How to frame your painting
I have sometimes taken to painting decorations or frames on the canvas to achieve a historical effect as in the
following example below.
From an artists point of view this allows you to paint a frame before the framer gets his hands on it. Other artists
throughout the centuries such as Rubens, Tieopolo and Raphael have done the same often using fruit, leaves
vines etc. as decoration. Some might argue it is a tradition worth keeping if only to keep the apprentices active.
With the development of oil painting as a medium and canvas as its ground it became important to protect these
new 'mobile' or moveable works of art. Obviously someone had the bright idea to make the frame perform all
functions, protection, decoration and finally as part of some intended environment (room). All this has led to
much confusion with a minefield of styles, frame mouldings and architecure to negotiate.
http://www.geocities.com/~jlhagan/lessons/frames.htm (2 of 4)1/13/2004 3:46:18 AM