Exceptional Images for Your Home or Office
How a print installation might look in a home or work environment
About Print Options
Many print media are available, but fortunately most decisions boil down to a few key options. I have standardized on those most likely to be of interest, but other options are available by Special Request.
Paper prints are media for unmounted, matted, and framed/reveal prints. Papers divide into two major professional categories: conventional finish and fine art.
Conventional finishes are usually shown as glossy, luster, and matte.
- Glossy is a smooth reflective finish that shows detail and colors well. It tends to have a higher contrast than other finishes. It is highly reflective, shows glare from lights, and can highlight even the smallest imperfections in the print surface. Proper lighting can be difficult to achieve. Glossy prints usually use dye inks, which may fade over time, but this is less of a concern for the normal lifetime of a print made with modern dye inks.
- Luster finish solves some of this. It is shiny, but finely pebbled. It diffuses reflected light so highlights are reduced. To me it has a richer look. It captures detail and colors well and has a more neutral contrast. Luster papers are often marketed as premium papers with a heavier weight. I use luster paper for much of my work. They are often made with dye inks, so longevity is sometimes a concern.
- Matte finish is much less shiny and reflective than the previous two finishes. It tends to have flatter contrast and shows colors as less vivid. The overall range of available tones is lower. While this may not sound very appealing, it can be ideal for the right subject matter. Many prints naturally have a softer look or more muted tones, and a matte finish looks great for these. Matte prints often use pigment inks, which contribute to the reduced reflectivity. They are less susceptible to moisture and can have greater longevity.
Fine Art Papers are intended to provide enhanced performance by some measure vs conventional papers. For example, I use Moab Entrada Bright Rag paper as my standard fine art paper. It has a matte finish but better contrast and color range than normal matte papers. It is made of 100% cotton and has a textured finish on its brilliant white surface that has a “painterly” feel, yet prints are sharp and bright. The cotton content makes it ideal for deckling where the edges are literally torn to create a handmade look (Conventional papers mostly do not deckle well). There are many fine art papers, some best for black and white, some with a highly textured finish, some are very smooth. Unlike conventional papers, most are 100% cotton-based, are not resin-coated, have no acid content, a
Each image below can be configured in one of 7 different product formats. I’ve standardized some options to popular choices. All materials are archive quality and acid-free, and many other options are available by special request.
- Unmounted Prints: Just the print itself, in your choice of sizes and print surfaces. (see below). Perfect if you already have your own display option available.
- Matted Prints: A print with mat and backing so that the print is frame-ready. The standard mat is white, has a single window for the photo, and a border between 2″-3″ in width (depending on photo size). Other colors/textures and borders are available via Special Request.
- Canvas Prints: The photo is printed on a densely woven canvas and stretched onto a wooden frame, like a canvas painting. The standard frame is 1.5″ deep and the image (matte finish standard) is wrapped around the edges of the frame. A variety of options (frame depth, border style, print finish, etc) are available. A sawtooth mount is included as standard.
- Metal Print: The photo is printed on an aluminum sheet of the size selected, without a border. The finish is either a vivid high gloss or a satin (matte) that softens the appearance and reduces reflections. The print comes standard with a mount that “floats” the print about 3/4″ off the wall.
- Acrylic Print: The photo is mounted on the back of a crystal clear sheet of 1/8″ – 1/4″ thick (depending on size) acrylic plastic, so you view the print through the acrylic. There is no border and the surface is glossy. The result has a more 3-dimensional feel than a metal print. A a non-glare surface is standard, reducing reflections. This print comes with a mount that “floats” it about 3/4″ off the wall.
- Framed Prints: The print is matted and mounted in a custom frame with a clear acrylic sheet covering the print (instead of glass. Acrylic is lighter and non-breakable). Walnut or cherry frames with white mats are standard. With Fine Art Paper selected as the print medium, it is equally perfect in a gallery showing or in your home.
- Reveal Frame Prints: My personal favorite way to display a Fine Art print. The print is mounted inside a deep frame and floats above the inside back of the frame. A white mat covers the inside rear of the frame. I add a deckled edge (appearing as if torn against a straight edge) to the print as standard, to give it a “handmade” feel that complements the float mounting. The print is covered with a clear acrylic sheet. Only Fine Art paper Is available. Walnut or Cherry frames with a white back mat are standard. The “reveal” (space between print edge and frame side) is 1″ by default and there is no border on the print. These choices will suit most applications, but all these parameters can be changed.
All items are professionally printed at highest available quality. Prices are the amount charged by the print lab plus commission. Since prints are shipped directly from the print lab to the customer, shipping fees I charge are what they charge without markup. I collect sales tax at checkout for states where we have physical presence, which are CA and HI. I will provide you with pricing prior to purchase based on options you select.
Ordering involves making selections that define the print you want and sending me that information. If you are not comfortable with any aspect of this process, just contact me and I will help you get what you want.
1. Please read everything on this page prior to ordering if you are not familiar with purchasing photo prints.
2. Select an image you are interested in from this page or anywhere on the website, and then:
- Select the type of print from the 7 options. See “Available Print Formats” above for a description.
- Select the print size or size of print window. If you are purchasing an unmounted, acrylic, metal, or canvas print this is the size of the finished print you want. If you are purchasing matted, framed, or reveal prints, this is the size of the frame opening you want (the actual image size will be smaller since a mat or reveal border will also be present).
- Select the frame color (if you a purchasing a framed or reveal print).
- Select the print surface.
3. Use the “Contact Me” link below to send me your choices. I will respond with a price and/or any further clarifications needed. If you are satisfied with the price, let me know. I will arrange payment and then place the order with the Print Lab.
Let me help you create your print!
Creating a professional quality print installation can be a daunting process. There are so many options and it can be difficult to visualize what will look best in your space. Contact me and I can create examples or mockups to show you how the image you’ve selected might look in your home or office.
Contact me with your ideas