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09/28/2012 12:32:58 PM · #1 |
I think I'm going to start printing with a 1/4" border for matting without losing image area. Question: is it better to use a black border or white border. Black seems like it would be slightly less obvious if the framer doesn't cover the edges perfectly...though I guess that depends on the image, and the matte color.
What do you think about it? Which color? And about printing with the border? What do you do? |
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09/28/2012 01:16:28 PM · #2 |
| I print with a border anyway to make the image fit standard print sizes, and it gives the purchaser the option to mat or not. I use either black or white (or sometimes another color) depending, as you say, on which best sets off the image. Sometimes I'll put a thin contrasting border (4-12 pixels) if I need to set the image off from the new BG. I also print captions and credits in the new border area (I come from a graphic design background). |
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09/28/2012 01:36:12 PM · #3 |
I like Paul's ideas. I too think that the white vs. black for the color of the new border area probably depends on the image, and perhaps on the intended mat color?
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09/28/2012 02:18:32 PM · #4 |
Well here's the one in particular I'm struggling with. In this case, though they probably will use a white-ish matte, I think maybe black works.
It wasn't quite 16x24 (which the customer ordered), but since they're matting it, I added the uneven borders to fit 16x24. But really, made me think that I should be adding 1/4" border whenever I print (even if the print fits the aspect) so as not to lose anything when matting. |
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09/28/2012 02:21:55 PM · #5 |
1/4" is a lot. I'd probably only add about 1/8" so you're splitting the difference. You don't want the black to show if you're matting in white, or vice-versa. And many times you think you're matting in one and end up going opposite.
Short of extending the picture using photoshop, I think it's safer to lose 1/8" off the picture and go with a smaller border than to have your added border show where it's obvious that it should have been white in one part instead of black.
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09/28/2012 02:39:13 PM · #6 |
Think about the mat core color and not the mat itself. It's the beveled edge you are going to be juxtaposing with. I say white most of the time (assuming a white core). It's easier to have a straight line blend with the straight bevel than with organic tones and shapes of a typical picture.
Message edited by author 2012-09-28 14:39:54. |
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09/28/2012 03:10:38 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by Neil:
I think I'm going to start printing with a 1/4" border for matting without losing image area. Question: is it better to use a black border or white border. Black seems like it would be slightly less obvious if the framer doesn't cover the edges perfectly...though I guess that depends on the image, and the matte color.
What do you think about it? Which color? And about printing with the border? What do you do? |
White. I always print with a 1/2 inch white border around the photo. I cut the mat so it uses 1/4 inch of this white border to "hold the photo". The other 1/4 inch serves as a sort of "optical double mat look" and frames the images a little fancier than just using a single mat. I also use a white mat with a black core so you get a white/black/white transition to the mat and image. I mat this way for all my print competitions and shows. |
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09/28/2012 03:15:37 PM · #8 |
I based my 1/4" on the fact that when you order custom frames and mattes, they ask you the size, then cut the center 1/2" smaller than that in each direction.
I can certainly do 1/8 inch on the top and bottom, but I'm assuming (hoping) the framing shop is going to custum cut the mat. Otherwise, it's not going to work out anyway. Just in case, I think I'll use white...if they mess up then I agree it might look better. (Though a framing shop should not mess up!
My other option would be to fix the aspect ratio...I did one with content aware resize...then I could do a 1/4 or 1/8" border all around, but I can see what it's distorting and I'm not sure I'm comfortable with it as opposed to counting on the framing shop.
Here's a reduced version...see if you can tell and what you think (of course, since it's going to be 16x24 any distortions will be more obvious):
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09/28/2012 06:23:21 PM · #9 |
To tone the 1/4 inch border you could layer it over a full bleed image with lots of blur and have the redundant portion sort of match the image edge in color.
Seurat used to paint his frames to match his artwork with an inverted speckled set of colors |
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09/28/2012 06:29:29 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by BrennanOB:
To tone the 1/4 inch border you could layer it over a full bleed image with lots of blur and have the redundant portion sort of match the image edge in color.
Seurat used to paint his frames to match his artwork with an inverted speckled set of colors |
You could do what some of the canvas print places do and take the outer 1/4" of the image and evert it into the border, so that what touches the image is mirrored and should match up perfectly, except for the blank wedges in the corners (I'd fill by cloning, though they shouldn't show). |
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09/28/2012 07:32:51 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
...except for the blank wedges in the corners (I'd fill by cloning, though they shouldn't show). |
And actually, if you did it first on two opposite sides, then on the remaining two sides, there would be no blank wedges! |
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09/28/2012 08:00:42 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by kirbic:
Originally posted by GeneralE:
...except for the blank wedges in the corners (I'd fill by cloning, though they shouldn't show). |
And actually, if you did it first on two opposite sides, then on the remaining two sides, there would be no blank wedges! |
Actually, they'd be blank squares ... on the canvases that part disappears as it's folded around the frame. |
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09/28/2012 08:42:19 PM · #13 |
| When someone buys a print from me, I ask them if they're framing it, and if so, if they're having it matted. If they are, I drop the image on a white canvas one size up from the print size. For example, a 4x6 gets dropped onto a 5x7, a 5x7 onto an 8x10, etc. That way their framer can deal with it without any additional issues. More info here ;-) |
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