Dear Dusty,
I see that a lot of pastel artists don't use mats when framing pastels. I think mats look nice. What do you recommend?
- Boxed In
Dear Boxed In,
Mats are perfectly acceptable for framing pastel and used to be the common practice. Lately many artists are framing their pastels without mats. This is a personal preference. Work with your framer, look at both options and decide which works best for the particular painting. Whether or not you decide to frame your pastel with a mat, it is most important that your framer creates a space between the artwork and the mat, or between the artwork and the glass. There are clear plastic spacer rods available for that purpose. If you’re using a mat, you can also create the space using a double mat system. The mat closest to the artwork should then have a reverse bevel cut (the angled cut of the mat faces the pastel). If your pastel painting sheds any dust, the dust will fall into the channel behind the mat. The outer mat would have a normal beveled edge that faces outward. (If you frame without a mat, the dust will fall in the channel behind the glass,)
I also recommend you consider a white or neutral colored mat. If you are planning to enter the piece in a juried show or competition, a neutral mat is usually a requirement for matted pieces. If your work has a double mat, a colored inner mat is acceptable and can set the piece off nicely.
Dusty
