- 1). Decide the look you want to give your picture with its mat. If you want your photo to have a more formal appearance, consider using black, white, or jewel tones such as burgundy or royal blue. To give your photo a more fun, whimsical appearance, consider using bright colors such as hot pink, lemon yellow or lime green. For an earthy, natural look, stick with neutral hues such as browns, leafy greens or creamy whites. For a soft, romantic look, pastels such as sky blue, lavender and mint green work well.
- 2). Bring a copy of your picture when shopping for its mat. If possible, bring your frame or scrapbook paper that you have chosen for your layout.
- 3). Choose a selection of mat colors from the color group that achieves the look you want. Take into consideration the frame or the color of the background paper in your scrapbook layout. Select colors that complement or contrast well with the frame or background. Neutral color frames, or frames made of woods and metals generally will work well with any color mat. If you're using a printed paper for a scrapbook layout, try to go with some of the less dominant colors in the print so that no single color is overpowering.
- 4). Lay your picture onto the colors you have chosen, one color at a time. Examine the picture for the tones and hues that the mat brings out. Notice how placing the photo on different colors in turn makes it look completely different. For example, a blue mat might bring out the blue eyes of a person in a close-up portrait, while a red mat might make some blotchy discolorations of that person's skin look more prominent. Select a mat that makes the colors in the picture look natural and flattering.
- 5). Choose the color mat that looks best with your picture and coordinates with other colors in your frame or scrapbook page background.
previous post
next post