guidelines for v-grooves

Kholroyd

Grumbler in Training
Joined
Oct 1, 2019
Posts
5
Location
Calgary, AB
Hi all!

does anyone have any tips / suggestions / guidelines / rules-of-thumb for spacing v-grooves from the image? I have a customer that has four puzzles that she wants framed in one frame. Each puzzle is about 7" x 20". So, four windows. a double mat with grey on top, and black on the bottom, and a v-groove around each puzzle. Should the v-groove be closer to the image, or closer to the top mat? I'm thinking 1/4" from the image, and an 1/8" from the top mat, like an 1/8" reveal on the bottom, but with the added width (groove + 1/4"). Anyone have any other guidelines they use?
 
Welcome to the Grumble.

There really are no guidelines for this.
It's more about what pleases the eye for you and the customer.

If I understand the situation correctly, you have a 4 window top mat with a 4 window bottom mat that has a v-groove around each window on the bottom mat.

One thing to keep in mind is that you will have a top mat that has 4 bevelled windows and a bottom mat with 4 bevelled windows and also a v-groove on 4 openings.
It may start to look very "busy" and take away from the puzzles with the bevels and the v-grooves.

The times that I've used a v-groove (and I have used them in the past but not so much in the last few years) I only v-groove the top mat.

You might consider cutting a 4 window bottom mat and a one window top mat around the 4 opening bottom mat and just run one v-groove in the top mat around the puzzles.
It may help to focus the attention on the 4 pieces as a group rather than as separate pieces with all of the bevels and v-grooves.
Good luck with your project.:cool:
 
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One principle is never to repeat widths. So a V-groove around a double mat shouldn't be the same distance
as the reveal on the bottom layer of the mat.

One nice design on multi-openings is to put a groove around all the openings, thus tying them together visually.
But put the groove closer to the windows than a the outer edge. Maybe the same as the spacing between the windows....

In any case, whatever looks good is right. 🙂 There are all manner of design 'rules', but remember you see with your
eyes and not with a ruler.
 
I'll go back and take another look at this! they came to me with the design, but I'll try pushing back with your suggestions. Thank you both!
 
Are you using a Wizard?
 
Are you using a Wizard?
No. I’ve played with the LJ tool but I’ve had to work-around not having a single image. I’ve used a cell-phone pic of the four pieces laid-out more-or-less the way I think they’ll go. The whole just hasn’t looked right with the groove added by editing the pic in MS Paint :S
 
I don't think I have ever seen a V-Groove anywhere other than on the top mat.
 
I have used a v-groove on an undermat, but usually it is a shaped one, only parts of which are actually visible, for a special effect. I can see using one around the perimeter on the bottom mat, though. I would probably make the mat reveal a little wider than I normally do, and locate the v-groove so that it is closer to the bevel on the upper mat than to the bevel on the lower mat. The main thing is, do not repeat the widths, because it looks static and distracting. The idea is to create the "visual funnel" effect to draw the viewer's eye toward the art.
:cool: Rick
 
Definitely beware of overdoing the lines.

In my humble opinion a four window double matt already has a lot of lines and needs at least 1.5" (40mm) between the windows if it isn't going to look crowded. Throw in v-grooves between the matts and you need more space which could make the overall frame too big and overpowering for those long skinny pics. I experimented with this type of design and never liked it - just too many lines and a very cluttered presentation.

My thought would be to use Prospero's idea of one groove around the four openings to tie them together rather than individual grooves around each opening. To jazz it up a little you could use a fancy groove with extra squares in the corners like Wizard's "four square" template.
 
Exception to the rules....

The three grooves are visually knotted by the corners so register as a single element.
The space between the window and the first groove is wider though. ;)
The corner indent = the line spacing but this is set apart from the lines and creates visual 'echo'.

vgrooves004.jpg
 
Wow. Very nice job on that. Did you do that on a CMC or a manual cutter? Nice groove width consistency, and no overcuts.
:cool: Rick
 
I spoke to the customer and we’ve agreed to not put v-grooves in the bottom mat ;-) . I think I will put one in the top mat around all four windows! Thank you all for your help!
 
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