Decorative Lines

The thought of decoration calls to mind baroque flourishes, and some framers want no part of it. This notion has perpetuated a wide adherence to strict austerity. However, this attitude ignores the fact that every aspect of the presentation—even its austerity—colors our perception of the picture.

It turns out that some pictures could do with a little ornament. Decorative lines—whether V-Grooves, Debossed lines, or Pen lines—are a good beginning for exploring decoration. These lines can also include Ornaments. Because of their construction, these line ornaments can be far smaller than other CMC decoration, making them more widely applicable and allowing them to be used more often.

The premise is that no line needs to be just a simple rectangle anymore. The program offers endless choices through Templates and their Parameters to change the details for every line. Even pairs of lines do not need to be just parallel rectangles anymore.

Two decorative closely spaced lines, with their overlapping, intertwined details can make lines far more interesting than they ever have been. The corner details of these lines are meant to be highly understated, almost subliminal. Experiment with the parameter settings for variations. But remember that decorative lines will be able to be used much more often when the elements are smaller.

Lines become far more interesting than they have ever been—and framers have another stage where they can show off their artistry.

These designs are meant to be used as the beginnings for projects. Open a design and enter the opening size to suit the current project.

• The designs with DB in the name have the lines set to deboss using the thin cartridge.

• The designs with Pen in the name have the lines set to draw using the pen cartridge.

The decorative lines are attached to the opening. When the opening size is changed, the lines automatically re-size, maintaining their spacing with the opening and with each other. Change the Border widths and the Outside size to suit the current project, and the design is ready to cut.

You may also need to add or eliminate layers of the opening or change the Reveal widths. This will change the spacing between the V-Groove/Deboss/Pen and the opening. This spacing can be adjusted by changing the Attach Distance for the line. You can also alter the decorative details of the V-Groove/Deboss/Pen by adjusting their Parameters.

Most often, the parameter values are very small. Remember that you can hold the Alt key on the keyboard as you click the plus and minus buttons beside the parameter fields. This will change the values only 0.01 inch per click (0.2mm in metric) instead of the usual sixteenth inch per click (1mm in metric).

When values are small, a few hundredths of an inch can be a big change.

On multiple lines, be watchful that parameter changes do not spoil the patterns of the lines' interactions.

Though the decorative details that can be cut nicely as V-Grooves are appreciably larger than those subliminal touches that can be drawn with the Deboss/Pen, V-Grooves are an important item every framer’s portfolio. And they have a subliminal touch all their own - the minimal contrast with the usually light colored mat and the white bevel.

When building a two line design from the beginning, each V-Groove must be added and attached separately.

The suggested minimum separation for a V-Groove pair is 0.16 inch. In many of the designs, the difference between the Attach Distance settings for the V-Groove pairs is 0.16 inch.

For any of these decorative V-Groove ideas to cut without problems, the V-Groove Width Adjustment in Configurations should be set so that the V-Groove is thin to medium – not too wide. In the tests to verify these designs, the V-Grooves measure about 0.05 inch wide.

When V-Grooves cross over each other and create islands on the surface of the matboard (the small square at each corner in this design, for example), watch that the blade is not set to cut any deeper than necessary, and that the V-Groove’s width is not overly wide.

It is easy for the surface paper to be delaminated from these small islands as the V-Grooves are being cut.

Many of the V-Groove shapes are constructed with many small segments. If the machine and the configurations are not properly set to cut V-Grooves, the results will be less than rewarding.

Remember that curves in V-Grooves need careful observation. A curve’s radius should not be set too small, the blade should not be set to cut any deeper than necessary, and the V-Groove Width configuration should be set so that the two cuts of the V-Groove are not too close. They should be slightly less than a sixteenth inch apart.

Here is a reminder of where the necessary buttons are on the Properties tab to make changes to any V-Groove/Deboss/Pen.

Add the desired opening and leave it selected.

Click the Openings tab at the top.

Click the Add V-Groove button.

The V-Groove Offset dialog box pops up asking how far away from the opening the V-Groove should be placed.

Enter the distance and click OK.

The V-Groove will appear around the opening at the specified distance.

Add the desired opening and leave it selected.

Click the Openings tab at the top.

Click the Add Other Openings button.

Select the desired Deboss or Pen cartridge from the dropdown control.

The Deboss/Pen Offset dialog box pops up asking how far away from the opening the Deboss/Pen should be placed.

Enter the distance and click OK.

The Deboss/Pen will appear around the opening at the specified distance.

With the line still selected, click Properties.

The Cartridge Selection button displays the currently selected Cartridge. It will display 45° Bevel for the V-Groove, or Deboss/Pen for the Deboss or Pen Cartridge.

Click the Cartridge Selection button to see all of the other Cartridges that are available to select for the current line.

In the Type dropdown control, you can select the specific type of Pen or Debossing Cartridge, or if selecting a bladed cartridge, the desired bevel type.

Under the Options section, the Template ID button displays the current template; 101: Rectangle.

Click it to open the Template Library.

Select a different template to change the shape of the line.

Click the Parameters tab above the Template ID to adjust the parameters that set the decorative details of the shape of the line, based on the template selected.

Click the Attach To dropdown control and select Opening to attach the line to the Opening. Now when you change the size of the opening, the line will change size automatically and maintain its spacing distance from the opening.

Adjust the spacing between the line and the opening by changing the value in the Distance field.