Janean Thompson

This is the most thorough book on DIY framing I've found. It manages to present quite a lot of information, including fairly detailed usage instructions, yet keeps everything very concise and accessible. The instructional photographs could sometimes be clearer, and you may have to re-read some sections a few times to fully understand them, but there's lots of good advice and helpful background context to be had.

I also appreciated the section on DIY frame building. There aren't many trustworthy sources covering this topic, and while the advice here is not exhaustive, it's a very nice distillation of some of the best basic techniques available.

Having been published in 1996, it's a bit dated by now. This is most noticeable in that some of the things listed as "emerging technologies" are now commonplace. I think some of the specific brands and tools listed have vanished by now as well (though others, like the venerable Logan Graphics line, are still chugging along almost unchanged). Still, the framing world doesn't move that fast and most of the techniques presented are still valid.

My only real complaint with the content is that the thoroughness may result in some information overload. When choosing a mounting technique, for example, there are probably only one or two options that need to be considered for your particular circumstances. But there's not much to guide you to the right options other than reading through the descriptions of all fifteen or so options presented in the book.

This book is also focused on the technical aspects of framing, and doesn't offer much advice on aesthetic issues like matching frame styles to artwork, or selecting complementary mat colors.

I also liked [b:Mat, Mount and Frame It Yourself|222526|Mat, Mount and Frame It Yourself|David Logan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388616761l/222526._SX50_.jpg|215505], and found that it had a more focused selection of information and more advice on design decisions. Still, if I were only choosing one framing book, it would be this one, by merit of how much ground it covers without ever overstaying its welcome.… (más)