For most people who are viewing art, the wider mats help to give a visual “breathing space” between the picture frame as well as the art that seems more comfortable. Wide mat borders were once mainly utilized by art collectors and museums on their highly valued pieces, but they are now quite popular for a lot of kinds of framed art.
The best choice of mat borders is mostly personal preference which can change over time. It’s a good idea, when trying to determine your preference, to consider framed art in magazines, in museums, in other people’s homes, or really anywhere art is found.
In addition to the width of the mat border, you will find variations which have developed throughout the years, some to match variations of art along with decor. Create the mood of the art that you display with different varieties of mats borders.
Equal Borders, Single Mat
The most basic standard mat has equal widths all around and supplies a straightforward presentation for almost any form of art. The texture and color of the surface of this mat board can make the overall character of your artwork.
Numerous Opening Mats
This type of mat is generally used for photographs, a single mat board has multiple openings cut in it allowing you to display more than one picture. The openings may all be a variety of shapes and sizes, or might be the identical shape and size. This sort of mat can also be used to show off collections, like trading cards or stamps. When you are displaying many items within one frame, usually it is advisable to choose simple frames, like solid colored wood picture frames or plain silver plated picture frames.
The Double Mats
The double mat is actually two mats that are over one another. From a half inch to 1/8 inch of the bottom mat is revealed within the opening in the top mat. Usually the mats are two different colors, but this is not necessary. This sort of map creates visual and physical depth. If the artwork utilizes a double mat, it’s thought to be a more finished and professional looking piece.
A Weighted Bottom Mat
A weighted bottom mat is one that includes a wider or slightly extended bottom border. Some people believe that it suits a person’s eye since it gives the feel of a solid base. It’s a very popular style for several types of art framing.
Museum Mat Style
This type of mat has significant borders on the top and sides and a distinctly wider lower border. Art museums usually use this kind of mat to display drawings, engravings, and watercolor paintings, and that is the place that the name comes from. The traditional color preference of museums is neutral mats in gray, off-white, and white, however when used in home decor, some individuals like more density with the colors of their matting.
The Oriental Mat
This kind of mat has two narrow opposite sides, and the remaining borders are much wider, and is meant to mimic the proportions of the art which is located on scrolls. Typically, the narrow sides are one third to a fourth the width of the other sides. This sort of mat works well with elongated art, but is typically seen with Asian art prints and paintings.
Arched Mat
If you are looking to get a traditional, romantic, or classical feel, pick a curved arch mat. This style of mat makes artwork feel antique, and it is a wonderful choice for vintage photographs. It’s also a wonderful choice when you have romantic photographs, like from an anniversary or a wedding.
A Print Mat
This mat gives your art a contemporary character and works well for prints that are on oversized sheets of paper, and the mat has a narrow bottom and top and wider sides.
The Oval Mat
A mat that has an oval opening imparts both a romantic and an old-fashioned feel. This sort of mat works the best for a centered image, since the corners of the art that you are framing will be hidden. Oval mats can be used to frame silhouette portraits, wedding photos, and vintage photographs.
Using Fabric Covered Mats
It’s easy to add depth and dimension with the texture of the fabric mat. Usually these are found covered with linen, silk, suede, and velvet.
French Mats
The opening of the French mat is enclosed by ink lines, with panels of watercolor washes between these lines. These can have just two lines with one wash of color, or they can possess a number of lines and color panels.
Embellished Mat
It is possible to apply stickers or other decoration on the surface of a mat, like a simple monogram in a corner or possibly a tiny decorative design on all four corners. The kind of embellishment that you choose will make your artwork anywhere from playful to formal and chic.
Now that you’ve learned about a few of the numerous forms of mat which you can choose, have a great time framing your pictures. You are able to really improve your pictures with the type of mat that you use.