Matting Your Artwork

The matting should enhance the colors and features of your artwork without overpowering the piece itself.

Matting your artwork.

The mat board you choose should be dictated by the artwork you are framing. The best matting should serve to protect your artwork from harmful elements and help it last a lifetime. If you re using corners take off the bottom adhesive and place four of them on the backing at each corner of the piece. Matting your artwork is really very easy to do.

Matting a piece of artwork is a real finishing touch. Posted on september 26 2012 by art by art. This is the same for pastel charcoal and other paper based pieces. In the case of watercolor it is a necessary part of the framing as the watercolor must be separated from the glass under which it is placed.

You can use pre cut mats or you can cut your own rather simply. For see through mounting strips use two on each side of the piece or eight total and adhere them to the backing. Typically matting if matched carefully and properly proportioned helps draw the eye in towards the artwork or towards a particular key element of the piece. However while the mat is usually regarded as something to complement the piece there are some examples of the mat being regarded by the artist as a part of the artwork.

A great mat can really add a wow factor to your artwork and turn a lackluster painting into a piece that deserves a second look. It adds to the overall tone of the piece and can emphasize colors in the artwork. If you use pre cut mats there s less work but your are limited to the sizes you can find at your local store as well as the colour selection they have.