| How to Professionally Mat and Frame Pictures |
From "DIY Crafts"
episode DIC-135 |
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Carol Duvall, host of HGTV's The Carol Duvall Show, shares her discoveries about matting and framing artwork: For quite some time now, I have wanted to do a segment on mat cutting. So many crafters, painters and needleworkers are having their work matted and framed and are spending many dollars to do it. Thus it seemed logical that we should do a segment on how to do the matting yourself. It did not seem logical that I would be the one to do it, however. Those of you who saw the show we did some time ago, when producer Linda Watson tried to teach me how to cut a mat, realized, as I did, that I was not a quick study. What a different story this time! I sat down by myself with a mat cutter and a book, The Complete Guide to Basic Mat Cutting, and became an overnight sensation! I couldn't believe how easy it was to learn and to do . . . and what a terrific difference the right mat could make in the appearance of even a single photograph or greeting card. I stopped cutting only when I ran out of mats to cut (figure A). The main purpose behind all of this, however, was not to show you how I could cut a mat but to show you how you could do it yourself, without having a degree in math or engineering, and how you could save money in the process. The costs can really escalate when you want to have more than one opening cut in a mat, such as when you want to include multiple photos. All arguments aside, the best reason to cut your own is because it's fun to do. Another reason that prompted us to present mat cutting is that, for the first time, a truly professional type of cutter is available for under $100 (figure B). The LoganB. cutter I used is listed at $79. (Note: The cost of this product has increased to $109.95 since this segment first aired.) It can be a little tricky to know what color and what size mat to use, as well as what size opening to cut (figure C). Fortunately, the book I mentioned has plenty of information and guidelines to help you make such decisions. I think you could see what a difference just color alone made when, on the show, I held up the different mats over the same image. And what an interesting picture could be produced by simply matting and framing something as basic as a greeting card or rubber-stamped image. Yup, forget the saving money part. This is a whole new craft to enjoy. Additional Notes When I checked with various craft and art-supply stores around the country, I discovered a wide range of prices on mat board. The price of a 32" by 40" piece ranged from $4.50 to $12, sometimes even at the same store! It depends on finish as well as color and whether it is acid-free. The folks at De Young's Art Store in Traverse City, Michigan, said they could order a piece of mat board as large as 40" by 60" for $15, but they were the only store that did. My personal thanks to viewer Augusta M. Asberry of Bremerton, Washington, for sending some of her fabulous artwork as reproduced on note cards. What perfect items to frame in a multiple-cut mat. Next time! (figure D).
RESOURCES :
Mat cutter--Logan Compact Cutter
Logan Graphic Products Inc.
Wauconda, IL 60084
Phone: 847-526-5515
Fax: 800-331-6329
Email: Logan-Graphic-Products@worldnet.att.net URL:
URL: www.artproducts.com
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