A tip for frameless prints. Print it with a small white border, cut the foam board oversized. Then trim the print and the foam board at the same time, after you have stuck the print to the board.
Don't usually comment on videos like this, but this is one of my favourite videos from you in a while (not to say recent content has been lacking, but this is certainly unique and interesting)
Great video. It took me back to my days of working in a frame shop framing art way back in 1994/1995. It was perhaps one of the most fun and interesting jobs I had, as every piece that walked through the door was a different challenge. We would typically dry mount the image to a backing board (if the process didn't ever have to be reversed), and then put a mat over it. Two suggestions: 1. At 9:40 in the video, you taped down all four sides of the image to the back of the mat. When you do that, you aren't allowing the print to expand or contract with changes in temperature and humidity, and it can buckle showing slight waves in the paper. It's best to simply tape the image down only at the top and let it hang freely within the mat's window, that way it can expand and contract without buckling. 2. I know these were inexpensive projects and it's not readily apparent to me, but you may want to use archival mounting tape to mount the print to the mat. The adhesive on non-archival tape could damage the print over time.
Noticed the same things when I was watching; I would also suggest people take these steps. Also printing the images with a generous white border (he had heaps of space left on that a3 sheet) helps with keeping the prints flat in the mounts, as well as not having to crop in to the image. You then also have the option to leave a white border around the image before the mount. I didn't include any of this in my original comment because as you say its more of a fun inexpensive project, but no harm in doing things to the best quality whenever possible.
Right. I learned when doing my own show and printing, mounting and framing them all myself because one, I wanted to learn, and two, I wanted to make it as "handmade" and authentic as possible. I would make a hinge at the top of the matting then apply tape to the underside of the print and fasten with a piece across those pieces forming a "T" shape. Then closing the mat over the print and fastening the corners with adhesive tape gun. All kinds of ways to do it but this one looked best to me.
Great to see you teaching, again, Tom (as opposed to travelling / camping / feeding). Teaching is what brought me to your channel some years ago and I think it is when you are at your best. I love it when you are out in the field explaining how to photograph or at your desk, showing post-production. This is slightly different and great. Thanks.
Mr Heaton, I want to thank you. You know, for years I struggled learning to drive. My instructors had no passion, then I met Rob. Like you, he was calm, clear and concise in his teaching. You remind me of him in so many ways. I've been a photographer for years and always wanted to make a living from it. I had zero comfidence. You're the first person I've found who exudes passion, which can't be trained. I'm on fire after watching this video. I'm actually excited again and my own passion has been ignited. Sincerely, thank you! Subscribed to you! 🙏
We’ll Done Thomas, I thoroughly enjoyed this video, a lovely twist on the Heaton format. What I also like is how it’s provoked so much input from your subscribers and viewers, it’s really engaged a lot of people from whom there is also some great advice on this aspect of photography which, let’s face it, we all to often forsake which is such a waste of terabytes, and some…, of images globally. Thank you Thomas and all. 👏
Good tip about asking framers for offcuts. I had a crossstitch sampler to stretch and frame and was given 2 acid-free mounting board pieces, cut roughly to size, for a donation to their charity box! For fellow UK-ers, for that project I got a black box frame from ASDA. About £3 for a 10x8 inch approx picture. Thanks for the timely video, Thomas! Laura
Your point about printing photographs is well made. I’ve been printing and displaying my astrophotography for a while now. I saw a video of yours going back a few years and you opined then on the value of putting our work on a wall. Great message. Enjoyed the arts and crafts time with Tom. Thanks Sir.
Thomas, I was born in Northwitch, Cheshire and have an Uncle who lives in the lake district. I now live in Tennessee, and I love watching your channel because, not only am I inspired for my own photography, but hearing your accent transforms me home. Thank you for all you do!
Hi Thomas. I might not be saying your grandfather, but certainly a father. I have been following in silence for years all the videos that I love very much. Also I am a photographer, and also a dreamer painter. I have always framed, made the passepartout, and the frames by myself . Start with a Logan. You are a great artist, now you make fine art prints. I recommend acid free passepartout, as well as the supports where you paste the photos. All acid free. Since I really follow you all the time, in my small way I took the liberty of giving advice.Don't take offense.A warm greeting from a small island in Italy.Capri.
Hello Thomas, I enjoyed this video very much! A couple of years ago I invested in a printer and mat cutting tools. It adds so much more to the process! Nice to see a video showing this. I'd like to see more of this every now and then.
I really liked this video, I’ve been thinking more lately about what to do with the photos I’ve taken and it was helpful and interesting. Also, “you want to place the hamster down to keep it there” is the best instruction I’ve ever heard in a video 😂
Thomas, Great suggestions! I know I get caught up in the frenzy of looking for one great image to print big which is expensive and more importantly, i never seem to find…. Years ago, when I first got started in photography, i did exactly what you spoke about today and your reminder as to how much fun it is to be that creative on a budget brought back lots of memories and has re-inspired me to start down this path once again! Thanks and as always, keep snapping!
Hey Tom: on your mount cutter, theres a line/indent on the opposite side to the blade which you line up at your beginning and end points. Hope that helps! Murray
Thomas you are a riot and informative, too. So psyched cause I have been putting my time into printing and framing lately and I am so excited about it and I really enjoyed your ideas, etc. Cutting my own mats has given me such independence. When I had two simple mats cut at the store, I walked out paying $90. That was my motivation. I also purchased board but instead of self adhesive board (didnt know it existed) I bought a spray which is a bit tricky to use. My ultimate goal is to create frameless prints and mount them onto the board and then a stand-out frame that I would have to make from scratch. So many projects, so little time. Better buy her a diamond "something" - sorry that is a cute photo on the stand but doesnt quite cut it. 😃
Wow!! Three pound from Wilco. Man, you must make a good living 🤣. I guess that's the mother in-law sorted for Christmas for the next three years. Seriously good one Tom.
Nice to see the younger generation cutting matts by hand. It’s an important skill set to mat and frame your work. Many of us older artists were doing this back in the 1970s. Cutting mats with and exacto knife and metal ruler was a fun part of printing silver gelatin prints in the darkroom and completing a finished piece of artwork!
Brilliant, simply putting the fun back into photography, thank you Thomas we need more of this and less of the latest gear channels that are getting out of hand, love your vids always
The fun!! darn tootin'! first I was just getting a kick out of giving friends prints! Then it was matting and framing. My son said NO MORE 17 x 22 prints of my granddaughter! Now, with retirement looming momma and i are thinking of loading up the RV and trying our hand at the farts and craps circuit!
I was only thinking the other day that I don't have enough of my work on my walls and then...BAM!! your vid comes along. Inspirational to say the least I have just purchased all the cutting kit and will be off to the shops today. Thank you once again !!!
Logan has a brand called Foam Works. They have a foam cutter system with a dedicated ruler. Cuts come out perfect and you can trim the print together with the foam board.
I made 12 individual mini easels, one for each table at our wedding evening do by printing onto canvas inkjet paper and gluing them on thin foam board. Each pic was from a different place from our travels and the guests loved them. 😀
I have that mat cutter and it's great. There is a line already engraved on the head at the back. This is what you line up for the start and finish off the cut. It can be seen in the video. It's a great video by the way, thanks for the great ideas
Thank you. I thoroughly enjoyed that video. I always try to finish my best photography with a print and those were really creative ideas for something new!
bravo! the floating print is genius! I've been screwing two tiny eyelets into a length of square dowel, adhering it to the back ( and another without eyelets towards the bottom ) and running some wire thru it - which hangs cool but does nothing to preserve the print. Now, I want anyone who lives in southeast wisconsin to pass over this part: 2nd hand shops are great places to find CHEAP used frames! next: i'm concerned about the suicidal manner in which you PUSH that Logan mat cutter! Much greater control and smoothness of operation PULLING it toward you. Also, the cutter has a "notch" to indicate where the blade is when it's pressed down into the mat. i have that same Logan handtool, I change blades on it as often as i do the mat cutter to avoid that nasty edge on the foamboard. I've had some success using a fine sandpaper to clean up that edge... some. But THANKS AGAIN for the floating print! Oh! is it me or would that wonderful Pro-1000 be better utilized with canon's Professional Print and Layout? I love that printer! Not the 4100 I really wanted but....
From chastened experience, it's wiser to use a steel craft ruler with a grip for ordinary (not mat window) line cutting. The mat ruler is only aluminium and is easily damaged by a knife. Also, you neglected to highlight the no. 1 gotcha with the mat cutter: make sure the bevelled edge will face the right way (i.e. ensure the ruler is the right side of your line)! I think we've all carefully measured and trimmed a mount, only to then cut the window out back to front. Some of us (ahem) may even have done this more than once.
or done it, and found one or two of the cuts was the wrong way ;) hahaha i remember my first one and i kept moving the mat to have the closest side to the cut, not realising i was therefore creating the bevel differently! :D actually took me a couple to realise I never kept it to the right each time!
