Matting Your Artwork, Basic Version
Congratulations on your new artwork! Let’s get that matted and framed. This article covers a very basic matting using precut mats. An article on more advanced custom matting and framing will be available in the future, but I’m happy to answer any questions.
Use the right materials. It really makes a difference.
Artwork (or print, or photo). Here I’m going to cover artwork and images on paper, including canvas paper like this painting of my good friend Eddy. Canvases and panels require different framing methods.
Frame. Shop carefully for a frame. You want something that looks good and protects your artwork. Get the best your budget allows. Solid wood or MDF frames are the best choice. Metal frames can be nice and durable, depending on the manufacturer, but they do tend to have sharp corners. Avoid plastic for artwork and nicer images. Glass is classic, but some frames offer plexiglass or Acrylite instead. I used to poo-poo the glass substitutes, but these days they’re really quite nice. The clarity is barely noticeably below glass, they are very lightweight and won’t crack if you drop it. There is slight distortion in reflections compared to glass, but this actually helps the viewer focus on the artwork rather than the reflection. For cleaning, as long as you use a soft cloth, they don’t scuff easily. If you’re skeptical, opt for the substitute and if you dislike it, it’s inexpensive to replace it with glass in the same frame.
Mat board. You can purchase precut mat in a variety of sizes and colors. Many frames also come with matting for popular size images. Choose a color that enhances the artwork, rather than the room it’s going in or because it’s your favorite color (sorry). Black or white is always a good bet. In this case a contrasting mat works best. If the background of the art is mostly dark, a white mat looks best. If the background is white or light, a black mat will really make it stand out.
Mounting tape. I use archival mounting tape such as Framers Tape II. This tape is acid free and won’t harm your artwork no matter how many years it’s in place. It’s not very expensive and can be purchased online. Avoid masking tape, Scotch tape, or duct tape, as these have acids and other chemicals that will leach into the artwork after a few years and discolor the image.
Painters tape. For temporary positioning. If you don’t have painters tape, stick a piece of masking tape to your shirt once to make it less tacky. Keep track and don’t forget you already have a piece stuck to your shirt.
Scissors. For cutting the mounting tape.
Tidy up. Glass cleaner and a lint free cloth for cleaning the glass. Avoid paper towels uness it’s Viva, which doesn’t leave behind as much dust and lint as other brands.
Position artwork or photo. Precut mats come standard with a 1/4 inch border. So for an 8 x 10 precut mat, the actual window is 7.5 x 9.5 inches. I take this into account when producing artwork that I anticipate will be framed. The overlap ensures there are no gaps between the image and the matting. It also allows you to make minor adjustments so the image is positioned to your liking.
Once you’ve positioned the image, hold in place and carefully turn over. Lightly apply painters tape in the middle at the top to hold the image in place.
Carefully flip back over and make sure everything looks good. If it’s crooked or not quite where you’d like it, lift the painters tape and adjust. Repeat until it’s just right.
Try to apply the tape to the artwork so it’s within the extra border surrounding it, rather than overlapping where the art is on the front. Either way, you want at least 1/4 inch of the tape attached to the back of the artwork. Press well against the artwork and the matting.
Apply mounting tape in two places along the top of the artwork. You only need pieces that are 1-2 inches in length. For larger artworks or those wider than 18 inches, use a third piece in the middle.
For glass filled frames, clean both sides of the glass with a lint free cloth. If you have plexiglass or acrylite, peel the protective sticker from both sides. Place the glass in the frame, careful not to get fingerprints on the artwork side. Lay the artwork face down on top. On top of the artwork apply a backing such as cardstock or archival backing to protect it from long-term exposure to the frame’s back board and attached hardware. Finish by placing the back board in, making sure any included hanging hardware is positioned correctly for hanging.
Finished. One final piece of advice… if you’re frame has lightweight acrylite instead of glass, you may be able to just hang it on a thumbtack instead of hammering in a nail.