Out of all the mat board colors we offer, white is by far the most popular choice. But with over 35 shades in our collection, how do you know which is the right white? Varying hues, saturation and brightness can make selecting the perfect mat for your artwork an art in and of itself.
The choice comes down to cool or warm. A bright white mat is a stark, crisp white with no apparent secondary hues. With black, blue or green undertones, the crisp white goes cooler. With very subtle undertones of yellow or red pigment, a crisp white gains a softer, warmer look. Stronger red or yellow pigments will make a soft white go even warmer until it goes all the way to ivory.
Which of all these you choose depends on your art’s medium and subject matter. Most often black and white photographs look best with a bright or cool white mat. Old prints and sepia-toned photographs pair nicely with an ivory mat. Many watercolor papers are soft or matte white, which pairs best with a warm white mat.
To help you select the right mat, we’ve sorted our whites into groups: bright white, cool white, soft white, warm white and ivory. These groupings are viewed easily in our "Which White Is Right?' chart.
Remember, we provide free mat samples--up to five color chips prior to placing an order and then in quantities of five with each additional order. Complete
mat board sample sets can be purchased for a nominal price and is recommended for frequent framers.
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