The Purpose of the Mat In the Well Framed Picture

 

First of all, the mat should support the art in a subtle way without drawing attention to itself. 

It supports the artwork by providing a very comfortable setting in which the artwork sits. I believe that the best matting should not be really seen on the very first emotional glimpse the viewer takes. It needs to become part of the art. Only after the viewer starts to analyze the well framed piece does he/she realize that this matting is doing an excellent job by visually and colorfully providing a natural complement.

(Mind you, this sequence of reactions usually occurs within the time set of a few seconds.)

The second job of the mat is to provide some physical space for the art to breathe. By expanding the size of the overall framing package with the use of a mat, the picture takes on more attention because it's size is increased substantially. Now this can be positive or negative attention depending on your use of the best possible matting (color and texture) and too, by choosing the optimum border sizes for the mat.

In our next meeting we'll talk about glazing (glass/plastic). 

I'll see you soon.