Why are Picture Frames and Matting Boards so Expensive!?!?!

General art-related discussion.
Chris217h
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 6:38 pm

For me its more a matter of principle. I just don't see how a piece of mat board to compliment a limited edition piece of art is more expensive than the piece of art itself.
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666ways2love
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 6:39 pm

Framing TVs is just as expensive

Image

The rest of my TVs are still in a flat file

(not actually my tv)
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fredo
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 6:41 pm

Chris217h wrote:For me its more a matter of principle. I just don't see how a piece of mat board to compliment a limited edition piece of art is more expensive than the piece of art itself.

Sounds like you've given it enough thought.
just a foil for me today, thanks
jwolfe3
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 7:10 pm

fredo wrote:Can't tell you how many years jailtime I've avoided by ponying up for a tight frame job.
:clap: :pint:

Has to be a strong contender for post of the week
Image
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virtualj
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 7:12 pm

Grab a hobby lobby coupon online and find your closest one, best deals on frames and framing materials IMHO.
I donate anonymously.
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jjttdw
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 7:16 pm

Here is a question...what is the most you've spent on framing something? I think I topped out right around $650 for the framing of a 42x42 large format Obey. Worth every penny.
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HisBobness
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 7:33 pm

peacedog?
Woo5lscott
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 7:37 pm

jjttdw wrote:Here is a question...what is the most you've spent on framing something? I think I topped out right around $650 for the framing of a 42x42 large format Obey. Worth every penny.
$280 something for the Stout Lost Boys
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bubbie
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 7:49 pm

666ways2love wrote:(not actually my tv)
Image
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ErocAfellar
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 7:51 pm

HisBobness wrote:peacedog?
The best
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zeero
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 7:59 pm

I would say the primary reason is like what some others have noted: these things are used for much more expensive art. People who collect expensive art can justify and afford higher prices so there's no incentive to lower prices for people using them for relatively cheaper prints. Other reasons are the small size of the market, local labor involved and lack of competition for local framers.

Consumer electronics are cheap because basically everyone has them. They are made in China, and intense competition drives prices down. Why does an LV bag cost a few times an iPhone??? I agree that even fancy materials like UV plexiglass should not cost that much to produce. But products are priced not according to cost, but supply and demand.
1000steps
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 8:22 pm

If you don't like spending money for quality, buy junk prints and hang them in cheap plastic frames from Walmart. Problem solved.
Welcome to the sleaze pit
Chris217h
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 8:44 pm

1000steps wrote:If you don't like spending money for quality, buy junk prints and hang them in cheap plastic frames from Walmart. Problem solved.
Nah, I'll just buy extras and sell them. I'm not going to spend my money on overpriced stuff out of principle, but the people who spend 10-20 times what I payed for the print can.
azuma
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 8:51 pm

Chris217h wrote:Really why the hell are picture frames so expensive!?!?. Even some of the cheapest matting is more than I paid for the cost of the Mondo print that I could sell for over $600 now. Even for the cheapest materials it's $200+ to frame anything of decent size. It would probably be easier to buy a $700 60" 4K tv and just get high res images images of the prints and switch them out on there. I mean there's no way wood and glass should cost more than a tv, new game system, etc.. It's just drymounting crazy that people pay that much

No way you're finding a $700 60" 4K TV right now! At least without respectable enough image quality for your intended purpose. :pint:

:lol:
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fredo
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 8:55 pm

Sounds like you got a lot of principles.
just a foil for me today, thanks
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