Mat board comes in many different thicknesses. The thicker the mat you choose for cutting, the wider and deeper the “white line” created by the mat’s inner material will be around the edges of the finished piece. Consequently, thicker mat types might look better in plain white to hide the cut inner edges. Mat board is also available in two general quality ranges. Standard mat board is fine for photographs and prints that aren’t meant to be professionally displayed, while archival mat board is exhibition quality and therefore costs more. Archival mat board should be used with original artwork, especially when they’re done on archival materials with artist-grade art supplies.
Razor blades, X-Acto knives and box cutters all make use of extremely sharp exposed blades. Be very cautious when handling these tools. Mat cutting kits can be purchased at most art stores and make it easier to measure, align and cut mats in a single station, but will run you considerably more money. [1] X Research source
Heavy metal rulers will work better, as they provide some weight to hold the mat steady beneath them and you won’t have to worry about damaging them with your cutting tool.
During this step you can decide how wide you want to cut your window mat to go on top of the picture. If only a portion of the picture needs to be visible, a wider mat will fill in the non-focal area around the edges and let you center the picture exactly where you want it.
Most frames you buy will already have their specifications listed. Disregard this measurement and take your own. Since it’s imperative that the mat you cut be able to fit the frame, it’s better not to take chances with sizing.
For most small-to-medium sized pictures, a window mat with a width of around . 5"—1. 5" will provide a nice frame for the picture without covering too much of it.
Always mark and cut from the back side of the mat. That way, none of your marks or cutting imperfections will be visible on the finished mat surface.
Bear down hard when cutting the mat. It’s best to go all the way through on the first pass to keep the cut clean and straight, but if that’s not possible then make several lighter passes, watching for crooked cuts. To continue a cut that is only partially complete, push down vertically with your blade until you go all the way through, adjust the angle of the blade, and resume cutting. Remember: safety first. Severe injury can result from improper use of cutting tools. Cut slowly and keep all appendages out of the path of the blade.
The outer dimensions of the window frame should be the same of the backing mat, as they will be fitted together. The inner dimensions are a matter of preference, but generally a . 5"—1. 5" window frame looks best.
When layering mats, be sure that you’re measuring and cutting each mat separately, and unless it’s part of the design, keep the size variations between the mats consistent.
Stick the tape to a piece of fabric before applying it to the mat. If the tape is too tacky, you might tear the mat or picture when removing it. It’s recommended that you find an actual covered frame for original artwork once it’s been matted. Otherwise, you risk damaging or smudging the art if it’s left exposed.
