Design a custom multi-opening collage mat using our custom mat designer. You can use our auto-layout mat designer to automatically create a collage mat based on your desired settings, or you can free design the multi-opening collage mat.
Design Constraints:
- Corner Mat openings must be at least 1.35" from the edge of the mat. Round Mat openings must be at least 1.5" from the edge of the mat.
- Mat openings must not overlap and must be at least 0.75" from each other.
- Spacing requirements include all mat layers in distance calculation, not just the opening.
- Mat may be no larger than 60" x 40".
Three Design modes to choose from:
Free Design: You can freely move and resize each opening individually, place an opening where ever you want, and movements and resizes will not be constrained.
Assisted Mat Design: Similar to free design, you can move and resize each opening individually, but your movements and resizes will snap to place in increments of which ever scale you choose from (choose from 1", ½", ¼", and ⅛").
Auto Mat Design: The auto mat designer allows you in type in your desired mat layout and our website will automatically generate a multi-opening collage mat based on your settings. From there you can manually adjust (Free Design) the mat if you choose or purchase it as is.
Using the Auto Mat Designer
First, make sure the Mat Auto-Layout Designer is enabled. WARNING: USING THE AUTO-LAYOUT DESIGNER WILL ERASE ANY DESIGNS YOU HAVE ALREADY MADE.
Disabled: The Auto Layout Designer is disabled. You can manually drag and resize each opening.
Enabled: The Auto Layout Designer is enabled. You may not manually drag or opening using the free transform tool, but can input your desired number of openings, widths, heights and spacings in order to automatically generate your collage mat.
Once you have enabled the auto mat designer, you can customize your multi-opening collage mat by first choosing your opening width and height, then selecting the number of rows and columns for your mat. Finally, change the inside spacing and outside margin around the openings.
The auto-layout designer will affect all openings and disable free transforming the mat openings, but you can still click on an individual opening to remove or modify it. Once you have selected an opening, the opening modifer (shown below) can be used to resize and reposition an individual opening. If you leave the auto-layout designer enabled, this will prevent free transforming the mat openings which might prevent accidental modifications to your mat. If you disable the auto-layout designer, you may free transform the mat again.
Using the Assisted Layout Designer
To get started with the assisted layout designer, first click the assisted layout designer button:
Once you assisted layout designer opens, you can select a scale to make movements and resizes in. The scale you choose will determine the increments your adjustments are made in. You will notice the resizes and movements become 'jumpy' as they are forced to move in certain increments now.
Trouble Shooting
If run into problems, check out some of the common issues and their solutions below:
- The mat opening is stuck and won't resiize: If your mat opening becomes stuck or cannot be adjusted, it is likely because it overflowing the mat after resizing. You can use the number inputs to make the mat opening smaller then drag and reposition the opening.
- The number inputs are not adjusting my mat by the proper scale: Open up the Assisted Grid Layout options and select 'Free Transform'.
- I can't drag and reposition the mat opening: Make sure you disable the auto-layout designer then try to drag and drop your opening.
- The mat opening is still stuck: Delete the opening by selecting the opening and then clicking 'Remove Selected Opening'. You can then manually add an opening back in its place by clicking 'Cut new mat opening'.
