Support for a Hybrid Mat

[cfkane]

Grumblers;

I have been having difficulty stabilizing a multi-colored mat for a multiple opening piece. I have two tickets and a photo of a football stadium, and I want to create a mat that resembles the stripes on the team's helmet. The entire piece is 29wide by 15 tall, with horizontal stripes through the middle of the mat. The top and bottom mats are 5 inches in width, the center stripes are 1, 1/2, 2, 1/2, and 1 inch wide top to bottom. The images extend into the top and bottom mats so as to avoid cutting on seams I created.

I have had input from my mentors, but turn to you to investigate other options. Thanks for your attentive ear(s)

 

[Kit aka emrr]

Interesting problem - I've been trying to decide how I would do it. I think I would piece together the stripes with beveled edges where they abut then dry mount that assembly to a second sheet of mat board. Trim to size and cut the openings. Bevels would be double deep but at least the seams would be stable. Alternate solutions would be to paint the stripes on the board or use colored tape. Looking forward to hearing how you finally decide to do it. Kit

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Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana

 

[Orton]

Hi cfkane

Some suggestions for you:

Just treat the stripes as you would treat a standard inlay or a standard ribbon mat i.e. by joining bevel-cut edges and then taping tightly together on the verso. If c-p is an issue, use 888 tape: if c-p is not an issue, use 810. Burnish the taped joints.

After positioning the stripes into an oversized mat blank, square/trim to the final size, making sure that the stripes are oriented the way you want them. Squaring the mat blank after fitting the inlays guarantees that the composite mat IS square and that no inlay edges protrude.

Cut the openings.(*** See "Alternatively . . .)

Cut appropriate openings (reverse bevels) into a second mat to be used as an interleaf mat: affix the interleaf to the verso of the composite mat to cover the tape, to stiffen the upper mat w/inlays, and to present a smooth surface to the art.

The openings in the interleaf (reverse bevelled) should be slightly larger (about 1/8" or so) than the upper mat openings to keep their bevels hidden from view, which in the end, will present a lift appearance (one thickness) to the work.

*** Alternatively, if the lift appearance is not desired, affix the interleaf mat to the composite mat before cutting the openings and cut as if it was a double-thick mat. Dry or wet-mounting the two mats together is far superior to ATG and glue because no seam will appear to the eye.

A variation of this latter method would be to use B8644 Ebony as the interleaf, which will create an interesting and contrasting black bevel in the openings.

Orton

 

[Bogframe]

I've done a few like this, with Yankee pinstripes (and I'm a Red Sox fan!). I bevel and reverse bevel the edges for a smooth inlay, tape the strips together with J-Lar tape, and then either heat or spray mount to another mat. Then just cut as you would any 8-ply mat.
Still a bit jet-lagged from the Vegas show...

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Seth J. Bogdanove, CPF
21 years framing and still loving it

 

[cfkane]

Fellow Framers:

I appreciate all the input. Ultimately I was forced to drop back and punt; Utilizing a triple mat I was able to incorporate the three colors of the helmet effectively, but ended up with a large amount of ORANGE mat which needed to be broken up (lest the viewers be blinded). Salvaging strips I had cut while working this problem out I manufactured a nice looking stripe and laid it over the top and bottom of the top mat horizaontally with ATG.

Not the efffect I had initially intended, (George Lucas has said that 'American Graffiti was only 50% of what her had initially intended) but the customer was VERY satisfied with the result and I have received two more referrals from it.

Have already employed both suggestions for this solution and will practice on some 'inventory' and keep you posted. Thanks again.