Guide to Buying the Perfect Picture Mount
Below is a step-by-step guide to buying the perfect picture mount for your artwork or photograph.
This guide will help you ensure the size you buy is correct for your item, and assist you in choosing the perfect colour to make your artwork stand out.
How to measure for your picture mount
We present a visualisation of the mount to the specifications you have entered, so that you can see how it will look.
External Size
When measuring for a picture mount, you need to know the size of the frame you want to use. This is the size of the frame that will hold the mount and artwork.
- If your frame already has a mount or backing board, you can take this out and get an exact measurement to use for the new mount's external size.
- If your frame doesn't have any boards yet, you can measure the inside of the frame from edge to edge.
We recommend taking 3mm off these measurements so that the mount board fits snugly within the frame without being too tight. - If you don't have a frame and ordering the mount to present your artwork on its own, you can choose an external size that suits your taste.
Internal (Aperture) Size
When measuring for a piece of art or a photo to be fitted behind a mount, you need to decide how much of the piece you would like to see. As well as being decorative, the bespoke mount holds the artwork in place, so when we measure for mounts in our workshop, we cover 3mm on each side.
For example, if your photo measures 200x300mm, we would recommend ordering your mount with an aperture of 194x294mm = 6mm smaller in total.
- We will cut the aperture the exact size you enter, so make sure to take into account any white borders on your artwork paper, or any edges you want to cover.
Choose the colour of your picture mount
The mount colour is a very important decision when choosing a frame for your artwork. It sits between your artwork and the frame, so needs to complement both without standing out too much.
Snow White and Minuet are our two most popular colours, as they can be paired with almost any piece of artwork or photograph.
There are many options when it comes to colour, so you should look at all the colours in your artwork and decide which one you'd like to highlight.
It is important that the mount you choose does not overshadow the artwork. For example, if you choose a dark green mount for a delicate watercolour, it might draw attention away from the artwork. If you want to pick out a colour but not use it for the full width, consider a double or even triple mount.
Choose the quality of your picture mount
All our picture mounts are rated Level 3 or better on the Fine Art Trade Guild Mountboard Quality Standards Scale. This scale ranges from Level 1 (the highest quality museum mounts) to Level 4 (commercial, low-quality mounts).
If you want a top-quality mount that will not cause any adverse effects to your artwork, even after many years, you should consider our Museum mounts. These are Level 1 Cotton Rag boards with no paper fibres or lignin present. They have been rigorously tested to be free of any chemicals, acids, or alkalies that could affect your artwork. The complete specification of our museum grade mountboards is shown below:
- 100% cotton fibre
- Free from lignin and sulphur
- OBA-free (Optical Brightening Agents)
- Lightfast, Blue Wool Scale reading of 5 minimum
- Passes the Silver Tarnish Test and Photographic Activity Test
- EVA polymer adhesive, contains no plasticisers, pH 7.0
- Museum Cream: Buffered with calcium carbonate
- TG Off White: unbuffered
- Surface sized (pure non-ionic farina starch)
Multi-aperture Photo Mounts
Framing multiple photos in one frame is easy with multi-aperture mounts. We can cut (within reason) any shape and number of windows into a mount for you. If you have a collection of photos you'd like framed together, we can cut a bespoke mount to your measurements.
This also works if you want to add a window beneath an object, such as a football shirt with a plaque below.
We use specialist software to perfectly balance a multi-aperture mount so all borders are equal and properly spaced.
Since the possibilities for multi-aperture mounts are endless, you will need to contact us with your requirements so we can provide a quote:
sales@epicturemounts.co.uk | 01246 554338
Multi-layered Picture Mounts
Multiple layer mounts are a great way to enhance your artwork or photo. They allow you to have more than one colour showing if desired, or just a simple two-layered white mount can completely change the look of a frame.
This option is very popular with artists as it adds a touch of elegance and professionalism to a frame.
Since the possibilities for multi-layered mounts are endless, you will need to contact us with your requirements so we can provide a quote:
sales@epicturemounts.co.uk | 01246 554338
Mountslips
Mount slips can be added to a mount as another layer of decoration. They are a great way to embellish a mount with a thin line of wooden moulding sitting within the aperture.
Slips can be used on traditional watercolours or more modern prints, depending on the overall look you are aiming for.
White or bare-wood slips can be used if you prefer to paint them to match an exact colour in your artwork.
Since the possibilities for multi-aperture mounts are endless, you will need to contact us with your requirements so we can provide a quote:
sales@epicturemounts.co.uk | 01246 554338
What is an Undermount?
An undermount is a mountboard designed specifically for mounting your artwork. Its main purpose is to act as a barrier between your artwork and the backing board, preventing the transfer of harmful chemicals from non-certified backing boards to your artwork.
The undermounts we supply are 1.4mm thick whitecore mountboards. One side of the board is Snow White (#8001), while the other side is Minuet (#8627).
Contact Us
If you have any questions or enquiries, please get in touch using the details below: