If you want an inexpensive way to make your photographs look even better, then you should consider using a picture frame mat. Picture frame mats are commonly used by professional artists and photographers to help make their artwork stand out. Just look at the difference a mat can make with the two images below (Landscape image courtesy of Jason Lee).
In addition to making your photographs look even better, picture frame mats can also help you save money if you have a unique sized picture to frame. Often times by using a picture frame mat, you can avoid the higher cost of having a custom frame made. All you have to do is find a ready made picture frame in a bigger size than the image you want to frame and then get a mat with an opening to fit your photo or artwork. If your artwork or photo is a standard size, you can get a pre- cut mat or if it’s a unique size you can have a mat cut.
Another great benefit of picture frame mats is that they can also help protect your picture or artwork. By using a mat it prevents the picture or artwork from coming in direct contact with the glass. This is important (especially in humid climates) because moisture can get trapped inside the frame between the glass and print and damage your picture.
How to Select a Picture Frame Mat
In order to select a mat there are three things to consider: the type of mat, the size and the mat thickness.
Type of Mat
Mats really come in a couple different types: archival and standard. Archival mats (also called rag mats) do not contain any acid, chemicals or wood based materials that can degrade your pictures or artwork. They are used for pictures or artwork that you want to protect like family heirlooms, special artwork or old family photos. Archival mats are a bit more expensive but, if you’re trying to protect something special it is certainly worth a few dollars more.
The other type of mat is the standard mat which is made from paper or wood based products. These mats are commonly found in frames and are less expensive than archival mats. The problem with these mats is that they will deteriorate your artwork or pictures over time. However, if you have a picture that you can easily replace, then using an archival mat isn’t really necessary.
For most people, the best way to tell if a mat is an archival or standard mat is to ask. However in most cases you can assume a mat is a standard mat unless it’s specifically identified as archival.
Mat Size
The other thing to consider when choosing a picture frame mat is the size. When getting a picture frame mat you want to make sure that you have two sets of dimensions: the inner opening and the exterior size of the mat. It may seem silly, but often times people get so focused on the inside dimensions of the mat that they choose a mat that won’t fit in their frame. So make sure to understand that the the inner opening is the cut out space that displays your picture or artwork while the outside dimension is the size that must fit inside your frame.
Mat Thickness or Depth
Often times, people don’t realize that you can get mats in multiple thicknesses or depths. That means that you can stack up multiple mats in one frame to give your artwork added depth or color emphasis. Multiple mats are often referred to as double mats, triple or sometimes even shadow mats.
Single mats are usually used just to add a little emphasis to a picture or to help protect it from touching the glass, while double mats are often used to bring out extra emphasis or depth. You can find double mats that have two single mats placed right on top of each other or you can also find mats where they have spacers in between the two mats for a shadow look. The mat on the left is a single mat whereas the mat on the right is a shadow mat.
If you really want to give your pictures or artwork a super custom look, you can choose a double mat with two different colors. As you can see from this picture below, the two frames both have a double mat with two different colors. This can really make the picture stand out and give you a way to highlight specific colors in your picture or artwork.
However, if you already have a frame selected for your picture or artwork, make sure that the frame can accommodate the extra depth of a mat. Most frames can accommodate a single mat, but if you put two mats inside the frame, often times the frame back won’t fit in most ready made frames. So, if you want to use a double mat or thicker, find out if your frame can hold the extra thickness by checking the depth of the rabbit (the inside depth of the frame).
Now that you now know more about picture frame mats, be sure to try one out the next time you want to frame a special picture. You’ll be glad you did!