Mats and More
Not all mats are created equal.
Mats sold for craft projects are not usually designed to protect the artwork. They are designed for school/ or home projects and don’t meet the standards for protecting the artwork. Mats made with wood chips mixed with recycled paper do not fit the criteria for custom framing
So what type of mat should I use?
For essential protection of artwork with a limited life, you can use the standard picture framing mat designed to offer the necessary protection.
How do you know it is correct for this type of framing? Look at the core (center area) of the mat, and it should be white, not gray or yellow–unless they are 100% rag. Framers will call these mats just standard white core matting.
But what if I want something better or the artwork will display for a longer time?
The answer now falls into what most Custom Picture Framers call “framing quality mats,” and they fall into three or four groups.
First group: ” Buffered or Cotton core.” This group has had the damaging ligaments removed, buffered, or made with materials that don’t any to start. A common term used as that the mat is Ph 7 +/- or considered neutral.
The next set of groups are designed to offer additional protection.
The Rag mats made from pure cotton fiber offer the best type of protection. They may have a colored top mat surface and rag material making the mat, or solid core made of the same material thought.
Another group may be called “color core,” where the cover sheet is a different color from the center core. Some of these mats will have red, green, blue, or yellow bases with the cover sheet designed to match the artwork.
The last groups are called “full” conservation or museum mats, and they may come with an additional layer of cores. A Standard mat is four layers (ply), but some come in 6 or 8 (plies)– with others designed for museum framing coming with up to 12 thicknesses.
That is what we call “paper mats,” but there is another group of matting used in framing – it is called “enhanced covered mats.” These mats covered with fabric, natural materials (leather, etc.) and human-made materials (woven fabrics)
Good News
The good news is that all grades of modern matting materials are significantly less acidic than their ancestors of 20 years ago. Matting is made either with wood pulp (trees) or with cotton. Wood pulp is naturally acid-rich and therefore needs to be coated or chemically treated to either remove acidity or at least slow the process down. Cotton fiber, in comparison, is naturally acid-free, and these mats provide the very best preservation quality. Their downside, as you might have guessed– is that cotton mats can cost a little more — but the addition protecting.
We sell three grades of matting: Decorative (fundamental decorative), Select (essential conservation or preservation), and Ragmat or full conservation type are your best choice. (best).
(1) DECORATIVE (primary) offers a minimal level of artwork protection, and we sell it on posters or limited life artwork only… It is made with wood-pulp and is coated with select chemicals to slow the damage caused by acidity. However, this mat will unlikely last over 5-7 years. It is suitable for replaceable art such as photos or paper-based art that have limited life and do not require long-term protection.
(2) Select or primary conservation-grade is a much better level of conservation matboard if you plan on keeping the artwork. Although these mats made from acidic wood pulp, they are chemically treated to reduce acidity when the mat-pulp is still in liquid form. This grade of matting is suitable for a basic level of conservation framing for items such as limited editions and reprints.
(3) Rag-mat or full conservation is the best level of matboard from a conservation point of view. They made from 100% cotton fiber and, therefore, naturally acid-free. Cotton is a time tested material that will preserve any piece for generations to come. This grade is the best to use because the value is worth the small cost over the others.
Not all mats are created equal
Picture framing mats sold for craft projects are not usually designed to protect the artwork. They are designed for school/ or home projects and don’t meet the standards for protecting the artwork. Standard mats use raw wood chips and recycled paper.
So, what type of mat should I use?
For the necessary protection of artwork with a limited life, you can use a standard framing mat.
How do you know it is correct for this type of framing? Look at the core (center area) of the mat, and it should be white, not gray, or yellow. Framers will call these mats just standard white core matting.
But what if I want something better and for the artwork displayed for a longer time you need a better grade of the product.
The answer now falls into what most Custom Picture Framers call “framing quality mats,” and they fall into three or four groups.
First group: These mats will have a Buffered or Cotton core. This group has had the damaging ligaments removed, buffered, or made with materials that don’t any to start. A common term used as that the mat is Ph 7 +/- or considered neutral.
The next set of groups are designed to offer additional protection.
Rag mats are made from pure cotton fiber. They may have a colored top mat surface and rag material making the mat, or they may be called stable core mats that are made using the same content on all levels.
Another group may be called “color core,” where the cover sheet is a different color from the center core. Some of these mats will have red, green, blue, or yellow bases with the cover sheet designed to match the artwork.
The last groups are called “full” conservation or museum mats, and they may come with an additional layer of cores. Standard picture framing mats are 4 plies, but some come in 6 or 8 thickness– with others designed for museum framing coming with up to 12 plies.
That is what we call “paper mats.” Still, there is another group of matting used in framing – it is called “enhanced covered mats,” covered these with natural fabric materials (leather, etc.) and materials produced by man (woven fabrics).
Framing Ideas
If you would like to have a home filled with personality and one-of-a-kind treasures, custom framing can quickly help you achieve it. As a Professional Custom Picture Framer, we will create a special framing package for all your framing needs. Exquisite artwork, photographs, and documents require unique display frames. Your local custom framer can create exclusive frame designs to address your style and space, to provide the best framing solutions for each item you bring to them.
Matting ideas
Picture Framing Mats were designed to handle two core functions. One was to provide an area for visual relief without the distraction of the nearby surroundings. Secondly, it allows an air space between the artwork and the glazing.
In the past few decades, mats have taken on a more decorative role. Picture framing mats are now available in many colors, patterns, and textures, and they are used to match colors in the art and to coordinate with the room decor.
Mat borders are also an important consideration. It is best to avoid having mat borders the same width as the frame surrounding them. Generally, it will look best if the mat is larger than the frame. Too narrow a border can bring down the perceived value of the art, and it tends to look crowded in the frame.
Most mats have square or rectangular window openings, but other cuts are possible. The mat window can conform to irregular art shapes. An angled corner (octagon) can cover damaged edges on the art, etc.
Single Mat
The first type of mat was a single layer. Today it is much more common to use two or three layers. Ultra-thick mat ( 8 plies) used on Hight-End artwork where the frame designs are simple and classic, not decorative. Single mats also have applications when matting vintage, classic, or antique pieces as it helps them look authentic to their era.
Double Mat
Double mats allow you to add an accent color that can be used to help draw attention to the art by outlining it. However, a double mat can be made using two of the same color for a more subtle look.
Triple Mat
When using three layers, you have even more opportunity to use color, but once again, all the layers can be the same, or you can sandwich an accent color between two of the same color.
Mat with Fillet
Fillets, narrow moldings, used as an accent, either inside the lip of a frame or more often in mat openings. They offer more depth than mats and finish comparable to frame, so they are useful to coordinate with the framework for a highly customized look.
Mat with Spacers
Spacers used between mat layers for extra depth. The spacers can bring out the inherent design in the art, such as a landscape with perspective. It can also add actual depth to accommodate an object or dimensional art.
Custom Openings
Although most mat openings are square or rectangular, shapes can be cut to mimic irregular art shapes. Unique cuts add to the appearance. For example, angled corners (octagonal cuts) can hide dented or broken edges on the art, etc.
Multiple Openings
Multiple openings are used to display items with relational connections with each other to complete the story. Doing so allows you to place more than one picture in a frame. Multiple openings work exceptionally well with things such as family or vacation photos, stamp collections, or anything else you want to display together.
Colorful Mats
There are numerous mat colors to choose from, yet neutrals account for most mat sales. People tend to tire of specific colors more quickly than neutrals. Yet there is a time and place to use bright shades of color. When using colorful mats, remember the art should be the focal point of the completed frame design.
Neutral Mats
Neutral mat colors tend not to compete with the art as much as colorful mats. Neutral matting allows more flexibility to hang the framed artwork in other situations, following a move or redecorating project.
Light-Medium-Dark Mats
Allow you to show the artwork in a different light by changing the color base of the matting with three different colors. None of the choices are wrong, just different. Dark mats tend to allow the light in the art to pop while a light matting usually intensifies the darker colors. A mid-tone mat keeps both the light and dark details in the artwork more equal
Fabric Mats
Fabric covered mats can add a richness to your frame designs that paper surfaced mats may not provide. They are nearly always used when framing objects. When choosing which fabric to use, consider the subject matter, era, and be sure it sets off the item being framed rather than blending so perfectly that it gets lost in the mat.
Patterns and Textures
In addition to fabric textured mats, other mats are available with printed designs or embossed textures add for decorative purposes only. Be careful to avoid mats that distract from the item you are framing.
Uniform Mat Borders
When the unframed art looks well-balanced, it is generally OK to use uniform mat borders on all sides to maintain that look.
Bottom-Weighted
A bottom-weighted mat is one where the border below the image is wider than the boundaries above and beside it. This technique is used both for aesthetic and functional reasons. When an image has darker colors, larger shapes, or more texture or pattern in the lower half than it does in the upper half, it can look like it is sinking into the mat once it when framed. By increasing the width of the lower mat border, the completed piece looks more balanced. If the image itself has a more significant margin below than on the other sides, it is necessary to bottom-weight the mat to avoid cutting the art.
Elongated
An elongated mat has a broader border both above and below the art. Elongation tends to look best on images that are vertical or those who have sharp vertical lines.
