MATcutter.com.us and our sister, FrameLink.us, provides affordable and convenient means of obtaining photo mats.
Our prices on photo mats are far below a custom frame shop and the
majority of our photo mats are carried in stock for quick and easy shipment.
Prices of each photo
mat is discounted as the quantity of each design purchased increases. There are certain
characteristics of mats whether for photography or any other media. The first most
general characteristic is whether you want photo mats made of Archival or
Standard materials. Archival mats
are the highest quality and Archival Cotton photo mats are the standard for
comparing all mats. They are the
same mats used by museums and fine galleries to provide an environment that
protects the photography they hold. The
next level of photo mats are Standard Core mats, often called acid free mats.
These mats are made of pulp, paper. They
are created as an inexpensive means of purchasing photo mats that do not provide
the protection of Archival Mats. We
primarily use a rule that if the photograph has monetary or personal value, it
should be matted in archival mats. If
the photograph is for decorative purposes, it is alright to use Standard Core
materials. When deciding whether
to purchase Archival or Standard Core, remember that archival photo mats will
look fresher and hold their new appearance far longer than photo mats made from
Standard Core. The other choice you
must make when purchasing a photo mat is what kind of core do you want.
The core is the center or thickest portion of the mat.
Although most mats have a paper cover that gives the photo mat its
color(i.e. white, black, blue, green),
the core is what you see in the 45 degree bevel of the window.
It surrounds the art. In cotton archival
photo mats the core, top and bottom layer are the same color.
Therefore, a white photo mat
is the same color on either side and the 45 degree bevel is also the same color. However, in paper
photo mats (archival or standard), the
construction is different because
the face and backing color is a sheet of paper that is glued onto the core.
Therefore, you can have a white photo mat (top color) with a black core
which surrounds the image on the 45 degree bevel cut. In archival paper
mats, your choice is either a white
core or a black core. Therefore, you
can obtain monochromatic photo mats like white top color with white core and
black top color with black core or you can have the opposite, a white photo mat
with a black core and a black photo mat with a white core. In Standard Core you
have three colors of core. You have
Cream Core, White Core and
Black Core. The Cream Core photo
mats were the first available standard core photo mats.
They were the standard for the non-archival mats and, ironically, the
core was called white. However, when
brighter whites were created, they were "demoted" to Cream Core!
They are the least expensive mats available and are used for everyday art
fairs and tourist items. They are
now available in our "Specials" section. Black Core was the
next core available in Standard Core photo mats.
Black Core was created to give the ability to design photo mats with high
contrast like white with black core for black and white photography or, in
reverse, to provide a monochromatic appearance with black on black core photo
mats. Tru-White is a
MATcutter.com name for a much brighter white core.
Previously this intensity of white was only available in archival photo
mats. Again, it works well with
black and white photography. However,
Tru-White provides a beautiful, clean and crisp white for all
photography. It became
our biggest selling Standard Core photo mat almost overnight. Our site has three
major sections. Each provides a
slightly different photo mat product designed to meet specific customer needs.
The three photo mat sections are "10 pak precut",
"1step easy" and
"Custom Cut". The heart of our
photo mat program is our 10 pak precut section.
10 pak precut is an ala carte offering where photo mats, backs, bags,
printing paper and supplies are all offered for purchase separately.
It is usually best if the customer has some experience purchasing photo
mats because there are numerous choices of each item rather than a single
product, one size fits all, approach.
As the name implies, these photo mats as well as backs and bags are sold
in units of 10 They are available in numerous sizes for both traditional and
digital photography. They are
in-stock, ready for immediate shipment. The second section,
"1 step easy" provides a simpler interface with the purchaser and
provides a single solution. A photo
mat including a precut back and a clear presentation bag
that looks like shrink wrap and has adhesive attached so the flap can be
opened and closed repeatedly. In
addition, the 1 step back has the position for your print inscribed on it and it
also has double faced tape already positioned to attach your print to the back
and your back to the photo mat. 1 step photo mats are available in quantities
starting at only 1 photo mat! They are also carried in stock for immediate
shipment. The Custom Cut
section is your source for photo mats when you need any of the following: The minimum order is
only 30 identical mats in the Custom Cut section and a large variety of mat
board and colors are available. You
can specify your own dimensions or select from several thousand photo mats in
our Library of Designs. You can even
specify photo mats without a window so you can cut your own photo mats.
This is a great source of material when you have several designs but only
need a couple of custom photo mats of each. Whether you need only
one photo mat for a cherished picture or 1000 photo mats for resale of your
photography, FrameLink.us and MATcutter.com are your
source for stock or custom needs.