Photo Mounts UK - FAQ

There is the usual saying - beware of cheap immitations. That saying is just as relevant here. Mounts should always be 'Conservation Level' , acid free and adhere to the FATG - Fine Art Trades Guild. Please dont be confused between Photo or Picture - Mounts or even Mats. They are all the same thing, it's just that different people call them different things. Ours are also cut to a unique 45° angle - giving them greater depth to your artwork.

Mounts FAQ :-

1. How wide should a Picture Mount be?

It's all down to personal taste but a wide mount can look impressive - but it's all down to personal taste.

This is because wide mounts can help draw focus to the subject giving a look like you would  see in a gallery. On small artwork, a wide mount can give the impression of added importance / value.

With larger artwork, using a wide mount will help keep the balance of the subject, so everything seems in proportion. We can cut any size you want, as standard we cover all the usual sizes, if you have any bespoke sizes you can specify this when you order.

2. Weighting the mount size

You may want a mount cut so that the top and bottom sizes are different. You normally do this when the subject is extra-large or long - again this is down to personal preference and style. If the focal point is near the bottom then you may want to consider making the mount bottom area larger. This gives a feeling of support and makes it aesthetically more pleasing.

3. What is the FATG - Fine arts Trade Guild

The Fine Art Trade Guild standards were created for guidance of the professional trade and to ensure consumers make informed choices. The standards seldom represent a unanimous position. The standards are developed through proven facts, evidence based, using accepted UK accredited test procedures and their equivalent but giving weight also to established practice and experience of products that have proven to stand the test of time.

When ordering Cadremont Mounts you can just specify this in the notes area and we will cut it accordingly. Please provide the exact details or give us a call to discuss.  If you have recurring orders and have specific dimensions, we can save your details and use them each time your order.

4. Choosing Mount Board Colour

It's obviously down to whatever you think works best.  If there is a dominant colour in your artwork - then perhaps go for a double mount and pick colours that are the main ones in the image.

A darker colour will control the image whilst a lighter / white mount will tend to amplify it.

The rule of thumb tends to be lighter coloured mounts will open up a picture and can make it seem larger. Using a darker coloured mount can sometimes make the image seem smaller. Personally speaking when using black & white pictures they always look great with white.

NB It's good advice that if going light -  pick a mount colour no lighter than the lightest colour on your work and vice versa and it should look great.

5. Single - Double Extra Thick or Bespoke Mount - what's best ?

There are no rules here - you pick what you think best but here's some advice

Single Mounts

If you decide on just a single mount maybe using a neutral colour eg White or Ivory. Using these type of tones will help enhance your work.  There are no rules here - you pick what you think best

Double Mounts

Double mounts are effective at adding depth as well as colour co-ordinating. We see this very in evidence with weddings - if the bride & groom have a certain colour theme in the dress and flowers etc - then this colour can be used as the bottom and it is very very effective. The same applies to any painting or photograph.

Extra Thick Mounts

These are - as you may have guessed - one mount that is extra thick. Cadremont cut all mounts at a 45 degree angle - something that other mount sellers cant seem to do - as we haven’t seen them.  Using this angle - it really does give a gravitas to the piece.  We do these in White or slightly off white only.

6. Measuring Guide

Although Picture Frames tend to be in general sizes when it comes to the mount aperture size this is down to individual choice. The apertures listed on Cadremont are cut  ¼ inch under size. This is so the mount will fit over your artwork - otherwise it would simply fall through the aperture . For example if you have a 6x4 photo, the actual aperture size will be 5¾ x 3¾. This is usually  what people want. However we can also cut EXACTLY to the sizes you want using our precision digital machinery.

And there you have it - hopefully all you need to know, if have any questions please get in touch via the contact form at the top of the page. 

If you have artwork you want to show off or have an event you want to promote, please contact us and we'll be happy to put it on our blog / facebook page / tweet etc.