I generally agree that "less is more" in regard to framing, but not in all instances. I had a buyer of one of a couple of my paintings frame them quite ornately, with coving that was covered in washed silk, and an ornate gold outer frame.
With those particular two paintings, that kind of ornate choice worked. The frame didn't improve the painting or the painting improve the frame, but they worked together quite handsomely.
I don't look on framing as just an "improvement," at least not for artwork that was inspired and motivated by the artist's eye and mind. It does enhance the focus on the artwork and provides a decorative addition to the room environment. No matter if an artwork is not created strictly as a decoration, it's a design element in the room to an extent. The commercially manufactured art industry will place a lot of emphasis on the framing as a salable commodity. They're looking at artwork for its salability factor although the marketers might actually like the imagery.
framing/mounting sheetrock
In my sheetrock pieces I've had success using traingular cuts of wood on the corners. Sandwich two at the top coners and hang a wire accross. The sheetrock I've used is about three to five feet square but you should be able to do it with larger pieces. Just screw or nail them tight, that should do. As for the frame, use the corners for support and try those thin wooden frames that museums use. You could do it on the cheap at a home supply place.
One thing to keep in mind when framing is what sort of framing your intended customers will want. On a $10,000 painting your customer will expect a very high quality frame. If you're at the $500 level, maybe not quite so fine. But it,s easy to lose the sale over the frame.
My day job is a professional custom framer at a big box craft store which shall remain nameless. Are your canvas paintings already stretched on bars? If yes then you can get most frames off the shelf that are the same size, remove the guts and glass and mount the canvas in there with off sets (little stair step looking pieces of metal that screw into the frame and into the back of the canvas bars). Add a wire to the back of the frame and you're in business. That is usually the less expensive route. I don't see why you can't use the same method with sheet rock, except substitute the wire with two D rings on each side to handle the weight better. If all of your paintings are odd sizes then you may have to make your own frames or get them done custom. Just a warning, custom is expensive.
Be aware of a thread's timestamps. If you are expecting a reply, be aware that this a 9-yr-old thread.
There are still (I hope) professional art framers out there, not the big box type. Framing is a kind of art in itself - as I said earlier, not to enhance the painting or the painting (or whatever) to enhance the frame, but for them to work together. Primary would be for the frame not to take away from the art.
Many painters avoid frames all together, or use only a thin wood strip nailed onto the canvas wood. This can be because of the expense for a really good framing job when the painting's sale is speculative, or because the painter prefers the simplicity, money having nothing to do with it.
@ossobuco,
I love framing, it really is an art unto itself. My husband and I have bantered around the idea of opening our own gallery/frame shop. The big box companies leave a lot to be desired. I was trained at a smaller format company but even there, options are limited. It is a sad fact that most of the mom and pop establishments have been gone under due to the big box stores.
