Renowned artist Vincent Van Gogh once said, “A picture without a frame is like a soul without a body.” And he was right. Frames allow you to protect and display pictures, permitting your favorite photos or artworks to serve their purpose.
One of the best ways to make your artwork pop is by photo matting. Exactly what is photo matting, you ask? Mattes are decorative and protective frames that help your picture stand out in the exterior frame.
And it’s very easy to learn how to matte a photo if you have an easy step-by-step photo matting guide. Lucky for you, this guide is exactly that and it has all the photo matting advice you need!
Step 1: Buy a 4-Ply Matte Board and Foam Mount Board
You should already have the print or picture you want to matte and the picture frame. If not, you can order prints from somewhere like CustomCanvasPrints.com.
Then, get the right matting tools. Find a specialist arts and crafts store in your local area or online.
Buy a 4-ply matte board in your chosen color and a white foam mount board. If you are matting a very large picture, get an 8-ply matte board.
White is a classic matte board color except if you have a picture that is almost all white. One of the best photo matting tips anyone could give you is to get a black matte board instead. White matte boards will start to look a little yellow next to a white picture after a while.
Step 2: Measure and Cut the Matte Board
Use a craft knife and measuring tape to cut the outside of the matte board in line with the inside of your picture frame. Draw guidelines on the back of the matte board and cut it down to size.
The next step when learning how to matte a photo is to measure your picture. Draw the outline of the picture on the back of the matte board in the center. Use your craft knife to cut out the shape.
Step 3: Measure and Cut the Mount Board
Using your matte board as a guide, cut your mount board so that it’s the same size. Both the matte and mount boards must be snug in the picture frame so they don’t move around.
Step 4: Attach Your Picture and Frame It
The last step is to fix your picture on your mount board with photo corners. These are tiny adhesive stickers that you can buy from craft stores. Attach the matte board onto the mount board by using double-sided tape.
You can now slot your mounted picture into the picture frame and hang it on your wall.
That’s How to Matte a Photo in Four Simple Steps
Learning how to matte a photo is easy. As long as you take care when you are measuring and cutting, you will no doubt have framed matte pictures that you can feel proud to put on display.
And displaying prints and photographs is one of the best ways to brighten up the decor in your home. But there are lots of other ways too. Browse the lifestyle section of your website for tons more home and garden tips!
