Tips For Choosing A Mat For A Photo

How to mat small photos.

Tips for choosing a mat for a photo. The same goes for a red frame and a red mat. Avoid picking a mat color based on the room where the picture will be hung. Choose a colored mat to complement the picture you want to frame. In order to achieve continuity without overwhelming the eye the color of the mat should match one of the colors in the photograph s background.

If using a dark mat its color must be one tone lighter than the darkest color on the photo. Use your best judgement or ask someone with a. This means the total mat depth on each side for a medium size artwork will be 2 1 4. Mats come in many different colors designs and thicknesses.

Decide on a style of mat that you like. Create something that s visually alluring by matching the color of the mat to a color in the background of the photo. Using a colored mat is a good way to attract attention to important segments of a photograph. Tips for choosing the best mat color.

Frame and mat configurations. While it may be tempting to use the same color the likelihood of the mat and frame matching perfectly is pretty slim. Instead match it to the photo itself. It is essential that the mat does not distract from the photograph but rather accentuates it and draws out the main focus or key element.

Matching your frame and mat is rarely a good option. Generally the inner mat sometimes called a slip mat in a double mat image will protrude approximately 1 4 farther than the outer mat. If you re choosing a brown frame you probably don t want to use a brown mat. The color of a light mat should be a tone darker than the lightest color of the image.

There is no definitive right mat for any one photograph or giclée print. Pick a mat or a number of mats if you choose to utilize multiple layers you like that is a good look for the picture you ll be framing then decide whether the mat will go around the edges of the picture in the frame or serve as a frame itself.