How to Mat Your Own Artwork and Prints

As a struggling artist, you've probably encountered the high costs of having your first pieces framed and matted. And if you're thinking about doing a show, you may be anxious about the costs associated with matting all of your art. Don’t let that scare you. All you need is a simple, inexpensive frame, and to learn to mat your own prints. With the right mat color you can make any piece of art a show piece.

Here is a list of materials you will need:

• a mat cutter
• a piece of acid-free matboard
• your frame
• a pencil
• a box cutter
• a straight edge ruler (metal)
• Metal T-square (optional)

Here are the steps:

1. Using the box cutter cut the size mat you need based on the size of your frame. If your frame came with a paper insert, that is a nice guide to use when cutting. From this point on always work from the back of your matboard so you don’t mark up the front of it.
2. I usually mat my artwork with the same size border all around. You could make the bottom border a little larger to give the piece visual weight. Mat borders should be a minimum of 2” wide.
3. On the back of your mat, draw lines with your pencil to mark where the window will be, extend the lines to the edge of the sheet, so you can see where the corners cross.
4. Line up your mat cutter on the guidelines you marked. Position the mat cutter so that the angled blade is pointing toward the center of the artwork. Overcut each corner by about 1/16" to ensure that you get a crisp, clean corner. Push hard enough to make sure your blade is cutting through to the front of the mat.
5. After you’ve cut all four sides, your window should just slip right out. Put your mat into your frame, and your artwork behind the mat. Repeat above if cutting a double matte. Adjust opening size to allow a minimum of a ¼” reveal. Using an archival double face tape to mount the 2 mats together. Then tape your artwork with a small piece of archival tape on the top side to the back of the mat. Do not tape all around. This allows the paper expansion and contraction do to humidity changes.
6. Place a backing into the frame to hold the mat in place, hold with framers points.
7. Now for a dust seal. This is simply a sheet of Kraft paper that is glued to the back side of the frame for protection.
8. Using d-rings to hold the picture wire, install them about 1/3 the way down from the top.  

9. The final step is to cut your hanging wire and twist it in place through the loop of the d-ring.