A quality cutting mat is a real godsend for almost any artist.

An artist is a jack-of-all-trades, although he spends the bulk of his time with some sort of drawing or painting tool in his hand.

However, there is a lot of basic prep work and finishing touches that requires cutting something for some purpose, and a cutting mat allows him the safety and convenience of a sturdy and movable layer that protects his worktable from damage and prolongs the lives of blade and knives.

Alvin Professional Cutting Mats

Alvin Professional Cutting Mats ASIN: B002ATH5PM are indispensible for using rotary cutters and Xacto hobby knives. The self-healing surface not only protects underlying strata, but also helps keep blades sharp. This soft surface reduces friction on blades to prolong their cutting life. It is also safer when making intricate cuts, as the sharp edge of a knife is less likely to careen off course and into a finger or hand.

The mats have gridlines at 90 degrees spaced in ½-inch intervals, as well as gridlines at 45 and 60 degrees. All four sides are marked in 1/8-inch intervals, so measuring even the largest sheet of paper or mat board is painless. The Alvin Professional Cutting Mats are available in a number of sizes, so selecting one that fits your worktable is no problem.

Artists often use rotary cutters for creating straight edges on paper or poster board. A self-healing mat is imperative for use with these tools. When using a hobby knife, perhaps to cut a template or stencil, an undersurface in necessary to cut fine lines and intersections without overcutting the material.

Cutting watercolor mats and backer boards, trimming paper, and preparing handcrafted cards and trim is easy and fast, using the proper tools for the task. Don’t be surprised if the whole family sneaks into the studio from time to time to use your cutting mat, as it makes measuring and cutting simple.

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