How To Put A Mat On A Picture

Lisa most prints come with a white border around the image.

How to put a mat on a picture.

If you don t like the color of your picture mat or you have a boring mat jazz it up with some acrylic craft paint. The addition of a sleek well cut mat can greatly enhance the look of any framed picture but having a mat cut and frame made commercially can sometimes cost more than the picture itself. Mats are used in framing photographs and artwork to center the focus of the picture and give it a sense of spatial depth. A well cut mat can make a huge difference in how a picture looks taking it from a simple snapshot to a framed piece of art.

It just must be in the position you want it to be when the mat is finally in place. Press firmly on the back of the tape to ensure it is well adhered to the mat. Note that it does not have to be perfectly straight it will be under the mat. The easiest way to mat it is by cropping the image a small amount typically 1 8 on all four sides.

Prepare the mat board and the mount board by measuring them to fit in the picture frame and make careful cuts in the mat board to create the border for the picture. Mats make your pictures shine for greatest impact but they also serve a protective purpose. Put picture on foam board and slip mat over the top of it. Carol duvall host of hgtv s the carol duvall show shares her discoveries about matting and framing artwork.

A standard mat window opening overlaps anywhere from 1 8 1 4 of the artwork. Put a modern spin on map art with a multi frame. Avoid touching the front side of the mat with your hands as you risk smudging dirt on it. Secure mat and picture by firmly pressing tape down.

To put it lightly they re kinda miraculous. This short tutorial demonstrates one of the methods i use to mat my photos. Turn the mat and attached page face down on your clean work surface. And mats can help to accent colors in the framed image or draw in other colors for contrast.

For example a 16x20 inch frame including a mat purchased for use with 11x14 prints or photographs will have an actual window opening somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 1 2 x 13 1 2 inches. Mats create space between your picture and the acrylic or glass front for air to circulate which prevents condensation from building up that can cause mildew or buckling over time. The trick here is to position the photo exactly where you want it inside the mat. Here the image is cut apart each section mounted on 1 4 foam.

Off the shelf pre cut picture frames usually have mat boards with openings that are half an inch smaller than the intended picture size.