Photography and passe-partout are methods of design. How to make a passe-partout from paper Passe-partout from paper

A painting without a frame is like an actor without an audience. Both are incomplete. Nothing decorates an image more than a skillfully selected frame and mat. This adds effectiveness and completeness to it. A painting, like a photograph, becomes an independent object that attracts attention and delights.

What is passe-partout and what is it used for?

On the question of definition. A passe-partout is a wide frame made of multi-layer cardboard that frames a drawing, photograph, collage or other work of art. This creates a boundary between the painting and the frame. It is customary to highlight portraits in this way.

The passe-partout frame is used for several purposes. The main ones include:

  • emphasis on individual details of the image, enhancing the impact on the viewer;
  • facilitating the perception of the work due to its separation from the rest of the interior;
  • protection of a piece of art from the negative effects of the environment.

In addition, mats often act as an element of art.

Why is symmetry harmful?

Most of the finished mats have the same dimensions on all sides. This move is justified from a commercial point of view; it can be used for both directions: book and landscape. However, this mat format is not always appropriate from an aesthetic point of view.

This fact is explained by the peculiarities of human visual perception. When considering vertical objects, the most harmonious will be the one whose lower part has more weight. This fact is known and widely used in the press. For example, the Latin letter S or the number 8 are asymmetrical. Their lower parts are slightly enlarged, but overall they look very harmonious.

The same thing happens with passe-partout. If it is slightly enlarged in the lower part, then the whole picture will be perceived better.

It is worth noting that a symmetrical mat frame is not always a bad thing. For example, if the image itself has a bright accent at the bottom, then no additional enhancement is required. Another situation where there is no need for an asymmetrical mat is educational and scientific illustrations.

Selection principles

The first thing you need to pay attention to is the color of the cardboard. Firstly, it must be different from the shade of the frame. Then everything is built on the effect that you want to achieve. If you need to highlight an image, it is better to place it on a very light background, almost white or even completely snow-white. When it is necessary to reduce the design, it is limited to a dark mat. The most neutral shade is gray. He practically does not interact with the image.

When choosing a matte shade, it is recommended to choose calm and muted tones. Let it be a little similar to the shade that is used in the image itself. Then the mat for the drawing will effectively emphasize the advantages. In some cases, this method can muffle or completely hide imperfections.

In addition, ornaments and lines can be applied to the mat. Then they simply must form a single whole with the object of art.

The second point is the choice of frame. It should fit perfectly with the image. A common mistake is choosing a frame to match the furniture and the color of the walls.

There are times when you should abandon the mat - these are oil paintings and a huge image format. In the first case, there is simply no need to further decorate them, and in the second, the size of the frame can disrupt the perception of the piece of art. There are also situations when the engravings themselves already contain decorative elements located along the edges. Then they also do not need to be put away in the mat.

A few words about cardboard

Its thickness usually varies from 0.5 to 3 millimeters. Passepartout cardboard can be colored or plain. In the second case, the color of the cut does not differ from its front side. But the first option has a different shade on the cut. There is such a mat that its surface has a textured pattern.

In addition, cardboard can be different in composition. The most popular one has a neutral acidity level. It is made from cellulose, which contains lignin. The latter undergoes oxidation and spoils the drawing paper.

Museum quality cardboard has the best properties. It is less susceptible to fungus.

On the last step there is cardboard with conservation quality. It is made of natural cotton and does not allow fungus to develop at all.

How to determine the size of a passe-partout?

Fields that are too small will not perform their function. But, on the other hand, an overly wide mat will distract attention from the object of art. As a result of this, the image will simply be lost.

For the side and top margins, there is a rule: the width of the mat should be between a third and a half of the side of the image that is smaller. This is in most cases. But there are special situations when the side parts can be made larger. An example would be an unbalanced or very dense image.

A wide mat can be used in the following cases:

  • a large object is depicted over almost the entire drawing;
  • portrait or still life;
  • the landscape lacks the sky (enlarge the strip at the top) or the sea (make the bottom even larger).

An example of a passe-partout frame for a 10 x 15 photograph would be the following dimensions: on the sides 5 cm, on the top 4 cm, on the bottom 6 cm.

What are the options for passe-partout?

With edging. This is a plank made of wood or plastic. Its appearance can be quite varied. From smooth to carved, from tinted and painted to aged. The edging plays the role of a partition between the passe-partout and the drawing and is an additional decor.

Multi-layer passe-partout . When two or three cardboard options are used. They have different shades, but are sure to match the image. Moreover, the inner layer can be made lighter or darker than the outer one.

Methods for placing a passe-partout

First: passe-partout under the picture . In this case, the image is fixed on a solid sheet of cardboard. For this purpose, you can use rubber glue, which can be easily removed without damaging the design. Another approach is to use corners or double-sided sticky notes.

This method will not work if you plan to place the photo under glass. It may stick tightly and be irretrievably lost. It should be noted that such a mat for drawing will add rigidity to the children's craft, as a result of which it can be easily placed on the wall.

Second method: passe-partout over the drawing. It looks like a tight frame under which the finished product is placed. Here you need to take two sheets of cardboard. The thinner one will go on the substrate, and the thicker one will be used to make a frame. In the latter, you need to cut a window to the size of the design, leaving an allowance of 3 mm. It will make an inclined cut at an angle of 45 degrees. This bevel gives a smooth transition from the image to the mat. You need to attach the picture to the backing, and then glue the top frame to its edges with double-sided adhesive tape.

The latter option requires more material costs, but also looks more solid. In addition, with its help you can cover a photograph with glass and not worry that after a while it will be impossible to get it out.

A wall on which photographs, pictures and embroideries are randomly placed looks spotty and tasteless. If you make a mat for them, the wall decor will become natural and interesting.

The color scheme and mood of a drawing or painting will become more noticeable if you place it in a mat. This design can be ordered from a professional craftsman, but doing it yourself is much more interesting. Therefore, the question of how to properly make a mat for a drawing interests many.

Passepartout - what is it

Between the frame and the picture there is a special field, usually made of colored cardboard. It is precisely the passe-partout. It can create an interesting effect by visually enlarging or reducing the image. Passe-partout comes in different shapes with a corresponding hole for a drawing or photograph. Designers and professional artists leave their signature on the mat.

The task of making a mat is to create a harmonious relationship between the interior and the picture and frame.

How to arrange a passe-partout: the easy way

Visually expanding the space around the picture, the mat will perform many functions:

  • will create a kind of window through which the picture will come to the fore,
  • will highlight the best aspects and enhance the range of colors of the picture,
  • will create the right mood,
  • will highlight elegant graphic lines.

With the help of a mat, several works in different styles can be turned into one composition, while simultaneously emphasizing the features of each drawing. Passepartout will correct our distorted perception of a work of art.

Making a mat for a drawing

Many people will be interested in learning how to make a mat for a drawing, because everyone has had to deal with wall decoration.

So, you need to take a sheet of cardboard of the desired color about three millimeters thick, tape or universal glue, a ruler, a stationery knife, a pencil, and fine sandpaper. The process of making a passe-partout begins:

  • We mark the cardboard along the sides of the picture, adding 5 cm in width and height, so that between the frame and the picture there is a distance of at least 4 cm wide.
  • In the resulting piece of cardboard, we determine the center from which we need to build a square with sides smaller than the figure by a centimeter.
  • Using a stationery knife along a ruler, you need to cut out the middle part of the passe-partout and sand the inner cut.
  • You need to measure 0.5 cm from each side of the window and carefully mark a square.
  • For each corner of the rectangle, you need to carefully cut the corners at the window measuring 45 degrees.
  • Using a ruler along the marked lines around, slightly touching with a knife, but not cutting through, we mark the cuts along which you need to bend the edges of the window.
  • The drawing must be framed from the inside out and attached to the cardboard with glue or tape.
  • We insert the composition into a suitable frame.

Now you know how to make a mat for drawing with pastels, pencil or watercolors. You can limit yourself to making one frame, if the mat is made for a drawing, and insert the composition into the frame. Artistic applique will successfully emphasize the character of the design. You can also order the production of a passe-partout on our website from professionals in their field.

To choose the right color of cardboard from which the passe-partout will be made, remember:

  • White color distracts attention from the drawing.
  • Black color distorts the spectrum, making the image brighter.
  • The shade is matched to the color of one of the details in the picture.
  • The passe-partout and the image should form a single composition.

You can continue to design your work, adding different details and experimenting. But if you don’t want to engage in design art at all, but want to update your interior design, order our service for making mats! The result will please you, because our workshop employs experienced, high-class craftsmen.

Drawn frames for Photoshop and photos

Drawn photo frames and photo frames for Photoshop open up a lot of imagination. Excellent graphics will allow you to create photographic portraits in a variety of styles and to suit every taste. By placing photos in ready-made frames of different sizes, using templates for original collages, it’s easy to turn your own home into an interesting author’s gallery.

If you want to boost your friend's pride on his birthday, then this frame for his photo is just what you need. Then it just begs to become a bottle label. Such champagne, of course, is not drunk, but placed on a shelf for a good, long-lasting memory.

Your photo surrounded by leaves.

The grape summer vignette seems to glow.

How to make a passe-partout at home?

The author skillfully drew each ray coming from the center at the right angle. Believe me, it's not that easy to do. And of course, playful grape leaves and bunches add even more joy and freshness to the overall idea.

This design imitates a picture frame. In fact, photo frames do not always contain only photographs. A drawing of nature or a still life will also look very beautiful in this design.

Drawn wooden square frame.

Branched oval in a rectangle. A neat graphic photo frame for a group photo. It’s easy to place people right in the center, and all the unnecessary background that accidentally gets into the frame will be neatly hidden.

Graphic black and white photo frame in medieval style.

Medal for the winner of a competition, Olympic Games or birthday person.

A free round frame with space for an inscription and an oval for some symbol.

The chain is connected by a pair of signature ribbons near the photo.

Vignette of braided ribbons and climbing shoots.

Drawn frame with a clock.

Graphic frame in the form of a base for the order.

How to make a mat for a drawing?

All about digital photography

Photography and passe-partout - design methods

If you have accumulated a sufficient number of photographs for an exhibition, it’s time to think about their design. Currently, many photo printing centers offer their services for arranging photographs in passe-partout. A photograph framed in this way looks more impressive. Side margins separate the image from its surroundings and make it a separate object that attracts attention.

You can also arrange photographs yourself. We will look at two methods: gluing a photograph onto a mat and cutting out a window into the mat.

But first of all, what is a passport? Passepartout is a multi-layer cardboard designed for decorating photos with a thickness of 0.8 to 3 mm. In art stores you can find mats of different colors, but the most common is white and its shades. The surface can be smooth or textured. The optimal dimensions of cardboard are 80 by 100 cm.

Method 1. Pasting a photo onto a passe-partout

We take a photograph 11 by 15 cm. For this format, we will make the side margins equal to 5 centimeters, the top - 4, bottom - 6 cm (measurement by eye). This method of arrangement is explained by the fact that the photograph must be located in the optical center of the sheet (and in the physical one). You can measure the optical center of the sheet as follows: suppose we have a sheet of 25 by 20 cm. We combine the upper left corner of the photo with the upper left corner of the mat, measure the distance from point A to point B, divide the resulting distance in half, and from this point lower the perpendicular down.

After this, measure the distance from point C to point E, divide in half in the same way and draw a parallel line relative to the bottom edge of the mat. From point C we draw a diagonal to point P. The point of intersection of two straight lines I will be exactly the coordinate where we will place the lower right corner of the image. By placing the photograph in the optical center, we get the following results: the side margins are 5 cm, the top margin is 3.5 cm, and the bottom margin is 6.5 cm.

Use a pencil to mark the vertices of the photo on the mat and turn it over. You can glue the photo with rubber glue; it is easily removed and does not spoil the photo. You can also use double-sided stickers or corners.

Method 2. Passepartout with a window

This method of decorating photos is more expensive than gluing, but the result is worth it.

Master class Passepartout frame Making a passe-partout for a drawing

You will need a sheet of thin and a sheet of thick cardboard, a pencil, a ruler, an eraser, a cutting knife, a breadboard knife, photo corners or double-sided stickers, fine sandpaper, and paper tape.

The size of the mat is the same as in the previous example. Cut two sheets of the same size, thin for the backing, thick for the window.


Turn the thick sheet of passe-partout face down and draw a window, taking into account the margins: side - 5 cm, top - 3.5 cm, bottom - 6.5 cm. In order for the edges of the passe-partout to fit into the photo, you need to subtract 3 mm.

Using a mat cutting knife, a cutout is made on the surface of the cardboard at an angle of 45 degrees and a neat cut is made on four sides.


The bevel creates the impression of a smooth transition from the mat to the image. After cutting, we squeeze out the window and carefully sand the bevel.


We place the photograph in the optical center of the substrate mat. Glue the corners. We connect the lower part of the passe-partout to the window using paper tape on the upper side. The fastening must be on the inside.

A wall on which photographs, pictures and embroideries are randomly placed looks spotty and tasteless. If you make a mat for them, the wall decor will become natural and interesting.

The color scheme and mood of a drawing or painting will become more noticeable if you place it in a mat. This design can be ordered from a professional craftsman, but doing it yourself is much more interesting. Therefore, the question of how to properly make a mat for a drawing interests many.

Passepartout - what is it

Between the frame and the picture there is a special field, usually made of colored cardboard. It is precisely the passe-partout. It can create an interesting effect by visually enlarging or reducing the image. Passe-partout comes in different shapes with a corresponding hole for a drawing or photograph. Designers and professional artists leave their signature on the mat.

The task of making a mat is to create a harmonious relationship between the interior and the picture and frame. Visually expanding the space around the picture, the mat will perform many functions:

  • will create a kind of window through which the picture will come to the fore,
  • will highlight the best aspects and enhance the range of colors of the picture,
  • will create the right mood,
  • will highlight elegant graphic lines.

With the help of a mat, several works in different styles can be turned into one composition, while simultaneously emphasizing the features of each drawing. Passepartout will correct our distorted perception of a work of art.

Making a mat for a drawing

Many people will be interested in learning how to make a mat for a drawing, because everyone has had to deal with wall decoration.

So, you need to take a sheet of cardboard of the desired color about three millimeters thick, tape or universal glue, a ruler, a stationery knife, a pencil, and fine sandpaper. The process of making a passe-partout begins:

  • We mark the cardboard along the sides of the picture, adding 5 cm in width and height, so that between the frame and the picture there is a distance of at least 4 cm wide.
  • In the resulting piece of cardboard, we determine the center from which we need to build a square with sides smaller than the figure by a centimeter.
  • Using a stationery knife along a ruler, you need to cut out the middle part of the passe-partout and sand the inner cut.
  • You need to measure 0.5 cm from each side of the window and carefully mark a square.
  • For each corner of the rectangle, you need to carefully cut the corners at the window measuring 45 degrees.
  • Using a ruler along the marked lines around, slightly touching with a knife, but not cutting through, we mark the cuts along which you need to bend the edges of the window.
  • The drawing must be framed from the inside out and attached to the cardboard with glue or tape.
  • We insert the composition into a suitable frame.

Now you know how to make a mat for drawing with pastels, pencil or watercolors. You can limit yourself to making one frame, if the mat is made for a drawing, and insert the composition into the frame. Artistic applique will successfully emphasize the character of the design. You can also order on our website from professionals in their field.

To choose the right color of cardboard from which the passe-partout will be made, remember:

  • White color distracts attention from the drawing.
  • Black color distorts the spectrum, making the image brighter.
  • The shade is matched to the color of one of the details in the picture.
  • The passe-partout and the image should form a single composition.

You can continue to design your work, adding different details and experimenting. But if you don’t want to engage in design art at all, but want to update your interior design, order our service for making mats! The result will please you, because our workshop employs experienced, high-class craftsmen.

Tatyana Kerbo

Hello friends. Many people are faced with the problem of how to decorate a children's creativity corner. I want to tell you about a simple and budget-friendly way to make frames for children's drawings or photographs. I made these in my group frames in two formats: for kids A5 (half a landscape sheet, for older preschoolers A4 (landscape or standard copy sheet) It’s labor-intensive to do for the whole group at once, so I advise you to involve parents. You can organize a joint master- class Children will draw, and parents will make frames for them drawings!

For work you will need: a piece of wallpaper, cardboard, glue, a large ruler, scissors.


Apply drawing(sheet of paper of the required size) for wallpaper


Trace along the contour with a pencil or felt-tip pen. If you are making a large number of frames, you can use a sheet of cardboard, then you can draw the sheet without a ruler.


We remove the template and draw another smaller one inside the rectangle (we deviate from the original one by about 1 cm, we also need to draw diagonals in the inner rectangle


Then you need to cut the wallpaper diagonally from the center to the corners (not reaching the larger rectangle).



Then bend the resulting triangles




We bend the outer part of the wallpaper, trying to ensure that the resulting sides of the frame are the same in width, and glue it.





All that remains is to glue the backdrop. I use cardboard from packages of colored paper sets. Then in the finished frame, even if it is empty, you can see a cute drawing. You can use cardboard from regular boxes. Then the frame will be very rigid.. Important: We apply glue on three sides so that you can change works. In the center around the hole for drawing Apply strips of glue on the long and short sides. They are needed to the drawing is not"fell through" inside the finished framework. I showed the gluing lines with a marker. If it’s hard to see, I duplicated it in the center on a napkin


IMG]/upload/blogs/6bc1a82914e9567de04fa91f93f407bb.jpg.jpg That's it. The house for your masterpiece is ready!



You can glue a loop of braid at the back and attach frame with a picture straight to the wallpaper using a simple sewing pin. In our locker room we use ceiling plastic cornices as shelves.

For those who are professional photographers, participate in exhibitions, and just ordinary people, sometimes there is a need to beautifully design an image. In a professional context, this is necessary for a better perception of photographic works in order to emphasize their individuality. Well, in everyday life, it could be an interior design solution, or a desire to beautifully decorate a herbarium, for example, or a favorite photo. Be that as it may, you cannot do without the advice of specialists in this matter. Especially if you have never encountered this issue before. So let's begin..

Passepartout. What is this


Passepartout is paper of varying degrees of density and color, used for the design of paintings, photographs, and various artistic works. The passe-partout is located between the baguette (frame) and the image. Designed to enhance the effect of visual perception, emphasizing the image, creating a peculiar accent on it. If the image is covered with glass, it is located directly below it. The mat should be selected in accordance with the color scheme of the image and frame. Neutral or pastel colors are generally preferred. But there are a number of creative ideas in which different color solutions are possible.

Passepartout margins and their size


The width of the top margin of the passe-partout and its side margins should be in the ratio of 1/3 to 1/2 of the smaller side of the image. The bottom margin should be a little larger. This is due to the laws of composition. An object is visually perceived as more proportional and harmonious if the lower part is slightly larger. It is highly undesirable to make very small margins, as they will visually merge with the frame and will not be able to emphasize the image. Also, if you go to the opposite extreme and make the margins of the mat too wide, then the image itself will be lost. Everything is good in moderation.

Types of passe-partout


  1. Standard passe-partout. Made from thick cardboard in a variety of colors and textures. The thickness of the cardboard for such a mat is about two millimeters. The cut color is varied. Passepartout is suitable for decorating any type of artwork.
  2. Museum passport. It is made from special cardboard impregnated with special substances that have the ability to protect vulnerable ancient images from oxidizing environmental factors. Used in the design of rare photos and images that have value, like antiques.
  3. Deep passe-partout. Made from special cardboard five millimeters thick. The cutting angle is forty-five degrees. It is used in artistic works to create a “tunnel effect” - to give depth to the image.
  4. Fabric passe-partout. The paper base of the mat is decorated with any fabric: from matting to velvet, depending on the idea of ​​the work. It is used in the design of fine art works: panels, herbariums under glass.

Making passe-partout. Step by step instructions

We present to your attention a method for making a passe-partout with step-by-step instructions. This type of mat is very original, and is suitable for decorating a picture or photo with a larger frame than the original image size. You can see the result in the photo at the beginning of the article. To make such a passe-partout, we will need a sheet of cardboard of the required size, a pencil, a ruler, and a stationery knife. Well, actually, the image itself, and the frame for it (in an individual configuration).


We take the image that we will decorate the mat with and place it on a sheet of thick white cardboard (the base of the mat). We use dots to mark the corners of the image. We retreat from the sides of the picture by 2-3 centimeters. Cut a square of cardboard to the required size. In a particular case, it will be more convenient to synchronize the size of the frame with the base and the size of the mat in advance so that they match. This will help avoid future corrective measures.



Drawing lines

We connect all four points with lines using a ruler and pencil.


This is what the width of the passe-partout margins, marked with lines, looks like.


Using a utility knife and a ruler, make a diagonal cut in the image field.


Then we make another diagonal cut perpendicular to the first.


Applying a ruler to the previously lined image border line, bend the cut corner until a clear fold border is formed.


We repeat the folding process for all cut parts.


We get this expanded mat field.


Place the prepared image face down on this field, positioning it symmetrically.


We bend the protruding corners of the cardboard onto the back side of the image.


The mat blank from the outside now looks like this.


We place the passe-partout with the image in the frame.


Cover with a plywood base. The original passe-partout is ready. The smaller picture is securely fixed in a larger frame using a passe-partout.

How to make a passe-partout /video/


How to make a passe-partout. Professional approach

Making a simple passe-partout

Passepartout for registration of works

Passepartout for drawings

Conclusion:

Beautiful original decor for your photos or paintings - all this can be easily done with your own hands from ordinary paper or cardboard. A passe-partout will help emphasize the uniqueness and reveal the soul of the image. We tried to cover the topic in as much detail as possible. Well, additional materials, as always, are in the video for our article.


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