"Embossing" a mat

RRAF

True Grumbler
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Posts
89
In one of the WCAF seminars, I thought I heard Nona Powers say you can emboss a mat simply by pressing a mat cutout into the new mat in a heat press. We tried it and it does nothing. Anyone know what I missed?
shrug.gif
 
are you using a suede mat???
 
We didn't try suede...just a plain rag mat. I'm sure the sample Nona showed was not suede.
 
I know it works in suede mats - but I wouldn't imagine it would work on regular mats very well - there's not much for the embossing to sink in to.

I could be wrong though - maybe somene else here has tried it.
 
Thanks alot. Suede does make more sense. I'll give it a go tomorrow.
 
Scott I think there was some pictures of the suede embossing here On TFg .It may have been a while ago and require some deep searching but you would basicly make cut outs of regular mat and then position them on the suede and either use a vaccum press or a heat presss which would crush the nap of the suede and leave the impression of the cut outs. I forget who of the grumblers psoted the Pics .

However if you wish to emboss regual mats you can use leather tools .There even was some made to fit on the guide bar of a staright mat cutter.

What they were was a plexi block with a grove to fit over the guide tube and a Leather embossing wheel mounted on it so that when you pushed the block with downward pressure you would leave the pattern that was on the wheel. However you can use any leather tool ,you just would have to repeat the impression over and over by lift the tool and pressing .The wheel tools are also available for leather work and make a continuios impression as they are rolled.

The company that I used to know of for leather tools was TANDY .Look them up in GOOGLE.
BUDDY

PS still another method can be seen at:
http://www.thegrumble.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000242#000001

And another at;
http://www.thegrumble.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000193#000000


In the design segment if you do a search

[ 02-21-2006, 11:35 PM: Message edited by: BUDDY ]
 
Thanks very much!
 
I passed the sample around; maybe it didn't get to you. The embossing I passed was a double mat covered with silk. The top mat has a decorative cut, or a plain straight one would work also.
• Cut a double mat, save the fall out from both mats, set aside.
• ATG the top mat to the bottom mat.
• Paint with a heat reactivated glue. (I use a roller)
• Lay the silk over the double mat. (suede works really well also)
• Put both of the fallouts over the fabric
• I fold release paper in half and put the embossed mats and fabric inside it
• Put in the heat mount press for a few minutes
• Remove from the press and put under weights for cooling
• Remove the fallouts from on top of the silk
• Cut the hole out and fold the fabric under the bottom mat opening. I use ATG tape and a flat brayer to smoothly turn the fabric around the edge.
• I then tape the edges of the fabric with linen tape.
• I use a tiny bit of PVA glue on any stray threads in the corner.

Another way to emboss:
• take a single mat
• lightly glue something three dimensional on top of it, a paper doily, anything flat and decorative
• paint with heat reactivated glue
• lay fabric over it
• lay 1/4 or 1/2 inch foam on top
• put it in release paper and a heat mount press.
• put under weight while it cools.
• Cut the opening and wrap the edges. It gives a soft emboss instead of a sharply defined edge. You can also do this with a hand carved mat that doesn’t leave a fallout. The foam will push the emboss in but as I said it’s softer and less defined.

Good luck
 
Thanks Nona. We tried your method #1 above and it works great. Obviously I missed something in the seminar. By the way, your class was the best we took while in Vegas...nothing but good old common sense. We really appreciated you and your presentation.
 
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