Matting an oil panting

DaveK

True Grumbler
Joined
Feb 24, 2005
Posts
61
Loc
Southern Maryland
I had a customer request matting on an oil painting, like a good framer I suggested no mat but the customer insisted, they don't want glass on it either. Any solutions for supporting the painting and the mat? With a 2" mat there isn't going to be any support that I can see. Of course, I added a PITA charge to this one!!!!!!!
 
Instead of a mat, look into a nice wide liner with a nice fabric to complement the art. There are so many fabrics out there in wonderful colors. I think the odds of a piece of mat not bowing over time are slim to none, paper breathes. If they insist on the mat I'd charge them the same amount a nicely covered liner would cost to compensate for yor time and aggravation. Either that, or I would insist on glass to hold the mat down, and still charge them to cover your extra time and aggravation.
 
I have been brainstorming since I posted and this is an idea that I came up with, will it work. filling in the space with layers of foam core then making longer clips for the back to attach it. I explained the pros and cons to the customer about doing it several different NORMAL ways, but they still insisted on the mat with NO glass.
 
I agree with Kathy on this one. I've had customers make similar requests in the past and it usually turns out that they are not really meaning a "mat" in the way that we do. When I start showing them wide liners and different fabrics, they usually like the idea or decide not to use a liner. Some folks think that the liners are "old fashioned"
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Anyway, that's my two cents worth.
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DaveK,
Ya gots ta TRAIN yo' customers!

Mats on oil paintings look bad enough, without glass they look simply hillbilly. They never look good and getting them to work ain't worth the trouble.

I will guarantee that they will be back with it for you to fix the bow in it or to replace it because of the spaghettio stuck to it. At no charge.

Tell them mats are for works on paper and are ONLY to be used under glass.

And repeat after me: "I am the Alpha Framer..."

edie the inanfridaymoodonamonday goddess
 
Dave K, I did one about 10 years ago with mat and no glass. I saw it recently and it still looks good as new. The only problem is the customer is now tired of it!

This is what I did: I cut openings in foamcore (the foamcore needs to be the size of your finished frame) 1/16 inch larger than the painting. I think it took about 4 pieces. I used a vinyl covered mat and wrapped the bevel with the surface paper so it would be protected. I put the painting in the foamcore and attached the mat to the top foamcore with ATG. I then attached a solid mat to the bottom foamcore to lock it all together. Then I just fastened it all in the frame.

It was just a cheapie painting, but it turned out really well. Customer was really pleased, she's just sick of it now. I think she wishes it hadn't held us so well! The mat is still in remarkable shape. But, as I said, it was vinyl covered. Hope this helps a bit.

Nancy
 
I have matted an oil for a customer and thought it was the best solution actually. The customer brought in a very inexpensive oil he purchased from Ebay. Stretched it himself too he did. The image wasn't square though so it left parts showing with bare canvas. A thin mat covered enough to make an improvement. The painting was pretty cheap though.
 
Let me repeat what the other have said: Liner!!

Do you have a variety of liners you could suggest (with / without gold lip, black, white, wheat, cream, white, off white, variable scoops and widths, etc)? Or even a frame in a frame.

One of them will look much better than any mat on that piece.
 
We don't need no stinkin' rules!

But one of the few rules I've had since I was a newby framer in 1977 is Paper Needs Glazing.

Mats are paper - sometimes expensive paper. They look stupid without glazing and, despite exceptions, they do not last.

May I be the very first to suggest . . .

. . . a liner?

Traditionally, liners are narrower than the frame, but a wide liner with a narrow frame can be very striking.

In an eighties kind of way.
 
Just finished a very small oil on board. Used a humungous scooped black liner, floated the board within the liner window, decked it out with LJ's Prado 608745. The float was over carbon black so the space around the art appeared even blacker than the liner. Yeehaaaaaaaa! It was to die for. One very happy customer who had just asked me to do "something creative". Yup massive liners can be real kool. And not necessarily in an eigties kinda way.
 
A fabric mat with a fillet with Nancy's method works fine. Use a deep frame and a narrow mat. Paper mats, no.
 
Putting a mat on an oil painting makes about as much sense as glass. Well, maybe a little less. :D
 
Dave,

I’ve done two of these mat/oil paintings over the years. I don’t particularly like the look but, like Nancy and Pete suggest, it can be done.

The only suggestion I would make is a modification of Nancy’s idea. Instead of trying to cut openings in the foam board layers, use strips of the stuff.

you didn’t specify if this was on a panel or strainer/stretcher bars, so I’ll assume it is a stretched canvas. A panel would be the same, only easier.

From the bottom up, I have used 1/8” foam board the size of the finished frame, centered the oil on this backing, then laid however many strips of foam board you need to bring the height up to the canvas surface. The width of these strips should be such that they hold the centered stretcher bar snugly. Apply an overpriced mat – “bingo”.

And, Pete, why not use paper mats? It’s gonna look silly no matter what, so I say go for it (but charge them for suede. ;)
 
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