What is the purpose of Matting?
The reason for matting is to provide the viewer a place for their eye to rest around the artwork. It removes all distractions from the enjoyment of the work itself. A mat which is too small can create a distraction in itself by causing you to see a stripe around the artwork which is the first thing you notice when viewing the piece. Your mat should be larger than the width of your frame with under-mats of varying sizes to avoid a distracting stripe effect.
