Selecting
Mat Colors
Neutrals,
The Never-ending Success Story
Neutral
colors, like whites (very white, arctic white, manor white,
snow white, etc.), cream, ivory, sandstone, pearl, grays (dawn gray,
bar harbor gray, dark gray, etc.) and blacks (smooth black, raven
black, black watch, etc.) are always great choices. Not only do they
step back and allow the colors in the art to remain the star of the
show, but they fit right into any room, whether your taste in
decorating leans toward French Colonial or 70’s Glam.
Don’t
Be Afraid To Be Bold
If
you really want to be dramatic, bold colors (that means pretty much
anything that's not neutral – yellow, ivy, crimson, etc.) are a real
playground. Before swinging out with color, there are a few questions
to consider. Is there a color in your art that you'd like to bring out?
Where are you planning to hang your art?
If
you want
to play with color, but aren't ready to go wild, then try working with
double or triple mats. If you use a richly colored mat just for the
inner mat, it will pick up colors in the art, without overpowering it.
The Big
Picture
General
rules of thumb include choosing colors that are no lighter than the
lightest color within your art, no darker than the darkest and no
brighter than the brightest. After all, you don't want your mats to
outshine your art. Light colored
mats seem to open up the picture and make it seem larger and your
perception more "open" or outward. Dark colored mats seem to turn you
eye inward, making the picture seem smaller and you perceive a more
"tunneling" effect."
In the
end, as long as what you do is a reflection of your own taste and
creativity, you'll never go wrong.
