FEATURED IDEA
Creative Mat Making

Do-it-yourself Rating: Beginner

 
Precious art by your favorite young artist deserves a mat board that's just as special. This is a great beginner-level project that your kids can work on with you, making it a wonderful way to entertain the troops on a long summer day.

Frame anything you want, from a photograph of your child, to handprints, to a special piece of kid-made art. You can also get creative with the mat decoration. The only limit is your imagination! Mats can be decorated with paper cutouts, stickers, stamps, watercolors, or even finger-paints!

 
 



Materials:
- 11"x14" Radius R21 Matte Black
- 11"x14" Crescent Whitecore C1014 Olde Grey
- 11"x14" Plexi-glass
- 11"x14" Mounting Board
- Linen Tape

You will also need:
- a regular screwdriver


Need to stock up on any of these items? Click on the following:
Filmoplast SH Linen Tape

Let's Get Started!


STEP 1
Gather anything and everything fun!

Raid your craft drawer. Pull everything out … crayons, markers, glitter, finger-paints, watercolor paints, … don't rule anything out. For our "Friends" example we used crayons, markers, dried flowers, sparkle glue and foamy fish to decorate our mat with a jungle theme. On the "Summer Fun" example we used paper cutouts to add to the summertime fun. Glue and silver glitter was the perfect match for our "Kitty" example.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 


STEP 2
Hinge artwork to mat board.

Once the artwork on your mat board is dry you can hinge your artwork to the top of the backside of your mat board.

Click here to learn how.

  


STEP 3
Add plexiglass.

Peel off one side of the protective paper on the plexi-glass. Place the exposed side of the plexi-glass down on the artwork, and peel off the remaining paper.

 

  

 

 
STEP 4
Assemble the frame.
Assemble three side of the metal frame, (both sides and bottom). Insert the artwork in the metal frame and attach the top portion of the frame.  

STEP 5
Finishing touches!

Tighten the corner brackets and insert Spring Clips between the frame and the Mounting board to secure the artwork.

Our SpringMate makes inserting spring clips quick and easy.

Need a SpringMate?

  

 

Some other fun, creative mat board examples:

 

Click Here for Framing Ideas

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