On Matting and Mounting

Approaching Storm, Red Rock Lake. Near Brainard Lake, Colorado, 2013

There are as many opinions on matting and mounting photographs as there are warts on the schnoz of the Wicked Witch of the West. Well, maybe even more.

For some time now, I have been studying and experimenting with the various methods of how I might present my prints and I’ll outline my conclusions below.The big internal debate I had was between dry mounting and hinge or corner mounting the images. I don’t like a photograph that curls and warps, thus the appeal of dry mounting. I understand the arguments of the “curators” who say dry mounting is not archival as it essentially glues the photo to a backing board–BUT, I see the backing board and the photograph as an integral unit and the board (assuming it to be acid-free) can actually serve to protect the photograph. What finally pulled me away from the dry mount route were two things:

–Dry mounting requires more heavy equipment–like a Seal 210 press, for example.

–The difficulty of the process–especially centering the image on the backing board.

On the other hand, with hinge or corner mounts, it is relatively simple to center the print and I can put together a matted photograph in just a few minutes.

How to prepare a photograph for presentation or for framing

Here is my procedure, in a baker’s dozen:

1) Order pre-cut mats from Redimat. The dimensions I use are 18×24 outside and 11 7/8 x 17 7/8 on the inside. I also prefer the 8-ply look–the mats are much more expensive, but the appearance is also much more professional. They are acid-free and the color is a near pure white.

2) Order pre-cut backing board from Redimat. I use white, acid-free, 3/16″ foam core cut to 18×24.

–NOTES: Having all of the above materials precut means I don’t have to have a mat cutter or a trimmer of any kind and the corners of the mat openings don’t look like I carved them out with an Exacto knife. The outer dimensions I have chosen let the client choose a standard-sized frame. The fact that the image is centered means I can use my pre-cut mats for either horizontal or vertical images–although some would argue that the bottom of the mat should have a slightly greater width than the top. (I also do a few square images with a 12×12 image size, and mat and back board at a 20×20 outer dimension.)

3) Produce a (beautiful!) B&W print from my Epson 3880. I print primarily on 13×19 Epson Exhibition Fiber paper. I size the image in Photoshop at 12×18 (360ppi). That dimension leaves a white border around the print.

4) Let the print dry completely for a minimum of 24 hours.

5) Brush all the dust off of the print with a fine paintbrush then coat the print with two coats of Premier Art Print Shield. Follow the directions on the can–each coat is actually two passes, one horizontally and one vertically. Let dry for at least 24 hours.

6) Hinge a precut mat to a precut back board like this (scroll down a bit on the link). I use Filmoplast SH self-adhesive white linen tape by Neschen (archival). Hint: Use spacer pieces of thin poster board to ensure the two boards are at the same level when lying open. This will make it easier to apply the tape.

7) Fold the mat board over the back board and make sure it is aligned on all four sides. Press firmly on the hinged area at the top to set the fold correctly.

8) With white cotton-gloved hands, place the photograph on the backer board and move it around until it is perfectly centered under the mat. Lift the mat…move the print…lower the mat…check the result. Lather, rinse repeat. Once you get it centered, place a soft weight (try a bag of rice covered with a soft sock) in the center of the photograph to hold it in place. Now, open the mat so you can work with the print corners.

9) Place mounting corners on the four corners of the print. I use Lineco Archival Mounting Corners, 1.25″, “full view” style. When you do this realize that, over time, the print will expand and contract with temperature and humidity. So, you’ll want to leave some space within the mounting corners to allow the photo paper to move. One technique is to leave space on both sides of the top two corners and leave space only on the sides (but not the bottom) of the bottom two corners. This should give the photograph adequate support while allowing it to move slightly.

10) Sign and date the actual print on the bottom right margin. Given the sizes of my pre-cut mat openings, this white margin will be covered by the mat. An archival-quality pen that works well for me is the Pigma Micron 02 in black.

11) Sign and date on the mat itself on the right side, just below the photograph, with a graphite pencil.

12) On the back of each matted print–on the foam core that is, I place an ink stamp (Ranger archival ink, black) with my website URL. In addition, the stamp has blanks where I can fill in the title, date of capture, date of the printing, and my signature. It also says “Copyright DRJoder” and “All materials used in the creation of this photograph, including matting materials, are of museum quality (archival, 100% acid-free)”.

13) Once complete, I place the matted print in an archival bag that fits snugly around the entire piece. These 18×24 (or 20×20) clear bags are available from Redimat. Be sure to get the body closure variety so the sticky part is NOT on the flap.

Done!

Now I have a print packaged for sale, or ready for framing if it is to be exhibited.

Everyone’s artwork and style of photography is different so you will have to decide the best way to prepare yours for presentation. Hopefully, though, this has given you some grub for thought.