Mat or no mat?
When choosing a mat the most important thing to consider is what looks best to you. You can follow guides and take advice but remember, the art will be hanging in your space and it's your opinion that matters most.
The two big factors to consider when you are picturing your art are:
- Do you want it to appear more like a painting, or do you want to highlight it for the beautiful print it is? Both are great options. If you do go with a mat, you will have the extra block of white around your art that that acts like mascara for your print and makes it pop. The mat will also add body to the framing and give a couple more inches to each dimension.
- Is size a factor? Adding a mat will give your art a few more inches that might make the difference for your space. Think about if you would like to boost it's size a bit, or if it will be a better size ratio with less frame body.
In the end you can't go wrong when you go with your own personal taste.
*The art in this example can be found on my website here: