This invention relates to a mask for superimposing on a photo carrying a motif that is to be accentuated.

Passe partout frames have for many years been a frequently employed means for showing, standing alone, one particular motif on a photo. Such frames are made of a sheet of paper or cardboard having a cut-out, oval portion that leaves the desired motif freely visible when the frame is placed upon the photo, while the rest of the photo is kept hidden. Consequently, a wiever will immediately focus his attention directly on the motif without being diverted by other images within his field of vision.

One particular motif frequently to be accentuated is a portrait, which, when arranged in a passe partout frame, is perceived much differently as compared to when seen as a part of a photo that may also hold larger parts of the figure and hold details of the surroundings at the place of taking. With the portrait left alone, the viewer is immediately caused to focus his attention towards it. In this manner, a visual effect is obtained, by which the portrait is accentuated and manifests itself clearly to the observer, who thus perceives the portrait far more intensely than when contemplating the photo in full.

This attractive effect is, however, to a certain extend reduced by the sharp edge along the cut-away portion of the frame, and which provides for an abrupt transition from the motif to the frame. Thus, the frame itself becomes sufficiently perceptible to attract part of the spectators attention, instead of the covered up images.

The above mentioned drawback has been sought remedied through a purely phototechnical method. When using this method, a peripheral region of a photograph is dimmed during the shooting of the negative or at a later time, when the prints are made, whereby the central area appears with 100% sharpness and gradually fades out to vanish completely at a surrounding, neutral peripheral region. This peripheral region may be provided with a uniform coloration, which does not by itself capture the eye. On the contrary, the smooth fading out directs the eye unnoticed towards the motif, the peripheral region in reality not being perceived. Thus, the resulting visual effect is optimal, allowing the motif to be studied without disturbing interference from other images within the field of sight, leading up to the motif, and which invariably would attract the attention of the viewer.

Thus, a distinct demand exists for a mask of the kind mentioned previously, whereby, using means just as simple as a passe partout frame, a visual effect is achieved, being as good as the one realised through the above mentioned, phototechnical method.

According to the novel and distinctive features of the invention, a mask is provided, made of a foil, having an opaque, peripheral region and with an intermediate, transitional zone, across which the opaque, peripheral region gradually fades out to a transparent, central area. This mask may be employed in the same simple manner as a passe partout frame for accentuating one particular motif on a photo, and with the same good visual effect achieved by, phototechnically, isolating a motif on a photo by letting it gradually fade out into a neutral plane.

One particularly inexpensive and simple embodiment of the mask is, according to the invention, achieved when the

mask is made of a transparent foil with an egg. black or white coloration with preferably 100% coverage in the peripheral region, said coverage gradually decreasing from here and through the transitional zone, to 0% in the central area.

The coloration may advantageously be carried out using a repro- and printingtechnique, combining the size of the raster with the intensity of the raster to achieve the desired coverage. Such a mask is particularly suitable for mass production at a modern repro- and printing-plant .

Further, the foil may appropriately be made of a plastics material, and, in order to render the mask easily attachable onto a photo, an adhesive may be applied to one of the sides of the foil; the adhesive may be of a kind that allows the mask to be removed again without damaging the photo.

The invention will be explained in further details with reference to the drawings of which,

fig. 1 shows the mask according to the invention,

fig. 2 a photo taken of the upper part of a person,

fig. 3 the mask of fig. 1, placed upon the photo of fig. 2,

fig. 4 in part, an enlarged view of the mask of fig. l, and

fig. 5 in a perspective view a mask carrying an adhesive.

Fig. 1 shows a mask 1 made of a transparent plastics foil, and coloured on at least one side to form an opaque, peripheral region 2 surrounding a transparent, central area 3, with an intermediate, transitional zone 4, across which the opaque, peripheral region gradually fades out into the transparent, central area. In the drawings, the central area is shown as being oval in shape; this area may, however, within the scope of the invention, take any geometrical shape, egg. round or rectangular.

Fig. 2 shows a photo in its entirety denoted by 5. The photo illustrates the upper part of a person 6 with a portrait 7 which is to be accentuated.

This accentuation is carried out by placing the mask 1 upon the photo 5, as shown on fig. 3. This is done in the same simple and easy manner as in the case of a passe partout frame. The effect is, however, much stronger, being fully equal to the visual effect attained by phototechnically letting one specific motif of a photo gradually fade out towards a neutral, peripheral region.

Fig. 4 illustrates, in pare, an enlarged view of the mask shown on fig. l. In this case, the coloration of the peripheral region 2, and the transitional zone 4, has been carried out using a special reprotechnique, using closely spaced, or even mutually joined raster 8 in the peripheral region, while the density and possibly the size of the raster is gradually reduced, as shown, in the transitional zone. The raster may be of any colour suitable for the motif, including egg. black or white.

In order to achieve the desired affect, the transitional zone should have a suitable width. According to the invention, this may vary between 1 and 10% of the width

of the shorter side of the photo, preferably between 2 and 5%, and preferably between 3 and 4%.

Fig. 5 illustrates an embodiment, wherein a stripe of adhesive 9 has been applied to the mask 1, along one of the shorter edges of the rear of the mask. The adhesive is protected by a coverstripe 10, which is drawn off when the mask is to be adhered onto a photo. The adhesive may have a low adhesive strength to allow for a subsequent removal of the mask from the photo, without causing any damage on it. The mask of fig. 5 has only been partially covered by adhesive; the adhesive may, however, be applied to larger parts of the mask or to the entire mask. In the latter case, the adhesive itself must be transparent to render the motif visible at the central area. When the central area is also adhered onto the photo, an intimate connection is established, which does not allow for the creation of air spaces between the mask and the photo that may otherwise cause undesired light effects, and possibly in time collect dust, causing a blurring of the motif.

It should be recognised that when the above mentioned, central area is characterised as transparent, this means that the motif should be visible through the mask. This does not necessarily mean that the central area should be 100% transparent. In some cases, an interesting effect may be achieved by applying a weak colot to the area, or by simply, to some extend, reducing the degree of transparency.

The mask may further be provided with more than one coloration in the peripheral region and in the transitional zone. By "colour" in this context is also meant black and white. An example would be a coloration starting off as white in the central area and changing through grey colours getting darker and to black at the

edge of the mask. Such a variation that may also be carried out using other colours will invariably lead the eye through colours continuously becoming lighter and to the motif in the central area. By using several colours, a beautiful decorative effect is obtained.

It was suggested to make the mask from a plastics foil. The mask may also, however, be made from any other transparent material, such as egg. glass, which may further form part of a frame, such as a picture frame.