stuckshutter
09-08-2007, 09:43 AM
FIGURING OUT THE MEASURMENTS TO USE WHEN CUTTING A MAT can be hard and frustrating, especially with two mats and odd fractional sizes. NO MORE!
MATWORKS SOFTWARE IS HERE AND IT'S FREE!!!
After proving I could flunk 2nd grade arithmetic and determining I was neither square nor rectangular and apparently totally unable to use a ruler, I went hunting for software that would automate figuring out how to:
Figure out the correct guide mark measurements to place your picture perfectly on the base mat even with different top and bottom margins.
Figure out the correct margins to mark and cut for the top, bottom and side for a centered, or bottom weighted (different size top and bottom margin) mat layouts.
Figure out all that when you have two mats, an image overlap or reveal around the live picture area.
Determine the different measurements for a two mat project necessary to show varying amounts of the bottom mat.
Do all that and give a screw-up proof picture of how the heck things lay out and what the exact dimensions need to be
OUCH!
I thought, "Software like that will cost a bundle, but let's look and see what is available on the Web." I knew Wizard makes automated CNC mat cutters and software and that was the first stop but that level stuff is out of reach cost wise.
A SOLUTION WAS THERE ALL ALONG - MAT CUTTING FOR DUMMIES...
Googling more, I came across a top notch piece of software that does all of the above and presents it in a way even I can screw up only occasionally. Well, maybe a little more often than occasionally...
It makes mat measuring and cutting as simple as measuring the size of your base mat, your overall picture size, the live image size and plugging the numbers into a few boxes!
It is called MatWorks! and IT IS FREE!
It is as good as any software you'll buy. You can see it and download it (works with Windows only right now) at www.gt-photography.com (http://http://www.gt-photography.com/matworks.html).
Giorgio Trucco (http://www.gt-photography.com) graciously contributed this great program to all us math-challenged photographers and has made a tough job easy. Our thanks to George!
I used it to do a mat today and it made those 13/16" odd sized live image, image overlap of 1/8" and measuring and cutting even double mats an absolute snap.
If you cut your own mats, do not do another one without trying this out!
Enjoy.
_________________
Chris Dekle
Wildstate Gallery
Wildlife, Nature Photography & Landscapes
www.wildstate.com (http://www.wildstate.com)
MATWORKS SOFTWARE IS HERE AND IT'S FREE!!!
After proving I could flunk 2nd grade arithmetic and determining I was neither square nor rectangular and apparently totally unable to use a ruler, I went hunting for software that would automate figuring out how to:
Figure out the correct guide mark measurements to place your picture perfectly on the base mat even with different top and bottom margins.
Figure out the correct margins to mark and cut for the top, bottom and side for a centered, or bottom weighted (different size top and bottom margin) mat layouts.
Figure out all that when you have two mats, an image overlap or reveal around the live picture area.
Determine the different measurements for a two mat project necessary to show varying amounts of the bottom mat.
Do all that and give a screw-up proof picture of how the heck things lay out and what the exact dimensions need to be
OUCH!
I thought, "Software like that will cost a bundle, but let's look and see what is available on the Web." I knew Wizard makes automated CNC mat cutters and software and that was the first stop but that level stuff is out of reach cost wise.
A SOLUTION WAS THERE ALL ALONG - MAT CUTTING FOR DUMMIES...
Googling more, I came across a top notch piece of software that does all of the above and presents it in a way even I can screw up only occasionally. Well, maybe a little more often than occasionally...
It makes mat measuring and cutting as simple as measuring the size of your base mat, your overall picture size, the live image size and plugging the numbers into a few boxes!
It is called MatWorks! and IT IS FREE!
It is as good as any software you'll buy. You can see it and download it (works with Windows only right now) at www.gt-photography.com (http://http://www.gt-photography.com/matworks.html).
Giorgio Trucco (http://www.gt-photography.com) graciously contributed this great program to all us math-challenged photographers and has made a tough job easy. Our thanks to George!
I used it to do a mat today and it made those 13/16" odd sized live image, image overlap of 1/8" and measuring and cutting even double mats an absolute snap.
If you cut your own mats, do not do another one without trying this out!
Enjoy.
_________________
Chris Dekle
Wildstate Gallery
Wildlife, Nature Photography & Landscapes
www.wildstate.com (http://www.wildstate.com)