HEBRU BRANTLEY'S FAMOUS "AVIATOR BOY" IN TRIPLE-STACKED PICTURE FRAME MOULDING



When our client, Jim, came to see us, we unrolled the print that he had bought in order to design framing for it. It turned out to be a nearly 35" square signed and numbered edition print by the famous Hebru Brantley, who created this iconic character called Aviator Boy. AB is always shown wearing pilot's goggles and is very cartoonish in his design. This lithograph has a white border on it and, it was decided, that we would frame it edge-to-edge with no matting to keep the size manageable, but would use Optium Museum Acrylic on top to cut down on weight and reflection, as well as removing the need for glass spacers (since acrylic can sit directly on artwork, unlike glass which cannot, since glass is a semi-conductor of hot and cold, causing moisture condensation under the glass.).





Because we were not using matting, we wanted the frame to act like the mat from the standpoint of echoing colors and textures in the artwork. We achieved this by using a process known as Stacking. The first frame to encompass the hinged and glazed artwork was an AMPF 3122 "Carnivale" moulding in Light Green. As you can see, it is spot-on when it echoes the bottom rims of Aviator Boy's glasses. Once we had that frame built and installed on the glazed artwork, we ordered in a fabulous gloss white lacquered, 1 3/4" wide ornate frame from Fotiou Moulding, stock # FT5544WH, to go around the AMPF frame. We, also, wanted to include something in a dark, purple-blue that would pick up on the curly elements in Aviator Boy's hair. We decided to use a Larson-Juhl "Confetti" collection Royal Blue Fiillet, slipped in between the white and the green frames. The gloss white Fotiou frame picked up on the white-foam breaking waves, in his hair, as well. It was one of those moments where you look at the elements you have brought together to frame the art and you know, right away, that you have hit a home run. The design gets you excited just to look at it (let alone the amazing Brantley artwork) !



Framing designed and photographed by Brian D. Flax, CPF
Framing executed by Dana L. Fisher, MCPF
Images shown courtesy of our client, Jim K.