Don’t use cleaning solutions or soap to clean your workspace, as these could damage your materials.
If you’re not showing any border or edges on the side of the artwork, you may want to subtract ¼ inch (0. 64 cm) from each side (½ inch or 1. 27 cm total for both length and width). This will give you a neat edge underneath your mat board. Your mat board should match up in size with your backing. Once you’ve got the mat board measured, use these measurements to size out the backing as well.
Having a frame before you start matting limits your flexibility on sizing the mat board border, so you may want to wait to pick a frame until after everything’s already matted.
Keeping the line straight is the toughest part of this whole process. It’s also frustrating, because you’ll have to start over if your lines aren’t straight. Use something with a straight edge, such as an old frame or a heavy book, to help you cut.
You may need to make several cuts to remove the cut out. Do as many as you need to, but take your time. Each repeated cut needs to be on the same line as all the others.
Linen and archival tape has the adhesive ability of regular tape, but it won’t damage your artwork or mat board. It’ll cost more than normal tape, but regular household tape contains acids and other chemicals that may eventually leak onto your artwork.
Photo corners and strips are best for conservation, as they avoid the damage that even linen tape could cause to your piece.
It’s best to connect the window and backing at the top of the frame. You’re now ready to put this matted print into a frame if you’d like a more finished look. You can also attach an adhesive picture hanger to the back of your backing board to hang the matted frame up on the wall by itself.
Investing in dry mounting equipment may be a great idea if you know you want to consistently mount lots of artwork or photographs. This really will be an investment. Dry mount presses cost a few thousand dollars, and tacking irons may cost between $50-$100. The tissues will be less pricey. Be aware that dry mounting isn’t recommended for older artwork or pieces you’d like to preserve. It’s a permanent, irreversible process, so it’s not the best option for conservation.
If you have access to a large paper trimmer, this will make cutting the tissue much easier and neater.
For photographs, resin-based paper should only be heated for about 60-90 seconds, while fiber-based papers should be heated for 2-4 minutes. Fiber-based paper is the material that’s more commonly used to print high-quality pictures. [17] X Research source
Use a large coffee-table book or several socks with coins in them if you don’t have a flattening weight specially made for the dry mounting process. Make sure your workspace is still clean before you lay your artwork face down to cool.
Measuring the border will depend on the size of the piece. Your border should measure as wide as at least 25% of the shortest edge. So if your piece is 8 in. by 12 in. (20. 32 cm by 30. 48 cm), you’ll need a minimum of 2 inches (5. 08 cm) for the border. Go up an inch or two (2. 54-5. 08 cm) to make this a wider border. [22] X Research source
Keep your border at the minimum measurement (25% of the shortest edge) for a narrow width.
If you have a piece that’s mostly orange, for example, don’t go with a blue mat board. Avoid mats that are darker or brighter than the artwork. If you really want to add color, put bright or bold colors on the bottom, thinner layer of a double mat. [27] X Research source
