Mat for visual artwork and method of making same

Abstract

A method of making a mat for framing visual artwork which includes scanning at least two photographs, manipulating the scanned images to form a mat using a photograph-manipulation software program, and printing the mat. The mat may include a border and a window inside the border through which to view the artwork.

1 - 10  (canceled)  
     
     
         11 . A method of making a mat for framing visual artwork, comprising: 
 scanning at least two photographs to form scanned images corresponding to the photographs;    manipulating the scanned images to form a mat using a photograph-manipulation software program; and    printing the mat formed of scanned images.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the mat includes 
 a border; and    an artwork-viewing window interior to the border so that the window is surrounded by the border.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 adding a darkened delineating strip along the artwork-viewing window.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least four photos are scanned, stored, and manipulated.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein manipulating the scanned images includes abutting a scanned image to another scanned image.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein manipulating the scanned images includes overlapping a scanned image with another scanned image.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein manipulating the scanned images includes softening the edges of the images so that the edges gradually fade away.  
     
     
         18 . A method of making a mat for framing visual artwork, comprising: 
 scanning at least four photographs to form scanned images corresponding to the photographs;    storing the scanned images in computer memory;    manipulating the scanned images to form a mat using a photograph-manipulation software program, the mat having a border and an artwork-viewing window interior to the border so that the window is surrounded by the border, the manipulating including softening the edges of the scanned images and overlapping the scanned images at their edges;    adding a darkened delineating strip along the artwork-viewing window; and printing the mat formed of the manipulated scanned images and the darkened delineating strip.