QA

How To Cut A Picture Mat

Can you cut mat board with scissors?

The cutting technology’s the same and it works well. For finer work and initial cuts in a large sheet I use plain scissors; the largest pair I own. You might want to experiment with some scrap pieces because you might not like the edge when it’s done. It tends to pinch the matboard.

How do you cut matting for framing?

Step One: Place the mat board on top of the back of your frame backing and trace around it with a pencil. After tracing, cut out the section of mat board using your X-Acto knife or other sharp blade. Step Two: Place your artwork in the center of the mat to measure the location of the opening.

What is a mat cutter?

A mat cutter is a tool specifically designed for cutting the cardboard mat, or matting, used to mount art pieces. For artists, a mat cutter is a vital tool in the studio, allowing them to mount and frame work much more cheaply than a professional framing company.

Can you cut a mat with an Exacto knife?

If you don’t own a mat cutter, you can cut your mat window with an x-acto knife, but you won’t achieve a good clean bevel.

Will Michaels cut mat board?

But did you know that you can get a mat cut… any size and any layout in any of the mat materials available…at Michaels? (And probably other framing stores like JoAnn Fabrics and Hobby Lobby…. And they can probably do it while you wait (depending on how busy they are and if they have your preferred mat in stock).

Can you cut matted fur?

Cutting the mats out – Never cut the mats out of your dog’s fur with scissors. It’s very easy to catch your dogs’ skin in the mats and unintentionally create a large wound on your dog. Please do not ask us to just “cut out the mats” when your dog is matted. When the fur is pelted to the skin, it needs to be removed.

Can you cut mat board with a Cricut?

The Cricut Maker and the Knife Blade are qualified to cut both 2-ply and 4-ply matboard. Matboard goes all the way up to 8-ply, but that’s too thick to cut, so stick to 2-ply and 4-ply matboard that is less than 2mm thick.

How do you measure a picture for matting?

Artwork Size : measure the visual area of the artwork you want to mat. For example 11×14″. Opening Size : subtract 1/2″ from the artwork size. For example, (11-1/2) x (14-1/2), 10 1/2″ x 13 1/2″ for the opening size.

Do I need a mat cutter?

In order to cut mats you need a tool to cut the outer edges of the matboard, and a mat cutter to cut the beveled windows. The do it yourself method can get quite costly if you plan on ordering full matboard sheets of 32×40″ as you’ll need a large format mat cutter.

How do you cut an angle mat?

You want to do it the other way (mat cutter facing the outside of the mat) or else your bevel will be cut the wrong way. To cut the mat, you simply push down the thumb lever and slide the mat cutter up the line while applying pressure. Stop when the mark on the mat cutter reaches the next line.

What surface do you use an exacto knife on?

To use your exacto knife properly, you will also need a surface to cut on and a straight edge or ruler. The best cutting surface is a self-healing cutting mat.

What size mat goes in 16×20 frame?

Standard Mat Board Sizes Artwork/Print Size Suggested Outer Size Mat Board Width (centered) 11×14 16×20 top/bottom: 2.5” right/left: 3” 11×17 18×24 top/bottom: 3.5” right/left: 3.5” 12×16 18×24 top/bottom: 3” right/left: 4” 13×19 18×24 top/bottom: 2.5” right/left: 2.5”.

How thick is a 4 ply mat board?

The thickness of a mat board, indicated as “ply,” is often an afterthought when it comes to selecting a mat board. In general, 4-ply (1/16-inch thick) and 8-ply (1/8-inch thick) are the most common, but 6-ply is also available.

How big is a sheet of mat board?

Most matboards are available in the standard 32″ x 40″ size. But the actual size of the board will probably be a fraction larger to allow for changes in humidity during shipping and storage. A full sheet of matboard may be squared by trimming off the excess, creating a true 32″ x 40″ board.

What is double matting?

If you’re new to the world of custom framing, you may not have come across double matting before. It’s a pretty simple technique, done by layering one mat on top of another so that the bottom mat acts as a decorative border around your framed artwork.

How do I use the jakar mount cutter?

The mount cutter is attached to a sturdy 40cm aluminium ruler. When you want to cut at a 45-degree angle, place the ruler on the outside of the aperture; for a 90-degree angle, place it on the inside of the aperture. You’ll find the Mount Cutter Kit useful for cutting cardboard, leather, paper or vinyl.

What are standard frame sizes?

Common Picture Frame Sizes Frames for 5″ x 5″ Art (& Smaller) Outside Frame Size: 8 3 ⁄ 16 ” x 8 3 ⁄ 16 “ Frames for 8″ x 10″ Art. Outside Frame Size: 13″ x 15″ Frames for 11″ x 14″ Art. Outside Frame Size: 19 1 ⁄ 2 ” x 16 7 ⁄ 16 “ Frames for 20″ x 36″ Art. Outside Frame Size: 22″ x 38″ More Frame Sizes For Inspirtation.

Why did my knife blade cut my mat?

When your Cricut cuts the mat, it means there is an error in the settings or that you’re using the wrong blade for your material. If the pressure is too high for a material, the blade will push through. An easy way to avoid this problem is to do a small test cut before cutting out your whole design.