matting B&W with black

[Melodi]

First, thanks to those of you who responded to my post last week about matting and framing.

I have a more specific question regarding framing and matting black and white photography.

I am really attracted to very wide black or dark matting to provide an area to clean one's pallete, so to say, and the large swathe of darkness around the photo seems draw one into the photo.  

It seems one can "push" a photo toward someone, or "pull" someone into a photo depending on the matting.  It depends on what one wants to feel when viewing the photos.

I'm just curious what others thoughts are and experience are with this.

[dalethorn]

A big factor will be the amount of space between each print on the wall, and how they're staggered. Most art galleries for instance have large wall spaces, but for intrigue, I'd suggest keeping book or magazine layouts in mind when placing on the wall, even though you have more space to work with.  That way, your prints won't look so distant, surrounded by large matte space plus large wall space.

[Shirley Bracken]

meIodi, I have never seen prints matted that way.  I'd Iike to see one of yours.  Can you post one.  WiII it be one matt or two.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I have happily followed the white-mat-only tradition for many, many years. But just last year I saw an exhibit in which most images were matted in black, and the effect was quite stunning. The prints seemed to glow with an inner light.

I don't think this would work on all tyes of subject matter, but if you think you have some images that want it, why not try it. Put a white-matted and a black-matted print up near each other and look at them over a period of a week or two and decide for yourself.

[marcmccalmont]

Since the boarder will effect how you perceive a photo either lighter or darker than it is, why not try a double mat, white outer and black inner say 2" for each, that way you get the pop from the black but your image remains balanced?
Marc

[framah]

Rule number 1 is always use a white mat.

Rule number 2 is to ignore Rule number 1 when ever necessary.

I have used black mats for alot of photos and not just B/W ones. Alot of times a bold sunset requires a black mat as anything else will distract from the piece.

That is the main requirement for matting, that it not distract the eye away from the image.

One of the problems with black mats is that often the black of the mat isn't "black" enough compared to the blacks in the image.

Go for it!!

If it looks good, it is good!

[JeffKohn]

So those of you who have used and like black mats, did these mats have black or white cores? And did you still use black frames, or something else like gray/silver?

[Melodi]

If I go with black, I like the black core.  I don't want anything to stop the eye from moving into the photo.  It seems without the black core, that's what happens unless I use a reverse bevel.  I like the usual bevel though so....

[Melodi]

I like either way, and the weird thing is, I like black on black.  I'm probably going to keep the costs low though and go with a single black matte.  Working late tonight, though, so will post an image or two with examples tomorrow.

[framah]

Black core mats and black frames.

[bill t.]

One thing about black mattes is, they can look really flat and downright silly in a bright, evenly lighted environment which will turn the black into a weary shade of gray and reveal even the tiniest speck of dust on the glazing.  You gotta think about where the picture will be placed, and relatively few places will work for black mattes.  And don't forget black mattes exaggerate glazing reflections.

Saw a show where every piece was surrounded by wood liners hand wrapped in single pieces of black velvet, no seams.  1/2" deep bevels on the liners.  Dark room, each print spotlighted.  Totally dazzling effect, as though the prints were surrounded by complete darkness and glowing from within.  But anybody who bought one of those things and put it up on their typical murky living room wall would be very disappointed unless they duplicated the lighting situation at home, starting with turning their living room into a black pit.  And BTW this only works for prints with killer max-D's.