Learn About The Framemakers
Matting is the color between the image and the frame. One, two or even three mats can greatly enhance the item being framed. Mats also create a space to keep the glass from touching the art. There are times though that a mat is not needed. The Framemakers always wants your art presented its best. We love to work with you in the design process.
Matting can be an inexpensive buffered mat to a museum quality rag mat. All paper made from wood has lignin in it. This contributes to the acid in paper. If you look at something that you framed some time ago and the angle or bevel of the mat close to the art looks yellow or gold that is the acid showing. Acid both in mats and behind the art, like cardboard, will leach acid into your art causing yellowing and breakdown of inks and paper. A perfect example is an older newspaper yellow and fragile from acid.
Rag mats have always been the gold standard in the framing industry. They are made from 100% cotton. Rag mats used to be very limited in color but they have expanded greatly and now come in many colors. To expand colors further some mats have a rag backing and core but not the color surface.
The framing industry has also developed a line of mats that are fade and bleed resistant, acid free, lignin free, 100% virgin alpha cellulose. Art Care technology actually extends the life of your art by slowing paper degradation and protecting against damaging pollutants. Here again, if you look at something that has been framed for a while and the inside of the glass looks foggy or even a shadow image of your art, that is the gas and pollution given off by the paper and inks used in art and matting. The Framemakers not only frame new items but can switch out an old mat for a better quality new mat exactly matching what you have or updating to a new color.
The Framemakers have over 1,000 mats to choose from. We carry a variety of finishes including silk, linen, suede, black bevels and solid core. We can cut the mat to show the white angle/bevel or reverse the bevel and eliminate that white edge. Reverse bevels are especially effective on any item that a white line would distract from the design.
