If you're going to use a custom framer the only piece of advice I can offer (that works) is to first select your frame and see what the price looks like. If it's too harsh you can tell them as much and ask them what they have in stock.
  What happens is that most framers order the materials upon demand. If they have left over materials it's already paid for by some previous customer for a past job. You should be able to get a deal doing this but you're limited with options of course. This has been available to me with every frame person I have used...
 The trick here is that it's basically free (the back stock) for the framer since it's previously been paid for by Joe Schmoe and you need to work around the idea that they have it on hand for another reason (as if they knew you were coming...). I think it's best to let them shell shock you with some crazy initial estimate (which will happen) and then look like you're pondering leaving the store but then you really want to frame the art... this will probably induce them to mention some old material they already have in house or you can ask about it then.
 This saves me hundreds of dollars sometimes! I have also gotten perfect frames for the art this way and I'm not big on haggling whatsoever but when you look at the money involved it's the way to go. Especially if you're planning to start an art collection and you're not handy with tools like myself.
 Note to Jason Z: I agree with you and it's not terribly difficult to make a square and if you're capable then it's the best thing to do. My trouble is that I frame with glass and a lot of my pieces are in the 5K range and I just don't want to F those things up. I also like a good seal on my art where the oils can breathe but avoid the dust here and that's something I'm not able to do as well as some local framers. I was just at Tom Baxa's place last week and Tom made some amazing frames! If you're handy it's a great thing to do but some of us just aren't able for whatever reasons.

Here's another $45.00 job. The gal had extra matte and the frame is decent + glass.
Note that plexi is another type of glass they will offer and that distorts the image slightly (annoying...)

The only glass I know I dislike is plexi. I had one piece framed with it and it's obviously different than conservation glass (imo). The reason for glass here is because California has a lot of dust. The trouble is that you see most of my photos are taken from a good angle so you don't see the reflection. It's mostly an issue with the camera and in person everything looks great and the glass in most cases isn't even noticed. If dust wasn't an issue here I would avoid glass. - good glass costs more money...

When you put glass over a painting, you just want to keep an eye on it so that you haven't created a sealed environment that encourages the growth of mold or a habitat for insects.  In a home with A/C and heat that is probably not a huge issue, but some climates are humid enough that it can be.  Oils or Acrylic on canvas or hardboard are fairly stable, but inks, watercolors, or various washes on paper, etc need to be protected from UV light.

Frames can be found all over the place, but when you start cutting them down, altering, painting or doing the matting yourself... it can save money but not always look professionally done.  I like Tharizdun's approach.  For $45 he is doing very well.

The pictures below are for illistration purposes only, and the pictures show the dimensions in INCHES, not MM's... or CM's...
See the so called "deckled edge" of the paper.
The pictures explain better than mere words can, what we are talking about.
And why we could not say the dimensions are written in stone, since the edges are NOT steady and sharp.

However, 22-3/8" x 28-5/8" is very close and if you get a frame that fits those dimensions (or larger) the frame should be large enough.

serleran wrote:I'm simply curious if there is an expected date of saying "all shipped?" I mean, I know it hasn't been long since the con ended, and Mike is busy, but danged if my fingers aren't grubbing to look.

There is not an "expected date" per se, but Badmike was hoping to shipping them sometime next week.  The EO committee all agreed that we wanted Mike to ship them well instead of fast.  We were hoping the prints would arrive early enough that NTRPGCON wouldn't conflict, but it just didn't turn out that way.

Gnat the Beggar wrote:The pictures below are for illistration purposes only, and the pictures show the dimensions in INCHES, not MM's... or CM's...
See the so called "deckled edge" of the paper.
The pictures explain better than mere words can, what we are talking about.
And why we could not say the dimensions are written in stone, since the edges are NOT steady and sharp.

However, 22-3/8" x 28-5/8" is very close and if you get a frame that fits those dimensions (or larger) the frame should be large enough.

Gnat,

Thanks for the pictures.

Hand-deckling an edge is quite a process, and a bonus none of us expected.  Each print will vary, slightly.

Though each print will be different, the general 22"x 28" dimensions mentioned in the COA hold true.  Indeed, we may as well consider the master printer's advice (quoted above by Benjoshua), as an official addendum to COA.

I was going for a larger frame anyway, so showing off the deckled edges makes me happier

All the best,

Paul

Mars wrote:
So taking the edges to a paper cutter to make them straight would not be advised?

Mars,


No.  Don't cut them.  To quote the master printer from Benjoshua's post:

With respect to the print size, the deckled edge that each of the prints have vary slightly. This is the inherent nature of hand deckling prints. It shouldn't altered or cut, as this will effect the value of the print down the road.

I view the quote above as an official addendum to the COA.

Then again, you can alter a print to fit your needs--it is your print.

All the best,

Paul

davidc wrote:Please pardon my framing 101 question... the mat is going to cover the rough edge, right?

Depends on how you want it framed. You can use a large frame and have a piece of backing larger than the print so the rough edge shows. You can add a piece of mat (or whatever you call it) to the front and just cover up the rough edge.

You can also get it framed so that the rough edge is hidden by the frame.