- This topic is empty.
printing/framing help.
-
I recently had an image printed using a large format printer, a (Canon) i think. The image dimensions were 34″x14″ approx, a nice panaromanic shot, the guy who printed it for me said it should have a lightfastness of 75 years or so. so i took it to be framed and picked out a nice white border mount to go around the image, the problem is that i can now see the image is starting to take on a wave effect and its only been printed a few days. I was hoping to reproduce and frame this image and have them for sale, using the same method but if the image is going to behave like this it would not be fit for sale. I would be grateful of any advice on how i could/should combat this or any suggestions on other types of printing i should/Could use. I had this image printed for €10.
An image of that size needs to be card mounted or even mounted on polyboard before being put into a frame.
two things
1. you need to have the image laminated to the backing board at that size, not just hinge mounted else it will wave. also make sure that the mount is slightly smaller hat the frame, if its the same size it will buckle
2. anyone who prints and image that size for that price is mad, you got a bargin there, the uy will have made 2 or 3 euro profit on that job if he is lucky
Thanks for the reply Gerry, when you say card mounted is it the same as i said above “board mounted” probably a wrong description by me, are they the same? see picture. I have some framed pictures on my wall at home which were cheep mass produced images but they are printer onto card with the border as part of the image and there doesn’t seem to be any buckling going on or any wave affect. where can i get my images put on to polyboard.
i can print and laminate large images on board, then cut window mounts for frames etc
Steve has probably better described it than I have but we are saying the same thing really. A floppy paper print inside a frame will (like any paper) absorbe moisture from the surrounding athmosphere and expand and contract with the normal changes in temp and will appear “wavey” after a time. The whole print needa to be laminated on to a stiff surface like a thick card, 5mm poly board, hard board or some such hard material. This will prevent the “wavey” look at a later stage.
This process has nothing to do with the cut-out mount that is around the image inside the frame. The mount backing I describe above will not be visable when the frame is assembled.
Hope I have not confused you further !
cheers gerry. i have been back to the Framer’s and he said he will use a foam type back for the image which has a sticky side and he will apply the printed image to this which will prevent any wave type effect occurring in the future, at a small cost of €12, considering my image is 34″x14″ this is not a bad price to pay for perfection. so i have to take his word for it. He also showed me a few examples which looked good and they had no wave effect. Do you know if this method is effective in the long term for the prevention of wave/buckling, or have you or anyone else used it.
Thanks for taking the time to reply Steve,
valuable advice there-
I’ll certainly be taking it on board-Much appreciated-
joseph
Just to add to my last post above, this foam board is apparently Ph neutral, and wont fade the image over time.
be very careful with foam core, it chages shape over a relativley short space of time
I would suggest kraftliner or something like as it is much mor stable
also its not the board that matters interms of it being PH neutral as much as the mount film used to laminate to it does, as its a glue effectivley and if thats not properly neutral it will have a much greater affect
Iris wrote:
Just to add to my last post above, this foam board is apparently Ph neutral, and wont fade the image over time.
I meant to say that the glue was Ph neutral, apparently.
Hi Iris
If you propose selling your photos as limited editions than it’s not recommended that that photos are dry mounted or laminated to in this case a foam board, Otherwise your soon to be priceless print be permanently stuck onto the board. :wink:I print panoramics that are about the same size. I hang the photos onto the back of the mount board. I use acid free tape. When moistened it can be removed if need be. I apply it all the way across the top of the photo along it’s rear. I stick the mount board to another layer of backing board with double sided tape. The mounted photo is put in the frame against the glass and than finally a 5mm rigid foam board is put on the back, clipped in and taped. Everything is archival and acid free and I don’t have any problems with waving (so far anyway)
If they aren’t limited editions than laminating is the best way though and as Steve says €10.00 is nothing for images that size. I would be very doubtful if at that price the image has a lightfastness of 75 years. If I was to print an image at that size on the paper I use than the paper itself would cost more than €10 and thats based on buying in bulk. The paper I have is tested to have a lightfastness of 75 years. So beware that your man isn’t trying to scam you. If you sell photos and they fade than it’s not going to do you any favours at all.
the big thing with hinge mounting is that all the parts need room to breathe, this could actually be part of the problem, if the mount is cut to tight for example then if it expands it will buckle as it has nowhere to go
enda, i am interested as to why you need the foam board, if you using a decent thickness backing board the foam board will add nothing in terms of strength etc just fill the void of the frame i guess
having done the maths very quickly, even on a decent paper like fujihunt pearl, which is tested well etc and using epson inks, i could actually make a print for that kind of price, BUT thats cost price not selling price
if you were using some of the more art type papers like hahnemuehle or something, then the cost would almost double.
at some point enda i will have to pay you a visit your only round the corner from me
Ya what Steve says is correct about leaving enough room to for the print to breath. The mounts are always a little bit small than the frame. Maybe just 2mm or so. I feel with just a backing board on the back that the whole lot together is just not rigid enough for photos of that size. Foamboard because of it’s structure is much more rigid. I can feel safe in the knowledge that as long as the board is stiff and has room to breath along it’s perimeter than the image should stay flat. It looks more professional also rather than having cardborad on the back.
The door is always open Steve :)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
