Black Mat Presentations - Black Mats, Black Core Mats & Foam Core, Mount your Photos at Documounts
Black is Anything but Basic!
Think black the next time you design presentations for your artwork. Black mats, black core mats, black mats with black cores, and/or black mountboard can all add something uniquely special. Think of these options as a little black dress or a tuxedo for your artwork – they create a look that demands attention.
Black Core Mats
There are a select number of matboards that are manufactured with a black core. This means that the bevel edge of the mat window surrounding your artwork will show as a thin black line.
From an aesthetic perspective, a black bevel complements and relates well to any dark lines and shapes in your image. The look is particularly effective when the black bevel sits next to a lighter color – the contrast of dark against light heightens the graphic quality of the line.
Black core mats also have a practical side. A black core mat with it’s 2 colors: ie. the surface color and the black bevel - gives the illusion of a double mat but you only have to pay a single mat price. They do cost about 5-10% more than a standard core mat but for this minimal increase you get a nice dose of pizzazz.
Black core mats are available in a variety of surface colors in Bainbridge Papermats and Crescent Papermats and also in Archival Alphamats and 6ply Top Mats.
From an aesthetic perspective, a black bevel complements and relates well to any dark lines and shapes in your image. The look is particularly effective when the black bevel sits next to a lighter color – the contrast of dark against light heightens the graphic quality of the line.
Black core mats also have a practical side. A black core mat with it’s 2 colors: ie. the surface color and the black bevel - gives the illusion of a double mat but you only have to pay a single mat price. They do cost about 5-10% more than a standard core mat but for this minimal increase you get a nice dose of pizzazz.
Black core mats are available in a variety of surface colors in Bainbridge Papermats and Crescent Papermats and also in Archival Alphamats and 6ply Top Mats.
Black Mats with White Cores
Dressing your artwork in a black mat is especially effective when your work is vibrant and colorful. When you put black next to colors of lighter and less dense values, the lighter colors appear extra bright and vivid by comparison. This is what’s meant when we say colors “pop”.
In addition, a black mat acts as an anchor. The black in the mat repeats and connects to the blacks in the artwork making the image feel grounded and stable. It’s a subconscious, but very dramatic effect.
In addition, a black mat acts as an anchor. The black in the mat repeats and connects to the blacks in the artwork making the image feel grounded and stable. It’s a subconscious, but very dramatic effect.
Black Mats with a Black Core
A black mat with a black core achieves the same effect that a black mat with a white core does, but it presents a more seamless presentation. There’s no white bevel to separate the mat from the artwork and so the eye is drawn more fluidly from the frame and matting into the main focus - your artwork.
Black Foam Core – Black in Back
Extend your thinking of black to the back side of the art. Black Foam Core is becoming a more popular mountboard option for a couple of reasons.
If you place a black mat on the front of your artwork and the back of the art package will be visible – in other words if you’re presenting the matted and mounted art unframed or in a Clear as Crystal Bag - it’s nice to see black on the back too. It makes the presentation look more uniform and professional.
If you simply mount your photos or art onto the backing without a mat, consider using black foam core. It looks less like a behind-the-scenes product than white foam does. And if you order your foam cut an inch or two larger than the artwork there will be a virtual black “frame” around the image.
If you place a black mat on the front of your artwork and the back of the art package will be visible – in other words if you’re presenting the matted and mounted art unframed or in a Clear as Crystal Bag - it’s nice to see black on the back too. It makes the presentation look more uniform and professional.
If you simply mount your photos or art onto the backing without a mat, consider using black foam core. It looks less like a behind-the-scenes product than white foam does. And if you order your foam cut an inch or two larger than the artwork there will be a virtual black “frame” around the image.
