Chances are you caught some magical (or hysterical) moments on film this holiday season or you were lucky enough to receive some art as a present. Well, fear not if you are facing the dismal array of generic frames and pre-cut mats. If you have ever special ordered a mat at a framing shop you know it is super costly! Ladies, it’s time to get custom. With the right tools and a simple frame, you are about to have a wall that looks more like a gallery than a dorm room.
In terms of frames I recommend you keep it simple, either white, matte silver or a nice wood – depending on the decor of your home. Never plastic unless it’s a vintage gem. The more decorative the frame, the more you take attention from what’s in it. Of course there are exceptions to every rule.
I received a really lovely print this Christmas and because of the more vertical composition of the print, no ordinary mat would do. I used a basic Ikea frame, which comes with a pre-cut mat, so I customized the mat for a perfect fit. When cutting mats, I always recommend you make the width of the bottom of the mat a bit thicker than the top – particularly if there is a lot of mat between your image and the frame. The heavier weight at the bottom has an airier feel than having the image square in the middle. For this image, I didn’t have a lot of room at the top or bottom so it’s closer to even.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE:
- a sturdy ruler (to use for measuring as well as a straight edge), pencil and eraser.
- tape: artist’s tape or archival tape preferably. Scotch tape will lose its adhesive eventually and the image may fall behind the mat. But hey – it will work if that’s all you have! You may just have to fix it down the road.
- cutting mat or thick cardboard to prevent cutting into the surface below.
- mat cutter (or exacto blade if you are desperate). I really recommend investing in a mat cutter if you plan on doing this more than once. They are really easy to use and cut the mat at an angle, giving a more professional look. I use the logan push style (lefties may prefer the free style as you have to push with your right hand and keep it steady).
- mat board: you can either customize the mat that came with your frame or purchase mat board at your local art store. I prefer the latter as you have a variety of thicknesses and colors (from white to ivory to eggshell to brown or blue or black). It is really inexpensive for a large sheet and you can get a lot of mats out of one board.
Let’s get started!
1. If you are starting with mat board, cut a piece to fit the frame first.
2. Measure out the image you have and how big you would like the mat opening to be. Be sure to account for the mat overlapping the sides of the image. If it’s a 5″ x 7″ picture you can cut the inside of your mat to 4 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ at the most. You want to be sure all four sides can be taped behind the mat so it stays taut and flat.
3. Turn your mat board face down and using the ruler, trace out the measurements of where you would like to cut. Measure it twice before you start cutting! It’s easy to get your numbers scrambled.
4. Lay your ruler to the left of the penciled line (on the left side of your mat) and your cutter to the right of the penciled line. Holding the ruler tightly to the mat board, line up the cutter to the bottom penciled line on your mat. You will see there is a white line along the right side of the cutter, you want to line this up to the penciled line along the bottom – perpendicular to the one you are cutting. This lets you know the blade is starting right at the corner.
5. Push the cutter firmly into the mat and push it straight – and against your straight edge. Keep your movement smooth and don’t rush! You can easily slip and leave a curving line in your mat. ** I recommend testing this on a scrap of board or paper before you start on your board, just so you can see how the blade works and how to maneuver it smoothly!**
6. Try to finish the cut lining the white line on the cutter to the penciled line at the top. This helps cut a smooth corner.
7. Rotate the mat counter clockwise and follow the same steps. I recommend doing the whole cut twice on each side of the mat to insure a clean cut. Voila! Your mat should pop out cleanly. If the corner is stuck – don’t rip it. Simply turn the mat back over and cut into the corners gently one more time.
8. Just tape the print from the back at the top two corners – be sure to check the front and make sure it is straight, then tape the bottom two corners.
Nicely done! Now you can mat anything! Photos, art, vintage postcards, your dog’s paw paintings – anything looks better in a frame!
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