What size matboard for a 11"x17" image?

[guruguhan]

Hello,

I know that personal taste comes into play, but could I get some recommendations for the size of matboard for a 11x17" image (landscape)? - paper is 13x19"

Thanks a lot!

Gu

 

[Dave Parker]

I mat mine in custom cut 20x24 mats, which has worked very good for me.

R.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I consider a 3" border to be the absolute minimum, but prefer 4" on each side. As you said, it's personal taste, but it also depends on where they are shown. In a lerge gallery, with high walls and lots of room, you need wider borders than in your house.

 

[ben1]

I personally like pics with wider matts... rather than skinny/thin ones...

generally 80 - 100mm border around the print works well for larger prints

 

[pharquarx]

The vast majority of my work is 11x17 on 13 x 19. I standardized on 18 x 24 inch mats, have used that for years now

 

[RobC]

between two and four inches or bigger according to taste. BUT if you are buying off the peg frames then you are stuck with the standard frame sizes you can lay your hands on and that will dictate your mat size. On the other hand, if you are taking it to a framer to get a custom frame made then take their advice on border width and they should be able to show you in shop what it will look like. If you are making your own frames then two to four inches or bigger according to taste. The bigger the image, the wider the mat border.

It should look balanced and that usually means same border width left/right/top and bottom border can be a small amount wider but for that size print I personally would use same border width all round.

I'm not a fan of massive borders with little image in center but sometimes it does look good. And consider the space you want to allocate to it on your wall which may be the deciding factor.

And if you are using off the peg frames you need to consider the size and aspect ratio you need to make your print to suit the standard frame size. It's a chiken and egg situation. Does the image size drive the frame size or does the frame size drive the image size. You need to put your head in gear for it to all work together.

Like in David Havens second image example above, that balance and sizing of frames relative to one another doesn't happen by accident. It needs to be thought through before hand and all sizing of images and frames and spacing must be calculated prior to printing anything.

 

[Lanceey]

The largest common paper size is 11x17 inches. The easiest option is to use the entire sheet and print a 11x17 image. If your camera is an SLR, which normally has an image aspect ratio of 3:2, this is a convenient because it requires no cropping. An un-cropped image printed on 11x17 paper will only lose one-half inch of the image.
Many companies, uses inexpensive ready-made frames with mats in these sizes. It depends upon the customers taste as to what kind of frame they require.
You can also browse http://www.arttoframe.com/11x17_picture_frames/1 to select best frames.
Some other links are-
http://www.fullimageframes.com/11x17-frames.html
http://www.hollywoodposterframes.com/index.php?p=catalog&parent=19&pg=1