Framing pictures in passe-partout binding is one of the little
arts of home decoration, though it is by no means an unimportant
one. It is easy to learn and it involves small expense in time and
money, but it furnishes a means of preserving many pictures of real
worth in themselves or of value to their owners because of pleasant
associations; and it is in itself a delightful occupation. It offers
the same chances for artistic effects in colour harmony and contrasts,
in spacing, and in the arrangements for hanging that the more difficult
methods of framing do, with the added advantage that one need not be
deterred by the question of expense from discarding an unsuccessful
result and trying again.
_Varieties of Binding._--Passe-partout binding is made in a great
variety of colours. It costs from ten to twenty cents per roll of
twelve yards, according to colour and quality, and it may be purchased
of dealers in artists' supplies. For general use the ordinary width
of binding--7/8 of an inch--is required; but extra narrow widths are
supplied when it is desired to add a margin of a contrasting colour.
For these margins the gold and silver narrow bindings are, with certain
pictures, very effective; but white and other light colours are often
used for this purpose.
_Artistic Colour Effects._--The choice of the colour for the principal
binding should be controlled mainly by the tone of the picture, with
which, as a general thing, it should blend. If no mat be used, more
or less of a contrast in colour between the picture and the binding
is permissible; but the most artistic effects are obtained when mats
are used. These should, of course, be in harmony with the colour
tones and general character of the picture. It may be a harmony of
agreement if there is a border of light tone between the picture and
the mat, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing. Without such a
border it will be necessary to show a pleasing contrast of tone. But
in almost all cases when a mat is used the outer binding should repeat
the predominant colour or some other prominent characteristic of the
picture. For example, if it be a picture of an English hunting scene
with mounted sportsmen in red coats, the mat may be of a light greenish
hue and the binding red. If it be a landscape photograph in sepia
tones, a white or light coffee-coloured mat with a dark brown binding
is a good combination. A Scotch scene is appropriately framed in a
plaid binding. In this case it is the subject of the picture rather
than the colour that suggests the binding. But in all cases opportunity
is offered for carefully selecting the colour combinations, planning
the spacing, and arranging the grouping of pictures of like character.
Thus one of the simplest of decorative processes presents large
artistic possibilities.
_An Actual Problem._--The various steps in the process of framing
a picture in passe-partout binding may perhaps be best understood
by giving an example of it. The actual problem is to frame a
silhouette--an original drawing in black India ink on light gray paper,
8 by 10 inches in size, with the longer dimension vertical.
_Materials and Tools._--The materials and tools required are as
follows: A piece of glass the size of the picture (8 by 10 inches),
since no border is needed; two pieces of thin pasteboard, which may be
cut from an old box cover, the same size as the glass; a generous yard
of black passe-partout binding; two passe-partout rings, which cost
five cents per dozen; a little photographers' paste; a sharp knife or a
pair of scissors; and an awl or a pointed nail.
_The Process._--With these materials in hand it will require scarcely
more than twenty minutes to complete the work. The first step is the
setting of the rings. This is accomplished by punching two small holes
in one of the pieces of pasteboard two inches from the edge chosen
for the top and about one inch from each side. Through these holes
the points of the rings are pushed until the ring is close to the
pasteboard. Bending the points over in opposite directions fastens
the ring firmly. This is a comparatively large picture. Had it been
small--say 4 by 5 inches or smaller--only one ring in the centre,
fastened about 1-1/2 inches from the edge, would have been needed.
The picture is now mounted on the second piece of pasteboard by
fastening it at the upper corners with a little paste. It is desirable
to use as little paste as possible. The two pieces of pasteboard are
then brought together, care being taken that the rings are on the
outside, and the glass laid over the picture. These parts are now
ready to be bound together. The sides are bound first. This is done
by cutting two pieces of the binding 1/4 of an inch longer than the
short edges of the picture, wetting the gummed side and laying it
along the edge of the glass so that it will lap 1/4 of an inch over
the face of the glass. Each end of this binding will extend 1/8 of
an inch beyond the glass. The rest of the binding is now folded over
upon the pasteboard back, taking pains to draw it down close to the
edge of the glass and pasteboard before it is permanently fastened.
The 1/8 of an inch that projects at each end is then folded over the
corner and pressed down as close as possible to the edge of the glass
and pasteboard. The upper and lower edges are bound in the same way,
excepting that the pieces of binding are first cut the same length
as the edges over which they are to be pasted, and, before they are
pasted on, the two corners on the side to be pasted to the glass are
cut off 1/4 of an inch back at an angle of 45 degrees, and the other
corners are also trimmed back to about 1/8 of an inch. The accompanying
drawing shows more clearly how these binding strips are trimmed. The
purpose of it is evident; for when the strips are pasted over the top
and bottom edges of the glass, it is seen that they have been cut to
give the appearance of mitred corners, and that when folded over the
edges upon the back of the pasteboard no rough edges of binding are
left exposed at the corners.
[Illustration: How the binding strips are trimmed]
One of the lessons of experience in this work is that it is well to
take great pains in centring the binding strips accurately before
pasting them on, as they do not stick well if the attempt is made to
correct a mistake by removing the binding and pasting it on again.
The more elaborate passe-partouts, requiring mats, borders, and double
bindings, are scarcely more difficult than the simple example just
described, though they will require more time. It is well to begin
with the easier problems. When borders and double bindings are used
the narrow passe-partout strips are pasted on first, with proper care
to cut the mitres correctly and to centre the strips accurately before
pasting them down upon the glass. The edges are bound last. This partly
covers the brighter-coloured strips previously pasted along the edge of
the glass, and leaves a narrow line of colour exposed as a border just
inside the binding.