What tools are needed to make mats for frames?
– A solid, smooth, and level working surface, preferably larger than the mat. If this is not available, cut the mat down roughly until it fits your working surface. The table should be larger than the final mat size. – A good quality metal straightedge, without any nicks or bends, at least 3 ft long. Some of these incorporate tracks to guide a compatible mat cutter. – Metal ruler, tape measure, pencils, and eraser. A drafting triangle (45-45-90 or 30-60-90) would help with the mat layout. – A good quality knife with a sharp, stiff, and straight blade. Some models of Olfa knives are quite suitable. – A good quality mat cutter, with sharp blades. – If you want to do circles or ovals, you will need a special mat cutter for these shapes. – Framer’s single- and double-sided tapes. – 3D framing effects can be created using foamcore. Practice, practice, practice.
