Commercial printers looking for new outlets for their printed output and looking to learn new ways of offering a wider and more complete range of products to both existing and new customers. Companies that will benefit include those involved with signage, merchandising, printing, photogift; both trade and retail.

Course Syllabus

10:00
Attendees arrive

10:15 - 10:30
Welcome & introductions

Principle of Frame What You Print

After printing, what can do you next? Offer customers three choices:
Level 1: Have the printed output - on paper or canvas - as it comes
Level 2: Have printed output mounted and laminated or finished and stretched, as appropriate
Level 3: Have the mounted and laminated paper print, or finished and stretched canvas print framed in an ‘L Style' frame (very simple, no glass, no mount etc)

This allows attendees to sell:
A wider range of products
Higher value products
A complete product
To a wider / new customer base

Brief explanation of what Technical Demonstrations attendees will see and take part in

Technical Demo 1: Over-laminate a paper print and mount onto foam board
Technical Demo 2: Prepare a printed canvas to be stretched
Technical Demo 3: Stretch the prepared canvas onto stretcher bars. Finish the stretched canvas with tape, frame bumpers and CWH hangers. Attendees will take part in this
Technical Demo 4: Frame both the print on foam board and stretched canvas in L Style Mouldings.

Business Case: Attendees will get an idea of the equipment they would need, space requirements, skill levels and time taken. This will form that basis of discussions towards the end of the day about costs - capital and product.

Attendees will keep the two L Style frames to use as future reference and samples.

10:30 - 11:30
Technical Demo 1 - Over laminating and mounting a paper print onto foam board

Jack will demonstrate how to over laminate and then mount a paper image onto foamboard, using the cold roller laminator installed at Antalis. The demo will cover issues such as:
Cutting substrates to size
Trimming mounted substrates
Alignment
How to avoid common problems such as bubbling and creasing

Jack will also pass round and explain examples of other styles of mounted product - e.g. Acrylic Face Mounted, Acrylic Sandwich Mounted, Mounted to DiBond; and different ways of hanging the panels.
Jack will also explain the difference between cold, warm and heated roller laminators and materials.

11:30 - 11:45
Tea

11:45 - 12:45
Technical Demo 2 - Preparing a canvas for stretching
The reasons for using liquid laminates
How to apply liquid laminates
Demo will use ‘Satin Coat'

Technical Demo 3 - Stretching a canvas
This is a practical demo where attendees will be shown the technique and then make up their own sample piece

After the demo, each attendee will be able to stretch a pre-prepared canvas. We will supply the tools and stretcher bars.
Areas covered include:
Different styles of Stretcher Bars, inc lengths and Chop Service
Stretching and finishing a canvas onto Stretcher Bars
Finishing with tape, hangers and frame bumpers

12:45 - 1:15
Lunch

1:15 - 1:30
Introduction to framing

Framing serves two purposes:
Practical - to protect the artwork and provide method for display
Aesthetic - To enhance to look of the artwork

Examples of different types / styles of framing will be passed round and explained
As background, there will be a short explanation of traditional-style framing with glass and mount.

Explanation of types of moulding - wood, polymer, aluminium. Advantages and disadvantages of each.
Basic issues and principles with constructing the frame, eg. Aluminium and hardware
L Style frames

How do L Styles differ from traditional framing?
Different shape, no mount or glass.
Easy assembly, fewer tools etc
Examples of different L Styles mouldings / frames, including two customers will assemble - Canvas L Style and L Style Floater.

1:30 - 3:15
Technical Demo 4 - Making L Style Frames
This is a practical demo where customers will be shown the technique and then make up their own sample pieces

Assembling a frame with L Style mouldings
‘Chop Service' vs ordering moulding in lengths
How an underpinner works
Join mitred mouldings on an underpinner
How to fix the Stretched Canvas and Print on Foamboard into the L Style frame
Canvas L - Fitted with Canvas Offsets and CWH Hanger
Floater Panel - Glued into back of frame

3:15 - 3:30
Tea

3:30 - 4:00
Markets for Frame What You Print

Offer existing customers a wider range of products.
Sell higher value products / services
Attract new customers with product extensions
Offer a full service - customers may have to go elsewhere at the moment for these services, or worse go somewhere where they can get the full service

Examples we see:
Sign Shops stretching canvases, including to public. Photogift market
Shopfitting and POS specialists offering full service inc framed products

Material Costs for L Style Framing
16" x 20" Stretched Canvas framed in Canvas L Style moulding
£ 20.50 Moulding (Chop) and Stretcher Bars
Allow total approx. £25 including printing, canvas, finishing materials
16" x 20" Print on Foamboard framed in L Style Floater
£ 13.00 Moulding (Chop)
Allow total approx. £18 including printing, foamboard, mount film, laminate and finishing materials

Resources - time, space, skill and capital
Equipment and tools costs
Roller laminators
Underpinner, Inmes IM3 Foot Operated
Other hand tools for canvas stretching - Stretcher pliers, soft faced hammer, stapler, staple remover
Time considerations
Much depends on how workflow organised
Price vs time. Small frames do necessarily cost less in terms of time to produce
Frame pricing software
Other considerations
No waste materials when using Moulding Chop Service
Relatively low skill
Should fit in existing work space
Needs clean, dust free environment
Closing questions and answers

Customers will go away with
2 sample frames - one framed, stretched canvas and one framed, mount and laminated print
Information how to do this at a practical level
Detail on the resources needed
Ideas on opportunities this presents for their business

Course cost £75 per person - includes lunch and all course materials
To book please email [email protected]