How to frame a picture : 45° Bevel with exceeding

For a Picture frame intended for a young Quentin, I chose a Teddy Bear image playing in the Q letter …
the drawing is on a white zone and is surrounded by a small line hollowed and stamped in paper..

(click pour +)

For well emphasizing this picture, it is necessary to mount it with a mat which has a 45° angle bevel (see the bevel 45° page with ), this bevelled mat will be underlined by one exceeding coloured tape.

Quite naturally, We will equip the bevel with a blue paper (which just match fine with the color of the "Q" letter ). The exceeding band will be treated out of olive-green colour as a remaining of the color of the Teddy Bear's trousers.

Measurements

It is necessary to measure the part of the artwork you want to show… 7.2" long and 5.2" width : there will be dimensions of our Picture-window.

The margins are equal and will measure 2" (5cm) in all directions. The mat measures are given by the formula:

MAT = PICTURE WINDOW + MARGINS

The calculation of the mat dimensions are :

7.2 + 2 + 2 = 11.2" and 5.2 + 2 + 2 = 9.2"

Cuttings

In thick paperboard, you first cut with the bent-cutter (see this bent-cutter on the picture above) the back paperboard (11.2"x9.2"). With the same dimensions, cut in the paperboard for the bevel. Cut now, in a light paperboard (cardboard), the mat (11.2"x9.2").

Trace with a pencil the margins on the mat an open with the cutter the image-window.

Put the mat on the paperboard bevel, align carefully the two parts then, using the mat like a gauge, draw with the pencil the window to be opened in the bevel .

Now it's time to cut the bevel window : pose the blade of the cutter at the first corner of the window. Tilt the blade with 45° angle. Position the cutting ruler against the blade, and check for good alignment..

Begin your cut without supporting exaggeratedly by maintaining your blade tilt down with 45° angle : you will need several passages of the cutter to finish the cut. Do not hesitate to exceed in the corners : bevel that you create will be equipped after. (see the English Bevel page)

If you are not too clever with your hands, and hesitate to hand-open bevels with 45° angle … make like many picture framers : use MAPED or LOGAN mat cutters (have a look on their special page) and their 45° cutting tool … they work just fine and it is so much simpler!

When you finish cuttings, you have in your hands the back paperboard, the bevel with 45° angle window and the mat. Now remain to equip them!

Preparing

Now, you have to equip the bevel paperboard by masking the inner edges with special printed paper. To do that, cut out 4 blue paper tapes of 2" width which will correspond to the 4 sides of bevel.

Bend double these bands in the length. Crush the folds with a bone folder .

(click pour +)

With a square with 45° angles, cut an end of the folded bands to 45° (two thicknesses at the same time… and be careful at the angles)

Present a first blue band against the interior of bevel, mark the length with a fine pencil then, with the square, cut its second end to 45°angle.

(click pour +)

test your band which must overlap and to adapt exactly inside bevel. Possibly recut.

Prepare, in the same way the 3 other bands. Then stick them to equip the edges of the bevel.

(click pour +)

Exceeding

To accentuate the depth effect, you now realize what we call “exceedings”.
The selected color is the olive green : Cut 4 paper bands of 2" and bend double them.

(click pour +)

Stick these exceeding behind the blue edges of bevel by letting them exceed 1/8". With the cutter and the 45° square, cut the ends to 45°.

This photograph represents the back of the equipped bevel ! You see bevel with 45° blue paper equipped and green olive exceeding stuck on it.

(click pour +)

The mat, equipped with cream coloured and grained paper, is posed on the bevel and the whole on the back paperboard with the art word sticked on it.

(An effect of magnifying glass was added on the photograph for better distinguishing the blue bevel and its olive exceeding)

To finish the framing, I've added with self-adhesive letters (“PUFFY STICKERS” from Provo Craft) the name of the child for whom this artwork is intended.

With a small punch, two small silhouettes of "nounours" (french Teddy Bear)…

(click pour +)

Cut a glass (11.2"x9.2") … and the moulding was cut and assemble in a art-store and its color was especially selected to match with the color of the bevel. See that page how to make the "PACK" to put inside the wood-frame

Recommended for most public library collections

Mat, mount and frame it yourself
David Logan

(click pour +)

Logan does a great job of explaining everything and supplements the text with attractive photos, which will be a helpful resource for beginners to copy. There is something here for framers of all skill levels.