Matting
A basic but classic technique to make your layout look more clean and professional. You can even buy stacks of matting paper in all colors or you can make your own with these instructions. You'll need:
- A photo to be matted. I used a 4 x 6 picture but the technique can be adapted to any size.
- Paper (cardstock works really well but I guess any paper will do.)
- Paper cutter
- Adhesive (Mounting squares are great for this but any adhesive will get the job done.)
- Cut out your paper to be just a bit larger than your photo. If you have a 4 x 6" picture, then I'd suggest cutting out a 4 1/2 x 6 1/2" mat. If you wish for a slimmer border around your picture, cut a smaller mat (but not smaller than the picture).
- Adhere your photo to the very center of the paper so you have an equal border around the picture.
That's it! You can double mat by repeating the process with a contrasting color to add more dimention or just place as is to your layout. I recommend using this method often in making layouts.