Painted frames are made by a specialist frame maker in Norfolk in a lightweight wood that has largely replaced lime wood for fine mouldings. I do not gesso frames prior to painting to allow some grain texture to show. Some paintings are framed in an “Antique” gold frame with a (warm white) gesso slip.
Each painted frame is hand finished with three coats of flat matte paint. The final finish is beeswax from the Chain Bridge Honey Farm. I use a floating inner slip to protect the canvas and finish these in a warm white. All frame shades work well together when hung in groups. Canvases are fixed with offset clips which do not penetrate the canvas and which help to minimise tension and long-term deterioration of the canvas. I do not recommend putting oil paintings under glass: oil paints are surface dry within a few weeks but the paint continues to absorb oxygen from the air in a process of hardening and polymerisation that goes on for years.
Each painting is “oiled out”, a traditional practice that provides protection against dust and atmospheric pollution. Surface gloss flats off over time to a satin appearance. I do not gloss varnish paintings and do not recommend varnishing in the future. All varnishes need to be removed eventually and removal can damage the paint.
I use finest quality oil paints on artists’ professional quality cotton canvas. I prefer to work on cotton particularly for knife work. Long term studies have shown that good archival cotton duck will perform as well as if not better than linen. If painted frames get knocked, they can be touched up using a paint test pot. Gently de-wax the area using soapy water, touch in the paint and finish with beeswax polish.