Triggerhappy

Use white with a simple frame. This is also used for water color paintings. This method shows off your work and not the mat and frame. Look in some art galleries for ideas.

However, you may want to frame/mat them to suit yourself to enjoy them. I just wish that I could take some photos worthy of framing.

While Decorators usually use mats that co-ordinate with colors in a room, artists co-ordinate mats with the colors in the painting/photo. For showing and selling, use white.

Novice Chris here. B-)

aellman Loc: Boston MA

I agree with the others. White or off-white works with any photo; any wall. Problem goes away. >Alan

Fredrick Loc: Former NYC, now San Francisco Bay Area

I agree totally! The only thing I would add would be to take into consideration the color of the frame, especially if the image is color. Make it complimentary. I see too many matted prints with black frames.

Look at the two framed picture attached. Perhaps a little extreme, but see how the mats and frames pick up colors in the pictures.

Tinkwmobile

Good advice. I worked in several frame shops over the years. When matting we choose an inner liner of a color that would pick up a minor color in the picture, making the color stand out (pop). The outer mat is typically a neutral color that brings out the picture. I have several light grey's and blues that go with many pictures. The frame needs to work with the mats and picture. Remember the frame holds and protects the art and should be part of the background. Frame should also be in the style of the artwork - for example I use barnwood on a scene that is an old barn; I use a basic metal on complicated art that is busy so the frame is not prominent.

I like to use black core matboard when available. There are limited numbers of archival products with colored core, I think worth the extra cost. The small black line does a great job separating.

IMO, white and off white exhibit lack of imagination. Frame a picture with white matboard then frame it with a good color combination. The picture jumps out, pops and draws attention to the art.

B&W allows a wider selection of matboard. The right combination of colors can make a B&W stand out too.

carl hervol Loc: jacksonville florida

I use white or black mats and some time green

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

I use a white archival mat (as many have observed, it goes with everything) and I use a black frame. I buy my mats in bulk off of ebay.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Gray almost always works, along with black and white. But the answers to your questions are yes, yes, and yes. It all matters.

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

If you don't have an eye for it, find someone who does and let them suggest colors. I have cut so many ugly masks thinking I knew what I was doing. Now I never make the decision on my own. I think white for everything, unless you're in a museum, is boring. I love seeing the complimentary colors lining my walls and the walls of the gallery where I sell some of my work. I used to go with simple frames, preferring the metal ones, but they have become almost impossible to get where I live, so now I grab frames wherever I can and then find pictures that go with those frames.A lot of nice wood frames out there. The mats and the frames become part of the presentation. If it's just about the picture, white and simple is OK, but if it is artwork that is going to hang on someones wall for 40years, I think many pictures are helped by their mats and framing.
...Cam

Imaginen

A lot of good information on the YouTube video on framing. However, having learned the hard way, I would like to add re: the spring clips & probably stating the obvious... don't put your face over those spring clips, because those suckers do fly, as evidenced in the video....:)

BlueMorel Loc: Southwest Michigan

I've found that estate sales often have a good collection of frames, especially if you go to one that lists more modern furnishings. I have been known to buy pictures on the wall just for their frames - unless they're collectible art, the framed pictures with good frames go for far less than those at Michael's or frame shops.

xt2 Loc: British Columbia, Canada

Sounds like the book recommends all colours?

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Another vote for white.

Don

reverand

It's best not to have the framing material compete with colors in the print, which is why white is generally a safe bet. But there are warm whites and cool whites: it's possible to have a white that clashes with the white in your print, which is not a good idea. I've mounted a number of b&w prints on a neutral gray board, which works well, but again, you have to make sure that the gray of the board doesn't clash with the gray of the print. But a good gray sets off both the blacks and the detailed whites in your b&w print. I don't think gray is a good idea with color prints, however. White is the way to go.

tinwhistle

Good question. A lot of good answers. I think that everything in white or a derivative of white is boring. When I had my frame shop I had my wife assist me in picking colors for matt. Almost every image I sent home had a double matt, both colors complimentary to the picture. You have to be aware of the frame, also. A red oak frame will generally need different colors than, say, a red cedar wood. Good luck....

GEG Loc: Pennsylvania

My framer and I decide on the mat color, usually depending on the colors in the image. We sometimes double mat to enhance the depth of an image and pick a couple of colors from the image! It can create a beautiful, complementary effect!