mounting travis...
- Thread starter drdrew
- Start date
LOL I thought this post was going to a bad place by the title. 
I buy the mats pre-cut. You can get them at Hobby Lobby or Michael's in different sizes.
There's still some work involved in mounting the photo to the mat nicely, you'll need some masking tape, some acid-free spray mount, some poster board and a ruler. It's not difficult, but you have to go slowly & methodically.
I broke myself of the habit of cropping photos some time ago, especially odd sizes...except for very few cases. In those cases I don't offer the pic for sale, or sell just the print because I can't do a custom matting job any cheaper than my customers can, and would have to mark it up for my time.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
T
I buy the mats pre-cut. You can get them at Hobby Lobby or Michael's in different sizes.
There's still some work involved in mounting the photo to the mat nicely, you'll need some masking tape, some acid-free spray mount, some poster board and a ruler. It's not difficult, but you have to go slowly & methodically.
I broke myself of the habit of cropping photos some time ago, especially odd sizes...except for very few cases. In those cases I don't offer the pic for sale, or sell just the print because I can't do a custom matting job any cheaper than my customers can, and would have to mark it up for my time.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
T
ummmm..so do you mount the pic to the poster board on the back with the spray mount first?
do you use the spray mount for the matt as well?
other than wrapping my head with the masking tape, what would i use that for?
and finally, do you keep your work in a portfolio? which size did you end up getting for that?
do you use the spray mount for the matt as well?
other than wrapping my head with the masking tape, what would i use that for?
and finally, do you keep your work in a portfolio? which size did you end up getting for that?
LOL OK, you want the skinny step by step.
1. Cut the poster board to 1/2" less wide and high than the mat. So for a 16x20 mat, 15.5x19.5 on the poster board. This will be your backing.
2. Get the mat centered over the photo. Can be tricky. Place the photo on a table, face-up. Position the mat over top of it so there is no white area on the border of the photo showing, and the photo is centered. Slide both mat and photo so that they're hanging off the edge of the table. Tape the photo to the mat at the two corners hanging off the table. Your photo is now positioned securely.
3. Now flip the mat/photo upside down. Tape all the way around the edge where the photo meets the mat, making sure the photo stays flat and doesn't move (the tape on the corners helps you here until you're well underway)
4. Spray mount the back of your posterboard according to the instructions. Then press it on to the back of the photo/mat, making sure it is smooth, especially around the corners. I use a credit card in even strokes for this.
5. Voila! See? Wasn't that easy?
It gets faster and easier with practice. But don't try to rush it, you'll end up with a ruined mat, a ruined photo, or both.
T
1. Cut the poster board to 1/2" less wide and high than the mat. So for a 16x20 mat, 15.5x19.5 on the poster board. This will be your backing.
2. Get the mat centered over the photo. Can be tricky. Place the photo on a table, face-up. Position the mat over top of it so there is no white area on the border of the photo showing, and the photo is centered. Slide both mat and photo so that they're hanging off the edge of the table. Tape the photo to the mat at the two corners hanging off the table. Your photo is now positioned securely.
3. Now flip the mat/photo upside down. Tape all the way around the edge where the photo meets the mat, making sure the photo stays flat and doesn't move (the tape on the corners helps you here until you're well underway)
4. Spray mount the back of your posterboard according to the instructions. Then press it on to the back of the photo/mat, making sure it is smooth, especially around the corners. I use a credit card in even strokes for this.
5. Voila! See? Wasn't that easy?
It gets faster and easier with practice. But don't try to rush it, you'll end up with a ruined mat, a ruined photo, or both.
T
No portfolio. I have several thumbnails per page in a PDF format I can put into an 8.5x11 3-ring binder. But honestly, my web site is my portfolio. By the time I have the opportunity to hand someone my printouts, they've already seen my website. That's why they contacted me in the first place.
You thinking about doing some pro work Drew? If so, I'll be glad to help you out in any way I can.
T
You thinking about doing some pro work Drew? If so, I'll be glad to help you out in any way I can.
T
tommyp
Member
for a more complex matte I tend to use a hinge matte.
I helps to have a matte cutter to do this. But all you do is use a matte board as a backer but instead of gluing the photo to it you use photo corners. Then you use the top board which is the same size as the backer to fit your photo. You would cut out the window in the top matte with the matte cutter to match the photo. oh yeah then you use some archival tape to tape the mattes together at the inside top.
This is the way we did it in photo school. It was cool because I reused the mattes for different projects but with photos of the same size and photos. It is also cool because it looks a lot better than just mounting to a board (when you were showing your work). but allowed you not to bring framed prints. I bought a presentation box and the mattes were cut to fit inside.
Here are some links.
archival presentation boxes
http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.c...&PCR=30000:180000:181000:181100:181110&R=4721
matte cutters are pricey
http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.c...0:230000:238000:238100:238110&IID=2326&R=8715
lightimpressions has all sorts of archival supplies and presentation stuff. If you get their catalog it will give you a lot of info and ideas
I helps to have a matte cutter to do this. But all you do is use a matte board as a backer but instead of gluing the photo to it you use photo corners. Then you use the top board which is the same size as the backer to fit your photo. You would cut out the window in the top matte with the matte cutter to match the photo. oh yeah then you use some archival tape to tape the mattes together at the inside top.
This is the way we did it in photo school. It was cool because I reused the mattes for different projects but with photos of the same size and photos. It is also cool because it looks a lot better than just mounting to a board (when you were showing your work). but allowed you not to bring framed prints. I bought a presentation box and the mattes were cut to fit inside.
Here are some links.
archival presentation boxes
http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.c...&PCR=30000:180000:181000:181100:181110&R=4721
matte cutters are pricey
http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.c...0:230000:238000:238100:238110&IID=2326&R=8715
lightimpressions has all sorts of archival supplies and presentation stuff. If you get their catalog it will give you a lot of info and ideas
nice info gentlemen. thank you very much.
i've had some interest in my pics. there isn't much like them here locally. i'm working up to selling or showing at least. i'm trying to get together a portfolio to take to a few restaurants/coffee shops and galleries. i thought of a portfolio with multi ring clear envelope pages, but thought the photos would be a lot nicer at least matted inside those pages. if anything actually goes up on a wall, i'll probably get it professionally done...unless i get the hang of this. thanks again for all of your step by step "mounting for dummies" instructions!
i've had some interest in my pics. there isn't much like them here locally. i'm working up to selling or showing at least. i'm trying to get together a portfolio to take to a few restaurants/coffee shops and galleries. i thought of a portfolio with multi ring clear envelope pages, but thought the photos would be a lot nicer at least matted inside those pages. if anything actually goes up on a wall, i'll probably get it professionally done...unless i get the hang of this. thanks again for all of your step by step "mounting for dummies" instructions!
