A mat is a flat and usually thin piece of material included or sold separately from a picture frame. Mats usually serve one of two purposes; additional decoration to make your art pop or they're used to separate the artwork from the glass frame. ... The purpose of matting is to protect artwork & add appeal.

What does 11x14 matted to 8x10 mean?

For example, an 11x14 (which refers to the inside perimeter of the frame) used to frame an 8x10 image could be referred to as both an 8x10 frame or an 11x14, assuming the complete frame package contains the appropriate mat board. ... If the frame size—not the mat opening—says 11×14, it is referring to the inside dimension.

What does matted mean in artwork?

Matting is a border that surrounds artwork. It is usually made from matboard, a type of board manufactured especially for this purpose. The matboard is cut to size, then one or more holes (openings) are cut in the matboard to serve as windows for displaying art.