compiled by kimlizzy 2005

There are several ways in which to make a mat. We will cover three in this lesson.

I am using a 6x4 photo so my measurements will be suited for that size. (Adjust accordingly if your photo is a different size.)

1. Making a separate mat file and dragging it onto your background.

2. Adding a shape to your already opened background.

3. Copying your photo then filling it with a colour.

Open your background:

Open your photo (as above)

Now open a new file:

File/New

Change size to 6 ½ x 4 ½

Insert shape/square/no line

Format/resize selected object/stretch to fit

Colour doesn’t matter at this point.

Now make your background active by clicking on it in the Files Stack.

Keeping your background selected, left click on the mat in the Files Stack and drag it onto your background.

Keeping the mat selected, centre it on your background:

Format/Centre Object on Canvas

Using the same method as above, drag your photo onto the background and centre it.

Keeping your mat selected go to:

Effects/Fill with Colour or Texture/more colour selections.

Using the eyedropper, select a colour from your photo. You can adjust the colour by moving the little ball on the colour wheel. When you are happy with your colour choice, select Done.

With your background open and your photo on your background go to:

Insert/Shape/Square/no line.

Resize to rectangle shape and larger than your photo.

Move the mat underneath your photo:

Left click on the thumbnail of your mat in the Stack and drag it underneath the photo thumbnail.

Resize and colour your mat to suit. (See above).

Drag your photo onto the background.

Keeping your photo selected, click Ctrl+d to duplicate it.

On the Stack you will see two thumbnails of your photo. Make the BOTTOM one active by left clicking on it.

Hold down the Ctrl key and drag one of the corner resizing circles out so you can see the bottom photo.

Keep this layer selected and colour. (As above)

Resize (as above)

You will now ADD SHADOWS to your photo and mat:

Firstly a little about shadows: Thinner items, like cardstock, cast a smaller shadow than thicker items, like slide holders.

The closer two items are, the darker and smaller the shadow and the further apart the two items are, the lighter

and wider the shadow.

Experiment with real objects to see how the shadows fall. Keeping this is mind, you will learn how to add a shadow firstly around your photo and secondly around your mat.

Click on your photo to make it the active layer then:

Left click on your shadow layer and position to suit. This shadow will be thin and dark to give the impression the photo is stuck closely to the mat. See below.

Click on Customise the Shadow and use the slider to darken or lighten. I used 50 in this example. When you are happy with your shadow click Done then Done.

Now make your mat active and apply a shadow as above but making the shadow larger to give the impression that the mat is sitting a little more above the background than the photo is sitting above the mat. I used a transparency of 70 for this example. (See below)

Now all you need to do is lock your photo and mat layers together:

Hold down the Ctrl key and left click on each layer (either in the work area or on the Stack) then click on the little puzzle piece.

You can now position your matted photo anywhere on your background.