How to choose the right passe-partout: the secrets of the masters. Passe-partout colors

Passepartout - the margins between the image and the frame (baguette), the visual purpose of which is to focus on the image, improve its perception,

aesthetic coordination of the picture (in the broad sense of the word) and external interior objects.

Another function of the passe-partout is to protect the image from contact with the glass and frame. With this, as well as in order to increase the decorative properties, sometimes

use piping for passe-partout. It is made in the form of a thin plastic or wooden plank and is located between the field and the image.

It is important to know!

Any image, framed and passe-partout, modern man subconsciously perceives as an art object.

A well-chosen frame can give the status of a work to any color and linear chaos, naive children's drawings, and even a blank sheet.

What is a passe-partout made of?

Passepartout material - plain or colored cardboard 0.5 - 3 mm thick. The most common cardboard is made from pulp with legnin,

achieving a neutral level of acidity. However, over time it oxidizes, adversely affecting the adjacent paper.

For longer storage use museum cardboard(over 20 years) and so on. conservation. The latter is not subject to oxidation processes

and infection with a fungus, because it consists only of cotton.

Number of passe-partout

Image margins can be single, double and even triple. To obtain a multilayer structure, one passe-partout

superimposed on another with a visible gap.

Double and triple fields, especially those differing in color or tone, fulfill their functions with even greater success, however, the selection of a mat

from multiple sheets - the occupation is not easy and requires an experienced taste and knowledge of a specialist.

Passe-partout size selection

There is a proven rule for the best perception of an image depending on the width of the framing margins:

• for small images with lots of fine detail (for example - engraving) - a wide passe-partout up to 15 cm, and in some cases more;
• for large and medium images - about 1/3 of the width of the narrow side of the image;
• for images of all sizes - the side and top fields are equal in width to each other, the bottom field is slightly wider;
• for vertically oriented images - side margins have a width that is 1/3 of the width of the narrow side of the image; top margin- 1/5 of the height; bottom margin- 1/3 of the height.

Color selection

The passe-partout may differ from the color of the frame, but may completely match it. Any result is easy to achieve, since for the passe-partout they produce in

assortment of colored monophonic and multicolored cardboard. Where to stop depends on the taste of the owner, the image itself, the interior.

For black and white images recommend choosing a passe-partout of any gray shade- from black to white. white fields visually push the image, form

around him "air space". Dark and black fields create the visual effect of a window, as if we are looking out (peeping) into another reality.

Colored passe-partout selected according to the gamut of the image. serves as a guide one of the colors of the painting, which cannot be exactly repeated,

but choose a more muted and as neutral tone / shade as possible.

Multi-colored or extremely bright passe-partout- area of ​​experiment. They are appropriate for experimental art,

volumetric images with large details or very "empty" paintings. In such cases, the passe-partout performs not just aesthetic functions,

but also artistic, complementing and completing the meaning of the image, forming its value for the viewer.

Passepartout is not required

No additional margins are needed for oil paintings. This is due to the technical features of the paintings, the tradition of their design and our perception.

A painting without a frame is like an actor without an audience. Both are inadequate. Nothing enhances an image quite like a well-chosen frame and passe-partout. This adds to its spectacularity and completeness. A painting, like a photograph, becomes an independent object that attracts attention and delights.

What is a passe-partout and what is it used for?

On the question of definition. Passepartout is a wide frame made of multi-layered cardboard that frames a drawing, photograph, collage or other work of art. As a result of this, a border is created between the picture and the frame. In this way, it is customary to highlight portraits.

The passe-partout frame is used for several purposes. Among them are the main ones:

• focus on individual details of the image, which enhances the impact on the viewer;
• facilitating the perception of the work by separating it from the rest of the interior;
• protection of the art object from the negative effects of the environment.

In addition, the passe-partout often acts as an element of art.

Why is symmetry bad?

Most of the finished passe-partout has the same dimensions on all sides. Such a move is justified from a commercial point of view, it can be used for both directions: book and landscape. However, this format of the passe-partout is not always appropriate from the point of view of aesthetics.

This fact is explained by the peculiarities of human visual perception. When considering vertical objects, the most harmonious will be the one in which the lower part has more weight. This fact is known and widely used in the press. For example, latin letter S or figure 8 is not symmetrical. Their undersides are slightly enlarged, but in general they look very harmonious.

The same thing happens with the passe-partout. If it is slightly increased at the bottom, then the whole picture will be perceived better.

It is worth noting that a symmetrical passe-partout frame is not always a bad thing. For example, if the image itself has a bright accent at the bottom, then additional amplification is not required. Another situation where there is no need for an asymmetrical mat is for educational and scientific illustrations.

Selection principles

The first thing you need to pay attention to is the color of the cardboard. First, it must be different from the shade of the frame. Then everything is based on the effect that you want to achieve. If you need to highlight the image, then it is better to place it on a very light background, almost white or even completely white. When it is necessary to achieve a reduction in the pattern, it is limited to a dark mat. The most neutral is gray. It practically does not interact with the image.

When choosing a shade for a passe-partout, it is recommended to focus on calm and muted tones. Let it overlap a little with the tint that is used in the image itself. Then the passe-partout for the drawing will effectively emphasize the dignity. In some cases, in this way, you can muffle or completely hide the flaws.

In addition, ornaments and lines can be applied to the passe-partout. Then they are simply obliged to form a single whole with the object of art.

The second point is the choice of frame. It should match perfectly with the image. A common mistake is the selection of a frame for furniture and the color of the walls.

There are times when it is worth abandoning the passe-partout - these are oil paintings and a huge image format. In the first case, there is simply no need to additionally decorate them, and in the second case, the size of the frame can disrupt the perception of the art object. There are still situations when the engravings themselves already contain decorative elements located along the edges. Then they also do not need to be removed in the passe-partout.

A few words about cardboard

Its thickness usually varies from 0.5 to 3 millimeters. Cardboard for passe-partout can be colored or plain. In the second case, the color of the cut does not differ from its front side. But the first option has a different shade on the cut. There is such a passe-partout that its surface has a texture pattern.

In addition, cardboard may be different in composition. The most popular has a neutral level of acidity. It is made from cellulose, which contains lignin. The latter undergoes oxidation and spoils the drawing paper.

Museum-quality cardboard has the best properties. It is less susceptible to fungus.

On the last step is cardboard with the quality of conservation. It is made of natural cotton and does not allow the fungus to develop at all.

How to determine the size of the passe-partout?

Too small fields will not perform their function. But, on the other hand, an overly wide passe-partout will divert attention from the subject of art. As a result, the image will simply be lost.

For the side and top margins, there is a rule: the width of the passe-partout should lie in the range from one third to one half of the side of the image that is smaller. This is in most cases. But there are special situations when the side parts can be made larger. An example would be an unbalanced or very dense image.

A wide passe-partout can be used in such cases:

• a large object is depicted for almost the entire drawing;
• portrait or still life;
• the landscape lacks the sky (increase the bar at the top) or the sea (make the bottom even bigger).

An example of a passe-partout frame for a 10 x 15 photograph can be the following dimensions: 5 cm on the sides, 4 cm on top, 6 cm on the bottom.

What are the options for Passepartout

With edging. This is a plank made of wood or plastic. Her appearance can be quite varied. From smooth to carved, tinted and painted to aged. Kant plays the role of a partition between the passe-partout and the pattern and is an additional decoration.

Multilayer passe-partout . When two or three cardboard options are used. They have different shades, but are necessarily combined with the image. Moreover, the inner layer can be made lighter or darker than the outer.

Passe-partout arrangement methods

First: passe-partout under the picture . In this case, the image is fixed on a solid sheet of cardboard. For this purpose, you can use rubber glue, which is easy to remove, and the pattern will not deteriorate. Another approach: take corners or double-sided stickers.

This method will not work if you plan to place the photo under glass. It can stick tightly and be irretrievably lost. It should be noted that such a drawing pass will add rigidity to the children's crafts, as a result of which it can be easily placed on the wall.

The second way: passe-partout over the picture. It looks like a tight frame under which the finished product is placed. Here you need to take two sheets of cardboard. The thinner one will go to the substrate, and the frame will be made from the thicker one. In the latter, you need to cut a window to fit the pattern, leaving an allowance of 3 mm. It will go to a 45 degree angled cut. This bevel gives a smooth transition from the image to the mat. You need to fix the picture on the substrate, and then glue the top frame to its edges with double-sided adhesive tape.

The latter option requires more material costs, but also looks more solid. In addition, with its help, you can close the photo with glass and not worry that after the time it will be impossible to get it.

Passepartout is an artificial field between the canvas of the picture and the frame. It is intended to improve image perception. As a rule, it is cut out of special cardboard, which has a large number of colors of various shades and textures. Such cardboard up to 2 mm thick is made from high quality cellulose.

One of the purposes of the passe-partout is to protect the picture from contact with glass. And under adverse conditions, such as high humidity, the air gap between the picture and the glass plays the role of a buffer, protecting it from moisture condensation. Using a special museum passe-partout (acid-free) you can keep the original colors works of art for many years.

Size. The size of the passe-partout depends on the task set by the designer. Try to adhere to the following rules. The top and side margins are the same size, while the bottom margin is slightly larger to avoid the visual effect of the painting falling down. And with a wider lower field of the passe-partout, the work will look more harmonious. Choose the width of the passe-partout a little more or a little less than the width of the baguette. A wide passe-partout gives airiness to the picture, a narrow one creates an emphasis on the frame.

Color. You need to be careful in choosing the color of the passe-partout, since the perception of the image itself depends on it. As a rule, the color of the passe-partout should be different from the color of the frame, but sometimes the same color, baguette and passe-partout will be very effective. By using neutral tones such as white or cream, you create a light field around the image itself without adding accents to it. color scheme. Therefore, neutral tones are used in the design of most paintings. Such colors illuminate the image, and the frame against their background looks like a separate object of attention. In addition, they do not interfere with the perception of the picture itself. Cream color, or ivory color, is the most popular color of the passe-partout, found in a huge number of different shades. Often, close shades of cream color are used in a two-layer passe-partout. White color with its shades is most well combined with black and white photographs and monochrome graphics. A two-layer mat in white tones will give them a special depth and lightness. And the bright, saturated color of the passe-partout will dissolve in the image, and thereby expand its boundaries and tie the picture together with the frame. Saturated colors are usually used in the design of modern graphics, which allows you to achieve maximum effect in the scenery. Also, bright mats are used to obtain a contrast between the mat and the picture.

Multilayer passe-partout. When decorating modern graphics and photographs, as a rule, single passe-partout is used. A single passe-partout is also a good solution when decorating a children's room. By using multiple layers of a passe-partout, it is possible to create a special color effect, with each colored stripe playing a different role: to emphasize the image, to link the frame to the picture, to give it charm and a special personality. Often, a golden color is used as the bottom layer, which goes well with frames of golden tones. As a rule, when using a three-layer mat, the third layer repeats the first.

Passepartout is not used in the design of oil paintings on canvas, as they do not require additional decoration and glass protection. With very large sizes of the picture and a lack of space on the wall, it is also not advisable to use a passe-partout. Some engravings or printed paintings already have certain margins, for example, with the name or signature of the author, so they should not be decorated with a passe-partout either.

What is a passepartout?

Passepartout- this is a colored cardboard, which, when framed, is placed between the frame and the image.

Passe-partout task- focus on art work. Passepartout creates a neutral zone between the frame and artistic work. The color and texture of the passe-partout can change the perception of the work as a whole.
Passepartout also protects the work. In humid conditions, the air space between the work and the glass prevents the image from external environment and from contact with glass. This prevents mildew, warping of the work, and color loss in the image.

With a rich palette of colors and shades, the passe-partout serves as a tool to achieve a color balance between the frame and the picture.

The passe-partout gives the painting the “air” it needs and helps solve decorative problems during decoration.

A passe-partout is made, as a rule, from a sheet of paper or cardboard, in which a “window” is cut out. The "windows" of the passe-partout can be rectangular, round, oval or even polygonal. It happens that several "windows" are cut out on one sheet.

Cardboard for passepartout.
Cardboard for passe-partout is sheets of whatman paper pressed into 4-5 layers, topped with a sheet of colored paper. For the manufacture of the passe-partout, cellulose, welded from wood fiber, is used. Distinguish between standard and museum cardboard for passe-partout.

Size.
The size of the passe-partout depends on the task set by the designer. Try to adhere to the following rules. The top and side margins are the same size, while the bottom margin is slightly larger to avoid the visual effect of the painting falling down. And with a wider lower field of the passe-partout, the work will look more harmonious. Choose the width of the passe-partout a little more or a little less than the width of the baguette. A wide passe-partout gives airiness to the picture, a narrow one creates an emphasis on the frame.

Color.
You need to be careful in choosing the color of the passe-partout, since the perception of the image itself depends on it. As a rule, the color of the passe-partout should be different from the color of the frame, but sometimes the same color, baguette and passe-partout will be very effective. By using neutral tones such as white or cream, you create a light field around the image itself, without adding accents to its color scheme. Therefore, neutral tones are used in the design of most paintings. Such colors illuminate the image, and the frame against their background looks like a separate object of attention. In addition, they do not interfere with the perception of the picture itself. Cream color, or ivory color, is the most popular color of the passe-partout, found in a huge number of different shades. Often, close shades of cream color are used in a two-layer passe-partout. White color with its shades is most well combined with black and white photographs and monochrome graphics. A two-layer mat in white tones will give them a special depth and lightness. And the bright, saturated color of the passe-partout will dissolve in the image, and thereby expand its boundaries and tie the picture together with the frame. Saturated colors are usually used in the design of modern graphics, which allows you to achieve maximum effect in the scenery. Also, bright mats are used to obtain a contrast between the mat and the picture.

Multilayer passe-partout.
When decorating modern graphics and photographs, as a rule, single passe-partout is used. A single passe-partout is also a good solution when decorating a children's room. By using multiple layers of a passe-partout, it is possible to create a special color effect, with each colored stripe playing a different role: to emphasize the image, to link the frame to the picture, to give it charm and a special personality. Often, a golden color is used as the bottom layer, which goes well with frames of golden tones. As a rule, when using a three-layer mat, the third layer repeats the first.
Passe-partout is not used in the design of oil paintings on canvas, as they do not require additional decoration and glass protection. With very large sizes of the picture and a lack of space on the wall, it is also not advisable to use a passe-partout. Some engravings or printed paintings already have certain margins, for example, with the name or signature of the author, so they should not be decorated with a passe-partout either.

If we are talking about black and white images, it most often makes sense to choose a passe-partout of some gray shade (from white to black).

White color visually increases the work, while black reduces it. On a white background, the image seems to come forward on foreground. The black mat is, as it were, a window through which we look at what is behind the plane of the picture. Gray color performs an intermediate function. In relation to the image, it is as neutral as possible.
Each color has its own disadvantages. So, for example, the white color of the passe-partout can unnecessarily distract the viewer from the image itself, and black can negatively affect the correct perception of tonalities. Not ideal and gray. “Gray backgrounds look good with the corresponding image, but care must be taken that this tone does not clog the subject, which will otherwise look monotonous and boring,” writes J. Wade in the book “Landscape Photography Technique”. In addition, while maintaining neutrality in relation to the image, the gray color can be discordant both with closely spaced objects and with the interior as a whole.
I must say that a lot depends on the interior in general. It hardly makes sense to hang two works with significantly different frames on the same wall next to each other.
Hanging and designing works require a creative approach. There can be no unambiguous solutions here. In any case, the final decision is always largely determined by the taste and views of the author, designer or organizers of the exhibition.
Often there is a recommendation to choose instead of white a color that is slightly darker than the lightest elements of the image. (Or, accordingly, instead of black, use a color that is slightly lighter than the darkest shadows.) This advice is not bad, but in practice it is far from easy to use.
For color images, you can use a passe-partout in both black and white and color.

When using colored mats, it is advisable to focus on calm, muted tones. Catchy poster colors are appropriate only when solving special design problems.

The color of the passe-partout is most often chosen to match any element of the image. In the picture, these are respectively the color of greenery, the color of the sky and the color of stone buildings. With the help of colored mats, you can emphasize (or, conversely, mute) any details in the image.