If you’ve never worked with custom matting before, deciding how to choose the perfect mat can feel overwhelming. With just a little knowledge and guidance, you’ll be on your way to making the perfect custom color choices.

Choose a Mat That Compliments Colors In The Artwork

Choosing the right mat color for your art can be difficult if you are not familiar with all of your options. However, even with a wide selection, there are still some colors that will not look as good on some pieces of artwork as others. When choosing a mat color for your art, you want to select a color that will enhance your art and not draw attention away from it.

When choosing a mat color for your artwork, there are several things that you will need to consider before deciding on the best option:

The primary colors in the artwork: If the primary colors in your art are dark or contain black tones, you will want to select a bright white or off white mat so that it does not draw attention away from the piece itself

Here are some general guidelines for choosing color:

Black and white photos can be easily enhanced by choosing one of the following colors: brown, gray, green, ivory, light blue or yellow. The matting will not detract for more attention from your black and white photo.

Choose a White Mat– This is the most popular in the US. If you are framing a black and white photograph or a color photograph to highlight one single color, this is the best choice. It allows the viewer’s attention to focus on the subject of the photo and not be distracted by the background of the frame. A white matte will also give your black and white photographs an antique look.

Choose a Black or Gray Mat– These colors give images an elegant look. The main purpose of using these two colors is to contrast with a colored picture, which can make it stand out better. Black or gray mats are best described as “muted” colors, and they often blend in well with various other colored frames.

Choose a Warm Color Mat –  if you have a full-color photo with mostly warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows). Warm color will enhance your photo nicely without competing with it too much.

Choose a Cool Color Mat – if you have a full-color photo with primarily cool colors (greens, blues, purples). A cool color will enhance your photo nicely without competing with it too much.

Additional Tips:

If you are looking to mat a photo with a more neutral color, then beige is a great option. Beige is also an excellent choice if you plan to display photos with many different colors. Choosing this color will ensure that the main focus of your picture is not taken away from the subject matter in each picture.

If you want to add some flare to your photo, use vivid colors like red or yellow. Be careful when doing this because it can distract and draw attention away from your photo.

Two other factors that might influence your choice are texture and thickness. The thicker the matting, generally speaking, the more expensive it will be — but also the more substantial it will appear to be. A thinner custom matting might not draw attention away from your photo as much as something thicker would. And if you’re going for an antique look with textured walls or objects, then you’ll want a similar texture in your framing materials as well.

Finals Thoughts

Ultimately, the choice is yours. Many people choose their mat color based upon the colors in their picture. If you have a picture with primarily one color and another secondary color, choose the mat that matches the predominant color for the best result. This is a key factor to consider when preparing your photos to be framed.