I know we have some info on this in various places, but I wanted a thread devoted to it.

So, will someone give a run down of the step-by-step to how to mat an image? I just got my mat cutter and will have some supplies on the way shortly (once I know what I need), but I'd love a quick rundown of how it all goes together.

What materials do you need? I know you need a picture, mat board, foam board, and a mat cutter (if the mat needs to be cut). But, what do you need to attach the print to the mat? How about attaching the mat board to the foam board?

Lots of questions...

Thanks!

- Scott

This is handy, since I havnt even opened my mat cutter yet.

Originally Posted by subimatt

This is handy, since I havnt even opened my mat cutter yet.

Me either!

Originally Posted by porschewrx

This is my biggest problem with framing my own pictures. When I have used spay adhesive I ended up with bubbles and when I have used tape I ended up with a wavy picture. A step by step tutorial would be great.


Scott

From what I've seen done, people seem to use a couple bits of tape to "hinge" the print to the mat, then they use some light sticky type tape/adhesive stuff to adhere the actual mat board to the foam board.

But yeah, this is the step that has me lost as well.

That's the hardest step. I've used spray and it works if you can get your print applied PERFECTLY w/o any bubbles. I use an old giant poster tube to roll the print onto the adhesive. It works most of the time, but it can **** up too...

If not then get it printed on a mat board. Mpix and a few others have that option. The bitch with that is the sizes I print requires double thickness board which is impossible to cut (w/o a table saw that is )

Basic supplies:

• mat cutter
• mat board (archival?)
• foam core (archival?)
• frame (or at least the INTERIOR size, ie how big the mat needs to be)
• archival tape (you can skip archival elsewhere, but make sure the tape is, I but what looks like black masking tape [like the blue painters tape, but in black])
• white cotton gloves
• spray adhesive?
• erasure (to clean the mat when done, this will remove any scuffs)
• fresh/new blades for the cutter (If I'm selling the print, new blade for every other mat (you can use each one twice by flipping it)
• pencil to measure where to cut
• T-square ruler to draw straight lines
• a centering rules is awesome if you're bad at math, not needed but a huge help and makes everything MUCH faster

Here's the basic steps:

• Cut mat to exterior dimensions needed
• cut core to exterior dimensions needed
• draw out what you're cutting
• measure it out
• draw it out with the T-square
• lay the print on the "hole" and make sure it's right
• double check that last step... (I sucks wrecking mat)
• cut with the cutter in the box (ie the "edge" goes under the "rail", the "window" is at the edge of the "rail" and the cutter sits INSIDE the window while cutting
• place the foam core face up towards you
• lay the cut mat above it so the top edges are touching with the "insides" both up (like a sandwich)
• tape the top edges together so it's a hinge (with the black archival masking tape)
• put the image on the mat where you think it goes
• close the sandwich on the print
• adjust the print (I wear white cotton gloves for this part)
• hold the print in place with your hand in the window
• open the mat
• once the window is "up" hold the print with your hand on the other side
• fasten the print to the foam (this depends on how you're doing it)
  • if taping, tape the edges
  • if spray adhesive, tape one edge, fold it back spray, then roll it into place
  • if stuck on another board already, tape that board to the foam core, then put in some scrap of the same thickness around the edges so the front mat doesn't get bent
  • of those options, the lowest is best. Depending on print size you can get away with taping (under 8x10/12 no problem, 8x10/12 is where you start to need better, see what you like)
• close the sandwich again to make sure the print is straight
• open again
• put double sided tape where ever the mat will touch the foam core (if I'm doing these for me, then I'll make tape loops wit the black archival tape so it will come apart easier, if I'm selling/gifting it, I use double sided tape, but you wreck the mat taking them apart)
• close the mat on the foam and press hard at the edges to make sure it's bonded well (use gloves if you have them)
• use an erasure to make sure the mat is clean
• sign and date it
• profit?

I think that's it... I should have Matt come over sometime next week with Leah, and one of us can do the matting, the other one can take the pictures.

^ that may be the best way to do it... srsly.

Originally Posted by subimatt

^ that may be the best way to do it... srsly.

I do have 3 prints at home right now that need to be matted...
If you're in Boston and could come down Thursday night, Friday night or Saturday next week, that would work.

hrmm would have to be Sat since I have work... perhaps.. we will be in touch!

yeah, I'm busy all this weekend, skiing wednesday, working Thursday through Saturday (inventory ) then skiing that Sunday too...

So Saturday the 30th is about it. I'm "free" this weekend, but yeah, too busy to do anything like this... I'm not skiing tomorrow.

Yea, We are heading to Boston tonight/ tomorrow early... Going to the Bruins game with Luca.

I'll come over if you make me bread.

Wow, thanks Ben. I'll have to see how the guy who usually does all my matting attaches the foam/mat board.

So with said, how does everyone sign it?

I usually put name in bottom right and title in bottom left. Then I put the date on the back.

Originally Posted by Stime187

So with said, how does everyone sign it?

Ben Jacobsen © 2007 in the bottom right in either silver (on black) or black (on white) sharpie. I don't do titles though, can't ever come up with anything good enough.

Originally Posted by porschewrx

Do you add photo information on the back telling date and location?


Scott

Nope.

Originally Posted by porschewrx

Do you add photo information on the back telling date and location?


Scott

I put the date on the back in the upper right corner on occasion.

And if I can't come up with anything good, I leave the title blank. But as you can tell, pretty much every one of my shots has a distinct name and people call them by 'em so I use them to further the popularity and "name", if that makes any sense.

Another side question, when matting a print, how much smaller do you cut the opening than the actual print size?

I just got an order back from the local frame shop that does my stuff, and first they matted my 12x18 to 18x24 NOT 16x24 like I asked. Then, they made the actual print opening 11x17 which is ridiculously cropping the shot and makes the composition feel awfully cramped now. I can under a small amount, but thats a bit overboard to me. So much so, that I think I may have to re-do it myself before giving it to my customer. Its just not up to my standards.

I know there's a usual small crop when matting, but I'd never noticed such a dramatic amount... I pegged it immediately when I saw it on this one that it was too tight.

Well it will depend on your print and your outlook on cropping. Matting is an easy way to crop as you can lay the mat on the print to see where you want it to end up and cut accordingly... That said, I try to cut 1/4"~1/2" from each side (so less than 1" total) on a 12" x 18" print. But we all know how I feel about cropping.

Originally Posted by jacobsen1

Well it will depend on your print and your outlook on cropping. Matting is an easy way to crop as you can lay the mat on the print to see where you want it to end up and cut accordingly... That said, I try to cut 1/4"~1/2" from each side (so less than 1" total) on a 12" x 18" print. But we all know how I feel about cropping.

My outlook is essentially identical to yours, Ben. I don't like to crop anything, I shoot it the way I want it full-frame and ANY crop slightly disturbs my composition, but I can handle a small amount. Luckily, I'll be doing my own stuff soon so no more of this 1/2" off every side crap. I'll probably shoot for a 1/4" off each side and see how low I can get that margin before it becomes a pain in the ass.

Nice! Thanks, everyone... now I just have to perfect the process and get faster at it.



- Scott

how long did it take?
did you enjoy it?
were you drinking?

Originally Posted by jacobsen1

how long did it take?
did you enjoy it?
were you drinking?

It took awhile but it was during the game so who knows actual time spent.

It was fun, but frustrating, next one will be better. The result makes it worth it.

I was drinking, but I'm usually drinking. I'm still in college.

Used to do all my own matting. Practice makes perfect, you'll blow a few pieces of matte board before getting it right if you're out of practice. My advice is never be afraid to print smaller or matte bigger. IMO the matte on your photo above is too narrow on all sides but that's my taste.

Also I recommend weighting the matte on the bottom a bit. You can do this less for smaller overall matte and photo sizes, but don't center the image completely in the vertical direction. Otherwise to the viewer the matted image will have a tendency to look like it was matted too low. For 11x14 mattes I've offset the window by as little as 5mm towards the top. For larger matte jobs (that I didn't do myself) it's been more like a quarter of an inch.

If you don't want to crop the image, cut the window larger than the image and center it in that and give it a nice uniform border. I've also created a colored border in photoshop before and matted to that leaving a nice band of color around the image.

Thanks for the advice, as said, that was my first attempt so I plan on getting better/faster at it.

Originally Posted by emorphien

Used to do all my own matting. Practice makes perfect, you'll blow a few pieces of matte board before getting it right if you're out of practice. My advice is never be afraid to print smaller or matte bigger. IMO the matte on your photo above is too narrow on all sides but that's my taste.

8x10/8x12 to 11x14 is a standard size and it will/does sell, so yeah, I'll keep doing it that way. Personally, I'm not a fan of a lot of matting, but I will be looking into more standard sizes and what kinds of frames are available easily, then I'll use whatever info I glean from that to determine what my matting/selling print sizes are. I can play a lot more now that I can do it myself and cut my own sizes/windows however I want them.

Also I recommend weighting the matte on the bottom a bit. You can do this less for smaller overall matte and photo sizes, but don't center the image completely in the vertical direction. Otherwise to the viewer the matted image will have a tendency to look like it was matted too low. For 11x14 mattes I've offset the window by as little as 5mm towards the top. For larger matte jobs (that I didn't do myself) it's been more like a quarter of an inch.

I'll keep that in mind, thanks!

Originally Posted by Stime187

8x10/8x12 to 11x14 is a standard size and it will/does sell, so yeah, I'll keep doing it that way.

I realize that. However I often don't put an 8x10 or 8x12 in an 11x14. It looks cramped. I usually go with a 6x9 or maybe slightly bigger in that size matte. Also it looks like the sides of your matte are narrower than the top/bottom which often makes a matte job look a little awkward to me, especially with all the borders being as narrow as they are.

I like good, simple matting. I hate overdone matting, all I ever really do is a nice white or slightly off-white matte, sometimes very lightly textured. I like a reasonable border though so as to offset and present the photo in a clear, and pleasant manner. The interest is the photo, not the matte, but I think you need enough matte to separate the photo from the frame.

Originally Posted by emorphien

I realize that. However I often don't put an 8x10 or 8x12 in an 11x14. It looks cramped. I usually go with a 6x9 or maybe slightly bigger in that size matte. Also it looks like the sides of your matte are narrower than the top/bottom which often makes a matte job look a little awkward to me, especially with all the borders being as narrow as they are.

Yeah, it does, but 8x10 --> 11x14 isn't too bad, I mean, what else do you mat an 8x10 to? Now the 8x12s, I definitely agree they look a bit cramped in an 11x14 but I really try to stick to that standard size of frame so people don't have any trouble with framing. I'm after sales and sometimes, that may take a bit away from it being the best possible scenario. I'll definitely look at putting 6x9s instead though. We'll see how this first set sell then I'll evaluate from there...

And the sides are narrower, 1.5"/each versus 2"/each top and bottom. No way to avoid that with an 8x10 without going to something odd like 12x14 or something.

Well I don't tend to matte/frame 8x10s because that requires cropping the images from a 35mm or DSLR. If I shoot 4x5 then that's cool, but I would still print it slightly smaller so as to allow more white border.

You know what, you're right. I was just trying to stick with standard sizes but here's what I've decided, see what you think...

8x10 --> 11x14
8x12 --> 12x16
11x14 --> 16x20
12x18 --> 18x24
16x20 --> 20x24
16x24 --> 22x30

...those are all standard frame sizes straight from Jerry's Artarama's site. What do you think?

Also, 90% of my shots are in 2:3 format but when I was starting out and on rare occasions, I crop to 4:5 so I need to have it all figured out for those sizes as well.

- Scott

I've never stuck to standard printed sizes so it's different for me. 8x10 will fit in an 11x14 but it's a wee bit tight. It would work fine in a 12x16 to be honest (I think).

Those are all pretty good, I like the 11x14 in 16x20 as well as 12x18 in an 18x24 (nice wide borders). Do whatever looks & feels right to you though. Don't forget the weighting though, any good frame shop I've been to always asks because they know it'll usually otherwise wind up looking too low. And IMO, when in doubt err on the side of more matte thickness around the sides. It looks better than too thin.

Awesome!

Ben, I might need that shot via print exchange.

Ohh you use the adhesive stuff? I have never bothered with it.

And not to be outdone...

word scott, "gulf stream sunrise":

Its beautiful, Ben. Me and you need to figure something out, .

^ hey, different text layout.. Just noticed that.

another I uploaded...

Originally Posted by subimatt

^ hey, different text layout.. Just noticed that.

that's my selling frame matt.