Life in the frame

Everyone needs a picture framer

lifeintheframe — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:03:12 +0000

This great photo taken was by a member of staff when in Pune, India. Svava went to india on a yoga trip and came across this picture framer working away. I shall never complain again about not having enough bench space to work!

The Factory Facelift

lifeintheframe — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:08:05 +0000

A facelift or should I say roof lift? At last work has begun on the picture factory gallery and we have started at the top. The most exciting part for us is the new skylights being installed this week. This should flood the gallery with natural light and help customers see their artwork and our picture framing samples. Business continues as usual during the work.

Pretty as a Picture

lifeintheframe — Wed, 25 May 2011 22:37:43 +0000

Framing is so in season – just like these flowers at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

This is The Art of Yorkshire garden by Welcome to Yorkshire and it has won silver today at the flower show. A beautiful garden with inspired touches which reflect artists associated with Yorkshire. Alongside the Ipad inspired frame is an original sculpture by Barbara Hepworth.

watch this frame

lifeintheframe — Sun, 15 May 2011 21:59:40 +0000

Just saw this great Swatch… perfect for any picture framer!

See the collection by jeremy scott on the link below

http://www.swatch.com/zz_en/watches/jeremyscott.html

New Picture frames in stock

lifeintheframe — Wed, 04 May 2011 23:12:44 +0000

We regularly review and update our picture frame mouldings so that we can offer a wide choice for our customers. I have taken some photos of our new range which I am calling ‘London baroque’. It has gorgeous soft curves and comes in four lovely colours. The matt black is my favourite (at the moment!) as its both pretty and masculine. It also looks particularly good on this Bold and Noble map of London which we stock.

Art Inspiration for adults

lifeintheframe — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 23:05:56 +0000

Today it’s the grown ups turn to be inspired! Having posted a blog about encouraging children to look at art I decided it was time to get the big kids interested. There is so much art out there that it’s hard to see it all but if you don’t look how do you know what you like? As ever the internet is an amazing resource and can help you get a glimpse of exhibitions that might interest you. I started with Time Out online. You can search for new art events in London and sort them alphabetically or by popularity, which is great if like me you are a bit unsure of what you like and enjoy taking advice from the masses…

Top of the list was Dutch landscapes at The Queens Gallery, Buckingham Palace Gate SW1A. A beautiful collection of paintings from 17th Century Dutch artists.

Next came the gallery The Haunch of Venison, 6 Burlington Gardens W1S. I followed the link to the website where the installation works of artist Chiharu Shiota caught my eye.

Two very different artists from one website. Try it and see where it takes you. www.timeout.com/london

Art Inspiration for children

lifeintheframe — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 09:32:53 +0000

“I Wish I Could Draw Exactly More Like You” . I’m sure any artist will recognise this sentiment. This is actually the title of an episode of Charlie and Lola, a hugely popular children’s T.V programme where brother and sister go on lots of exciting adventures through some fantastic artwork all created by Lauren Child. I saw this episode this morning, thanks to my daughter, and spotted Lola and her friends walking through famous paintings. Here they are wandering through a Van Gogh. They also look at Henri Matisse and Roy Lichenstein. It’s great to see art made accessible for children.

Spring Clean!

lifeintheframe — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:09:20 +0000

Even the paintings get a spring clean at The Picture Factory….

Spring cleaning your home is a tradition many people take part in. With the longer warmer days, opening the windows and dusting away the cobwebs seems more attractive and the little jobs you’ve been avoiding are easier to complete. Though I should add here that on the day of the worst winter snow for twenty years we did have one customer battle their way in, in good old fashioned British style!

Just to prove we are taking spring cleaning seriously here is a photo of Tom cleaning a painting with a solution called Potassium Methyl Cyclohexyl Oleate.

Over time dust, cooking and in particular smoking in the home can dirty an oil painting and having your painting professionally cleaned can produce great results.

Mind the gap (s)

lifeintheframe — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:55:05 +0000

I love the new cover for the London pocket tube map by Eva Rothschild, it was released at the start of this month and has a hypnotic quality to it.

Simple, clean and to the point, what a shame the same can’t be said for the tube itself!

frame for a football shirt

lifeintheframe — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 10:15:20 +0000

Football shirts or any sports shirts always look great when they are framed and make a brilliant present.

I took a photo of this Arsenal shirt to show how smart it looks but also to give you an idea of how to lay it out. This shirt is laid out in full with sleeves folded over and this is probably the most popular way of presenting the shirt amongst our customers, especially if the shirt has lots of signatures. We always frame shirts in a box frame so that the glass is held away from the shirt. This stops the shirt from looking squished under the glass and gives it a bit more status.

We are introducing an online sports shirt framing service from our website www.picture-factory.co.uk customers will be able to send us a shirt and have it framed and delivered back to them.