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Administered by Vivian Kistler GCF,
Tester
Test administered in Akron, Ohio. Please call for information:
Call 800-999-7491 in US & Canada or 330-836-2619
What is the GCF Test?
What
is the structure/format of the test?
Who
can take the test?
Where
is the test offered?
How
much does it cost?
How
does someone register for the test?
How
should someone prepare for the GCF test?
Tips
for taking test
I
want to take the test. What do I do now?
What is the GCF Test?
The Fine Art Trade Guild, the trade association in the UK, administers the Guild Commended Framer (GCF) test. The GCF is the UK certification, equivalent to the Certified Picture Framer (CPF) administered by the Professional Picture Framers Association. GCF certification is earned by successfully completing a test.
What is the structure/format of the test?
There are three sections in the test:
1.Three previously
Framed Pictures must be brought to the test, framed by the test candidate. These will be inspected by the tester, and may be dismantled in the course of inspection. The three pictures must be:
a. one framed and glazed picture, framed to regular standards
(Commended Level*), with a double mat.
b.
one painted canvas stretched on wooden stretcher bars and framed.
c. one print/piece of artwork framed to Conservation Level*, with two sets of ink lines around the mat opening. The lines must be made using a traditional ruling pen.
*The requirements for each level of framing are described in detail in the Study Guide.
2. A Written Exam
(multiple-choice questions) will be administered at the test site. Candidates will be given thirty minutes to complete this part of the test.
3. Performance Tasks
The test is administered in a fully-equipped frame shop setting, and the candidate will be asked to perform at least three tasks witnessed by the tester. Some examples might be cutting and joining a frame, cutting a multiple opening mat, pressure-sensitive or heat mounting a reproduction, or stretching a canvas on stretcher bars. The choices are up to the tester. This part of the test takes 45 minutes.
Who can take the test?
Any picture framer can take the test. The Guild recommends that test candidates “have been framing long enough and often enough to feel confident and competent in the required elements of the test.”
Where is the test offered?
The test is offered at various sites in the England and by appointment
at Columba Publishing frame shop in Akron, OH.
How much does it cost?
The test costs £110 (approx.
$190 US) for non-members of the Guild, and £100
(approximately $170US) for Guild members. The candidate’s credit card is charged directly by the Guild, so the currency exchange rate may differ by a few dollars on the date of exchange.
How
does someone register for the test?
Call Columba Publishing at 1-800-999-7491.
How Should Someone Prepare
for the GCF Test?
The Guild publishes a
Study Guide with all of the information needed to successfully complete the exam, as well as in-depth descriptions of all parts of the test. The Guild Commended Framer Study Guide costs
$22 US, plus $3.50 shipping, and
may be ordered
online or
by phone 1-800-999-7491 in US or Canada, or 330-836-2619.
Tips for Taking the Test:
You must read the
Study Guide. Although framing methods and materials used in the UK are similar to the US, there are differences in terminology and five distinct levels of framing that must be understood to complete the test successfully.
While ink lines are not an everyday mat decoration for many US framers, they are very common in the UK, and framers in the UK are expected to be proficient with a traditional ruling pen. If you need to practice this technique, ruling pens and appropriate inks are available from art supply stores or call Columba Publishing.
I
want to take the test. What do I do now?
1.
Buy the Study Guide online or by phone 1-800-999-7491.
2.
Phone 1-800-999-7491.
There are many benefits to membership in the Fine Art Trade Guild.
Go to
www.fineart.co.uk to learn more about membership. |
