What Is A Mat On A Picture

In the picture framing industry a mat or matte or mount in british english is a thin flat piece of paper based material included within a picture frame which serves as additional decoration and to perform several other more practical functions such as separating the art from the glass putting mats in a frame is called matting a term which can also usually be used interchangeably with mat.

What is a mat on a picture.

Add elegance and protection when framing photos or artwork by adding a frame mat in a complementary color. They are applied by some framers while others opt for freer choices. Carol duvall host of hgtv s the carol duvall show shares her discoveries about matting and framing artwork. Personal photographs or smaller scale pics seem to transcend from casual snapshots to the realm of fine art with the addition of a mat.

Here the image is cut apart each section mounted on 1 4 foam. 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. Custom picture frame mats liners. 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.

Beginning with a turquoise mat add 1 2 foam board on top and end with the addition of a white mat on top of the foam board. A mat can really make your photo pop and complement the flat nature of the medium. 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. In picture framing it can be used to determine a visually pleasing mat to photo ratio.

Choose one of our acid free pre cut mats or customize an uncut matboard. 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.