely odd here. No, surely, that will just be the angle of how the frames sit against the cupboard. Keep painting...

Did I not sort out my frames properly from S-J's for whom I also ordered some? Count. Well, 8 pairs, 4 paintings, all's in perfect order. Keep painting. Finish painting. Sit on sofa, cast my eye across.... [well, it was a long day, and my thoughts got pretty slow, so you kind of get the picture, hm?]. I pick up my notebook with the paintings' dimensions. Look at them. Big one #1 is 70x80cm, yes - that's what it is. Big one #2 is down as 24"x28". Hm. I'm bad with inch to metric conversion. But that was the most recent set of stretcher bars I bought, and that was DEFINITELY A LOT SHORTER than 70x80cm. I look at the paintings. No, they are exactly the same. 70x80cm for Big one #1 and Big one #2.

It starts to dawn on me. 24"x28" is the one that is being left unfinished for the time being. Not ready. No need to be framed. But in eager anticipation I must have ordered a frame for that one.

This leaves me exactly one frame short. Well done, Dr Helms! 20 points for observational skills! And these two were to be hung next to each other. So, effectively I am missing two frames.

Good. Smile to yourself. That's where all this planning and preparation gets you to.

Frames? Overrated! It'll look grand all the same, I'm telling you.

3 comments:

vivien said...

oh dear :>( I hope you can get it sorted in time


I use deep canvasses and don't frame - but that means hours painting the sides of the canvasses before a show - shudder! almost as bad.

Gesa said...

Hm... doesn't sound too much fun, either, Vivien.
Not to worry about my lack of frames: the exhibition will be full of mismatched frames and no frames, I'm sure the two will be just fine.

Chris Bellinger said...

I too use deep canvases and try and have the picture on the edge as well so people can see it sideways on.
As a Fine art idea iwonder whether frames are needed or not.....On the access course the tutor was dead against frames