Bottom Weighting A Mat

Too bad that there is no backing for these mats with backing they would be 5 star.

Bottom weighting a mat. Why weight the mat. What s a weighted mat. Understanding centered and weighted matting options using the same image of star trek s iconic enterprise and the exact same sized mat windows here are examples of a centered mat window on the left a weighted mat window on the right. The borders are 3 25 top and sides with 4 25 on the bottom.

It s best to choose a mat that complements the artwork not everything around it. Bottom weighted mats are slightly unconventional however they re a wowing framed display that will surely get your artwork noticed and generate tons of compliments. The window is moved up so that the bottom weighting is heavier. You may be surprised how little visible the size differences are with this option.

Weighting mats helps to counteract an inherent human visual perception problem. The mat surrounding it then will vary with some having more weight on top and bottom than the sides and others perhaps the opposite. These mats are pretty self explanatory the bottom side of your matboard is weighted with more space than the surrounding sides. These mats are vertical so you can only use them with a vertical sized print.

Double mat reveal. This bottom border is weighted and it is all explained below. Bottom weighting is the traditional mat style practice of making the bottom arm of the mat slightly wider than the other three. I love the bottom weighted mat but a backing should have been included.

If you chose a bottom weighted mat for your first image however this option doesn t work. There are several different schools of thought on the origin of bottom weighting. The style originated when artwork was hung high on the wall tilted down. Bottom weighting means making the bottom mat width slightly wider than the top left and right sides to compensate for an optical illusion that happens where your bottom mat width looks narrower.

The process for a double mat is the exact same except there is another dimension called the reveal to consider. A bottom weighted mat board simply means that the bottom border of the mat board is wider than the top border. Pages with related products. Bottom weighted matboard styles.

This mat board style is common among traditional framers as its practice has been in use since victorian times. One school believes it originated with the victorian tradition of hanging picture frames high up on the walls while another feels it s due to cultural preferences. You can request bottom weighting or top center which looks great especially for 8 10 photos in 11 14 frames or 11 14 photos in 16 20 frames.