Let's talk framing.    Trying to market prints or originals with out quality framing and or matting is at least  a questionable practice.    As the proper frame / matting combination can add to a great deal of value to any painting or print, you will need to make some decisions.

Over head is the issue.    The original blank 24 x 36 " canvas for this "Over the Rainbow" piece probably cost under $30.  The paints and supplies much less.   For pure tax purposes I probably have less than $40 invested in the unframe painting.   To frame properly will add $200 to $500.

So if you only have several thousand dollars in your art business kitty to cash flow your art business you are faced with this dilema.    Use the $2000 to keep 20 to 40 unframed originals on the wall, and sell them at unframed prices.   Or keep 5 to 10 nicely framed pieces on the wall and try to make additional money per unit on framing.

You can of course mitigate some of the cost by becoming a framer / matter.  For me, that means less time to paint, the primary source of my joy.

Since I am a carver, I have the wood shop to make frames.  The piece featured here is has  custom frame I put together from basic door molding and modified with some carving and an image matching paint over.    The result is a frame that is unique and allows me to keep my real cost under $30 in framing.   (These frames do take a serious time committment).   But they offer a great cash flow alternative to a $200 frame.

What do you all do on framing?   SHould our web sites feature photos of framed pieces, or just the art.  Thoughts please.