Framing your work
I mean physically, actually organising your framing system.
One of the things I have grappled with the most about trying to sell work on paper is how to present your work. When doing art fairs and selling work online, I have opted for a mount only. I was lucky enough to bequeathed a pro mount cutter by a picture framer who was retiring, and have been cutting my own mounts for the last year. This is a nice option that helps the work seem more substantial and protects it somewhat from being handled. I then wrap the work in cellophane (an annoying job TBH), and it's ready to send or display. One of my intentions this year is to look into a more eco friendly wrapping as I get through a fair bit of plastic in this process.
However, it has got to the point where I need to provide say, 8 framed pieces at a time and this has been more difficult to manage. There is a considerable investment in framing work that could leave you with a lot of framed stock and the calculations of how many pieces to get framed and when are important. My quickest local framer can usually do a few pieces in two weeks, which is very quick. However, the cost is still fairly high and I've been looking to bring as much in house as possible: if I can have a selection of frames at home and frame to a high enough standard, my agility is hugely increased. With another printmaker friend, I have managed to get a fantastic deal with a local framer to provide 'kits'. This means a bare wood frame, glass and mount supplied to whatever size I'm working to. The work to frame then consists of filling and sanding any corners that need it, staining the frame if this is the choice, and using a pinning gun to pin the work into the frame. There is still work involved but I can frame as and when, and have beautifully crafted frames from a local framer at the best possible prices. Happy days.