Buying a custom-made mat can be expensive. And since watercolours and printed photos often come in non-standard sizes, pre-made mats don’t always work. Fortunately, creating your own mat can be done quickly and at a low cost.
Step 1:
Be sure to have the following items close at hand: a framing mat, a pencil, a ruler and a cutting blade. Also, make sure you know the exact dimensions of the photo or image you want to frame when you purchase the mat.
Step 2:
Centre the photo on the cardboard mat and trace its outline using a pencil.
Step 3:
Cut the cardboard mat along the lines you traced in pencil, using the ruler as a guide.
Tips:
- Use an acid-free cardboard mat. The acidity contained in the cardboard has yellowing properties that could alter your wedding photo in a terrible way.
- There are mat cutters available for cutting your cardboard mat at a 45-degree angle. These mat cutters are ideal if you want to cut several mats in a professional manner.
- For a contemporary look, layer two colours of mats. For a more classic feel, favour a tone-on-tone approach.
- Don’t forget, the larger the mat is, the more the emphasis will be on the photo. This is an easy way to have your favourite memories take centre stage.