
	Intro: Before you begin Step 1: Gather your materials Step 2: Cut two mats to fit the frame Step 3: Cut one mat to frame the artwork Step 4: Hinge the artwork








	A T-square can be a big help when it comes to placing and marking the corners you need to cut. If the mat window covers an important part of your artwork (like the artist's signature), you can cut the window larger. Just be sure the window is still small enough to slightly overlap the artwork.

2torial #0905 - Step 3:
Learn2 Prepare a Mat for a Picture (Continued)

Cut one mat to frame the artwork

Now you have two pieces of mat board. One will provide the backing for your artwork (called a mounting board), and you can put this piece aside. The other will provide the border for the artwork. This one will need more cutting to create the window through which the art is seen.

The window you cut from the mat board needs to be 3/8 inch (1 centimeter) smaller than your actual artwork. This is so the mat border can slightly overlap the edge of the artwork and hold it in place. Subtract 3/8 inch from the height and width of the artwork and you have your window size.

To center the window area on the mat board, subtract the height of the window from the height of the mat board, divide the result in half, and you have the heights of the top and bottom borders of the mat. Do the same calculations with the widths of the window and the mat board, and you have the widths of the side borders.

Mark off these borders using your straight edge and pencil. Again, mark the back of the mat if you're using a mat cutter. If you're using a knife, mark the front very lightly--you'll have to erase afterward. Recheck the drawn window's measurements, just in case.

Cut out the window area the same way you first cut the mat board. Hold the straight edge firmly on the outside edge of the line--the border area--so any cutting mistakes will be on the discarded window. Be careful not to overcut. Make sure you start and end on the exact corner of the line. Since the window cuts will be visible, it's important to get them right the first time.

Once you've made the cuts and removed the window, touch up any ragged edges with the sandpaper and gently erase any pencil marks and smudges. Now you're ready to move into the final stretch.
Step 4