An unusual outline for a mat, format A 4. Master class on making a mat from whatman paper
Passepartout is colored cardboard that fills the space between the artwork and the frame. You may need it for graphics, watercolors, embroidery, as well as photographs and other creative works that you would like to frame.
A passe-partout for drawing or embroidery is a neat decorative element, carefully selected in color and texture, that can highlight your work or place a small text inscription. In addition, with a mat there is no need to select a frame according to the size of the work being framed.
Features of choosing a passe-partout
It is important to choose the right passe-partout so that it looks harmonious. It is important to pay attention to color, it should contrast with the main work and support color scheme frames In addition, it must have a certain width ratio between the frame and the size of the inscription.
A double passe-partout looks impressive, as well as an option with different widths of the upper and lower frames. But it is equally important to carefully cut out the mat. By following simple instructions, you can easily make a passe-partout with your own hands.
To create you will need:
Cardboard or a piece of thick paper of the chosen shade. These can be either matte or shiny options. It all depends on what design you choose for yourself.
You also need sharp scissors or a utility knife
Ruler, preferably metal
Glue
When working with a knife, be sure to use a special backing that will prevent damage to the table during cutting.
How to cut a passe-partout correctly?
First, decide on the size of the frame. It should be 5-7 centimeters larger than the finished painting on each side and fit in shape (proportional rectangle, square, elongated shape).
Before you start making a passe-partout with your own hands, be sure to measure the internal size of the frame. The underlying cardboard and the cardboard from which you will cut the mat should be a few millimeters smaller than the frame itself. But do not overdo it, otherwise the work will fall out of the frame, since it cannot be secured tightly
Next you need to decide on the internal dimensions. Measure the width and height of the design (embroidery), adding 2-4 centimeters from each edge, depending on the size of the work
Now you need to calculate the width of the mat for embroidery. Simply measure the inside length and width of the frame, subtract the length and width of the painting from it, respectively, and divide in half. This will be the width of the mat along the long and short sides of the picture.
Set aside the required dimensions on the passe-partout blank, draw with a pencil, cut along a metal ruler with a sharp knife, using a mat
Next, you need to glue the work to the mat from the inside, carefully observing the location (stepping back 2-4 centimeters from each edge). For gluing it is better to use double-sided tape
All that remains is to place the work in a frame. The problem of how to make a passe-partout has been solved.
Unusual solutions for paintings
In addition to the classic mat for paintings, there are non-standard solutions. For example, it could be a passe-partout made of paper with a pattern or ornament, both floral and figured.
In addition, photographers and embroidery lovers are wondering how to make a double mat. To do this, just cut out two mats, one 3-5 mm wider than the other, put them on top of each other and glue them with double tape. However, care must be taken to ensure that both sides of the inner mat are the same size. Only then will the design of the painting look neat.
Stylish mat allows you to give your painting a truly complete look appearance. It’s not difficult to make, but a lot depends on how harmonious the color and texture of the material you choose will be. It should also blend in with the frame of your work.
Only after trying several options can you be fully confident that your painting will look like a real masterpiece.
Even the most beautiful and exquisite painting without the appropriate design and correctly selected frame will look poor and completely out of place. Therefore, the craftsmen and needlewomen who create masterpieces, at the end of the work, are faced with the question of how to make a mat for a painting with their own hands. Of course, you can take your creation to a framing workshop, but this option is not cheap and many will simply not afford it. That’s why the ideal solution is to figure out how to do it yourself.
What is a passe-partout and what is it for?
A passe-partout is a special cardboard frame with an oval, round or rectangular hole into which a painting, photograph or any other work is inserted. This type of frame is perfect for drawing or embroidery. The main task of the mat is to create harmony between the frame, the painting and the overall design of the room in which the work will be located. Using this design, you can focus attention on the center of the composition and harmoniously fit it into the interior.
A passe-partout will be a great way to highlight a painting on the wall, especially if the color of the wall covering and the image match. For example, if you want to hang a photo or picture of a forest in shades of green, and the wallpaper on the walls of the room is light green, a mat of some contrasting color will be the ideal solution in this case.
When creating a mat with your own hands, you can leave as much free space around the painting as you deem necessary in order to maximize the focus on the painting itself.
Important! By the way, you can place a famous quote or author’s signature in this free space.
Another important advantage of mat is its versatility - it is suitable for paintings or photographs of absolutely any size.
What is needed for production?
In order to make a mat for a painting, you need to stock up on the following materials and tools:
- Colored thick paper of the required color.
- Whatman paper or cardboard.
- A simple pencil.
- Scissors.
- Any glue.
- Ruler.
- Metal corner.
Master class on creating a passe-partout
Making a passe-partout for a photo or picture yourself will require some effort and patience from you, however, people with any level of skill can handle this work. Step by step diagram creation looks something like this:
- Take a sheet of thick cardboard and draw a rectangle on it. Its dimensions should be twice the size of the finished drawing or painting for which the mat is made. Cut out this rectangle and place it in the center of the picture so that the distance from the sides of the picture to the edges of the frame is the same. Next, circle the drawing or painting with a simple pencil and cut out the resulting rectangle. As a result, you should get a kind of frame with a window in the middle. Set this detail aside for now.
- The next step is to make a contrasting color edging. To do this, take colored paper and cut out four strips of equal width - approximately 3 cm. The first pair of strips should be equal in size to the width of the window, the second to the length. Then bend the resulting strips in half lengthwise, leaving a narrow edge no more than 2 mm wide.
- Place the strips on the inner window and check if they fit. Using a metal triangle, measure out the excess corners and then cut them off.
- Now you need to glue the strips into the frame itself. Glue should only be applied to cardboard, because colored paper thinner and can stretch, swell, resulting in unsightly bumps.
Important! Pay special attention to the joints at the corners of the frame.
- When the glue is completely dry, you can attach a picture or drawing to the back side and frame the finished work with or without glass.
Important! It is worth noting the peculiarity of the design of the embroidered work in the passe-partout. It must be fixed on a sheet of thick cardboard using a stapler or tape, and only after that decorate the passe-partout with a frame.
Small tricks that will make the mat a masterpiece:
- When choosing the width of the mat, you need to take into account the fact that small images look more impressive in narrow frames, and bright and large ones - in wide ones.
- The passe-partout should be twice as wide as the frame.
- In order for the picture and mat to fit freely in the frame, they should be made 3 mm smaller on all sides than the dimensions of the frame itself.
- For a romantic picture, the mat can be decorated with ribbons, lace or dried flowers - this will add even more charm to the work.
- A passe-partout for children's drawings can be decorated with a variety of badges, buttons, mini-toys and other cute things.
Important! Mats made from fabric look very original. They add special warmth and comfort to the interior.
Video material
It is no secret that the harmonious design of an image improves its visual perception, so it is very important to choose the right mat. A bright cardboard frame will give a finished look to a drawing, painting, engraving or photograph. In the online store of the art market “Red Pencil” you can buy cardboard for mats at an affordable price.
Basic selection options
Dimensions. Depends on image parameters. The average width of the margins of the passe-partout is 6 cm. For a more harmonious perception of the picture, the bottom should be slightly wider than the top and sides. If the image is dynamic and the perspective goes beyond its limits, then it is better to frame it with a wider mat.Color. For monochrome images, it is better to choose calm black and white or gray mats. For people of color works will do frame of any color, but it is worth remembering that it must be combined with the main tones of the picture.
Our range
The catalog of our online store contains mats from Russian companies Tuyukan and Lion. Here you will find a huge selection of models of various shades, textures and thicknesses.You can buy a ready-made mat or make it yourself from special cardboard. Product sizes may vary. We have for sale a passe-partout with figured windows.
Our products will give a finished look to any job. You can buy small sizes for drawings and photographs or larger ones for paintings.
To purchase a passe-partout, place an order online or visit one of our Moscow stores. We operate a curbside pickup system, but we also offer delivery. If the cost of your order exceeds 5 thousand rubles, we will deliver it within the Moscow Ring Road for free!
| Service | 21x30 cm. | 30x40 cm. | 40x50 cm. | 50x60 cm. | 50x70 cm. | 60x80 cm. | 70x90 cm. | 80x100 cm. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passepartout classic | 90 rub. | 170 rub. | 280 rub. | 420 rub. | 490 rub. | 680 rub. | 890 rub. | 1120 rub. |
| Double passe-partout | 180 rub. | 340 rub. | 560 rub. | 840 rub. | 980 rub. | 1350 rub. | 1770 rub. | 2240 rub. |
| Passepartout velvet | 180 rub. | 340 rub. | 560 rub. | 840 rub. | 980 rub. | 1350 rub. | 1770 rub. | 2240 rub. |
* Dimensions are indicated based on the outer margins of the passe-partout, taking into account the minus margin...
** We produce mats of any size, including non-format and non-standard ones.
*** More than 100 shades of “classic” and 50 shades of “velvet” mat are always in stock.
Buy a passe-partout
Each type of art requires a certain way of design. The most professional way to design watercolor works, graphics - black and white and color, embroidery, photographs printed on paper, is a combination of a baguette frame, mat and glass.
Why do you need a passport, how to choose and buy it correctly? A passe-partout – a sheet of thick colored paper or cardboard with a window cut out in it to the size of the image – is tightly placed over the image and secured in the frame. Passepartout allows you to advantageously emphasize the color and tonal structure of the image, its composition and proportions, and also helps to create a more durable and integral structure together with the frame, in cases where, for example, we're talking about about the design of sheets of very thin paper. In addition, the mat creates additional distance between the image and the glass, which, on the one hand, protects the work and, on the other hand, adds depth.
Passepartout in Moscow
There is no universal, only correct way to select a mat - everything depends on each specific piece, your taste and your wishes. However, we are confident that the widest range of shades and textures of cardboard for mats that we offer will allow you to realize any of your most daring and creative decisions. The palette of shades extends from natural white and soft beige colors to “acid” colors, textures – from glossy-smooth to velvet.
The most common is the combination of mat, glass and baguette. Also, for your work, we can offer additional decorative elements - for example, double or even triple matting - when several colors are combined and the size of the fields varies, or the use of a thin “baguette-slip” around the matting window. In addition, passe-partout can serve as an independent method of decoration, without a frame. This design method is suitable, for example, for very small images and makes the design easier.
A correctly selected mat can breathe new life into any work of art. Our studio specialists are always happy to help you choose!
Buy a passe-partout in Moscow inexpensively from the Bagemia company.
You can design a painting, photograph, embroidery, etc. in various ways. One of them is a passe-partout or print. At its core, it is cardboard (but you can also use thick paper), made in a special way. Making a mat for a painting with your own hands is very simple; in this article we will tell you about the three most popular methods. There will be videos too.
Passepartout for a DIY painting
Before you begin making this decorative element, it is important to note some of the subtleties of its choice. First of all, why is this design necessary?
It is beautiful and original, plus everything helps to emphasize your work (painting or embroidery);
You can add inscriptions;
There is no need to select a frame exactly according to the size of the work.
How to choose a passe-partout?
Just like any other creative work, harmony and a sense of proportion are important here. When choosing this design you need:
- withstand color scheme, so, the passe-partout should contrast with the picture;
- maintain a certain aspect ratio (the width may vary, you need to find the option that suits you, often the width of the mat is twice the width of the picture frame).
Manufacturing method No. 1 (with edging)
To make a passe-partout for a photo or painting with your own hands, we will need:
-
stationery knife;
ruler and corner;
a simple pencil;
cardboard, however, you can also take a sheet of Whatman paper;
thick colored paper or wallpaper (yes, this option is also possible);
To make a passe-partout yourself you need to have a little patience - it’s not a lot of work, but it’s neat. We have broken down the manufacturing method into simple steps:
1. We measure the finished work for which we are making a passe-partout. Then we take a sheet of whatman paper or cardboard, it should be twice the size of our photo / painting / drawing, we outline a rectangle that matches the size of the finished work (you can simply circle the picture).
It is important that the distance from the edges of the cardboard to the border of the work is the same.
2. Now cut out our outlined rectangle. The result will be a sheet of Whatman paper, with a window in the middle.
Then you need to make an edging from colored paper or wallpaper. To do this, you need to cut 4 strips 4 cm wide (2 strips are equal in length to the width of our picture, and 2 to its length).
Then we bend the cut strips in half lengthwise. In the middle we leave a narrow edging 2 millimeters wide.
4. Then you need to glue the edging to the cardboard.
Important! Apply glue to cardboard or Whatman paper, as colored paper has a lower density and may deteriorate. And pay attention to the joints in the corners.
5. After the glue has dried, attach a photo or drawing on the back side, adjust it the way you like, fix it and can insert it into a frame.
If you are decorating embroidery in a passe-partout, then you must first fix it on a sheet of thick cardboard. You can use a regular office stapler for these purposes.
Manufacturing method No. 2 (popular)
To make a passe-partout using this method you will need:
picture frame;
a sheet of cardboard, whatman paper, wallpaper or watercolor paper;
scissors and stationery knife;
The article is almost on the topic: How to make a bookmark for a book with your own hands - a huge number of ideas and options.
1. Each photo (picture) frame is accompanied by a piece of cardboard, the one that fixes the image on the back. And if it fits tightly, then we will take it as the basis for our passe-partout. To do this, take a piece of cardboard, place it on a sheet of Whatman paper or watercolor paper, trace and cut out a rectangle of the desired size.
3. After which, in accordance with the calculations, we draw a frame - a passe-partout cutout. Then we move 2 mm inward from it and draw another frame.
4. Next, we need to measure the smallest width of the mat (we take measurements from the edge of the Whatman paper). And from the first frame (the one closest to the edge), draw another one, the width coinciding with the smallest width of the print (in the example in the video it is taken a little smaller, this is acceptable). Immediately draw the lines of future cuts in the corners.
5. Now we need to make the depth of the print. To do this, take a spoon or fork, and with its back side, using a ruler, press the passe-partout along a narrow edge (these are the 2 mm that we outlined between the first and last frames).
6. Then cut out the inside of a sheet of whatman paper (watercolor paper). You can use scissors, you can use a stationery knife or a scalpel, whichever is more convenient for you.
7. Then you need to make corner cuts. Attention! They should be done up to the frame, which is closer to the edge.
8. We bend the resulting “petals” inward along the ruler, along the line that is closer to the center.
9. Using glue, at one point, we fix our photo / drawing from the inside on the mat. It's better to use PVA - it doesn't leave marks. And put it in a frame under glass.
Step by step video
Everything is described and clearly shown in the video.
Manufacturing method No. 3 (simplest)
To make a passe-partout with your own hands using this method, you need to prepare:
cardboard, whatman paper, wallpaper, in other words, whatever you like best and suits the drawing;
scissors, stationery knife;
We decide on the size of the print. Usually on each side it is 5-7 cm larger than the finished photo.
The rest of the steps are in a short video. You will be surprised how simple this method is.
Fabric prints look very original and cozy.
If you take wallpaper instead of ordinary Whatman paper, then such a picture will be in harmony with the wall.