1. How to Frame & Display Your Artwork
How to Mat an Artwork
&
Getting 3-D Art Ready for Display
Presentation by Mrs. Impey

2. 2-D Artwork: Frame It!

3. Cut the Frame Size Determine the size of your mat frame.
Place your artwork on the back side of the mat board and determine where to cut the outer edge.
Ideally, your frame should be 2” on the sides and top, and 2 ½”-3” on the bottom.
This visually weights your frame on the bottom edge.
It also gives room to attach a label.

4. (2) Determine the Size of the Hole
Measure the size of the artwork you are framing and measure a hole slightly smaller in the middle of your frame. This requires math! OR
Use the “Eyeball-It Technique”. Place your artwork in the center of your mat board. Lay a yardstick on the edge of your work and slide it down about ¼” and make a mark on both sides. Repeat for all 4 sides. Remove the artwork and connect your lines.

5. Mat Board Cutter
Straight Cutter
Straight Cutter is for cutting the outer edge of the mat board (when you need to cut it down to size).
Beveled Cutter is for cutting out the inside hole of the frame.
Squaring Bar helps make sure you are actually cutting a straight line. Whenever you make a cut, your mat board should ALWAYS lay flush against this bar.
Guide Rail is what your cutter slides up and down on and ensures a straight, smooth cut.
Beveled Cutter
Guide Rail
Squaring Bar

6. Mat Board Cutter Heads
Start/Stop Line - This designates where the blade will begin cutting into your mat board when pressed down.
Guide Bar Hinge - The hinges on the cutter heads should lay nicely on the guide bar track and should smoothly glide back and forth.
Start/Stop Line
Start/Stop Line
Guide Bar Hinge

7. (3) Get Ready to Cut
Place your mat board on the mat board cutter with the BULK of the board on the right hand side.
Line up the edge of your mat board with the straight edge on the bottom left of the cutter.
Place the guide bar down.
NOTICE: The guide bar may NOT line up with the line you drew! That means your line was crooked.

8. (4) Cut Out The Hole Place the bevelled cutter on the guide bar track.
Line up the Start/Stop line on the cutter with your drawn line at the top of the board.
Push the blade down into the mat board and slide the mat board cutter TOWARD you.
STOP when the Start/Stop line on the cutter lines up with your drawn line at the bottom of the board.

9. (5) Tape Your Artwork onto the Frame
Center your artwork on the back of the frame and tape it on using 4 long pieces of tape.
Use packaging tape for a permanent frame job.
Use masking tape for a semi-permanent frame job.
Place the center of the board that you cut out over your artwork and tape this on with four long pieces of tape.
This provides strength to your mat frame in the event that you are not placing it into an actual frame.

10. Display Labels for 2-D & 3-D Art

11. 2-D & 3-D Art: Display Tags
Your Name
Title of Artwork
Date
Media / Medium
Size

12. 3-D Art: Display Tags

13. How do you get your 3-D sculpture ready for display?
Make sure it is sturdy and can stand on its own.
Attach any wire or eye hooks that should be attached if it is meant to hang.
If it should be raised up slightly on a pedestal, you must build one for it.
Pedestals should be crisp, clean, and solid black or white in color.
Check for any dings or dents that may need to be fixed.
Create a display label for your sculpture.
This should be able to be displayed on the wall next to your sculpture, attached to the pedestal, OR created on a table card.