In-lightened Loc: Kansas City

Printing and hanging some of my pictures are on my list for this year. I would like to be able to rotate pictures seasonally and plan to print larger in the 16x24 range. I have considered the ready to hang standouts, canvas wraps and metalprints which are appealing for the ease. But I don't know enough to know which types of pictures will look best with those options. I am also considering gatorboard which falls into my DIY ability range. Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Kim

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

3/16 or ½? Panels or precut? Direct mounting, and, if so, plain or adhesive? Dry or humid environment?

In-lightened Loc: Kansas City

Environment is AC/heat controlled. Any feedback on 3/16 vs. 1/2. Precut...sounds hard to cut. Gatorboard with adhesive.
Thanks!

peterg Loc: Santa Rosa, CA

Your artistic expression includes how you display your art. I'm now using "Xposer" prints more. ( http://bayphoto.com/wall-displays/xpozer/ ) Beautiful satin finish. Frameless. Sizes: 22 Choices, from 16x16 to 40x80. Components: Vivid Satin Print & Aluminum Hanging System. Xchange Prints: Swap Prints Anytime on the Same Hanging System. This save money of frames. Can store several undisplayed prints in a single mailing tube.

CPR Loc: Nature Coast of Florida

Display on a computer screen.................

redlegfrog

Thanks for the tip. I went to the web site and they look great!

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

I mat and frame my own pictures in the traditional way - acid-free mat board cut to fit the frame with an opening the correct size for the picture. Then a backer board which can be of the same material as the mat or it can be a foam board. I have a board-mounted mat cutter, nothing fancy. It takes practice to be able to make clean cuts as well as a sharp blade. For me, this is the best way because it is less expensive and I can use different colors according to what would best off-set the photograph. I also prefer non-glare glass, but again the cost is greater than regular glass.

The canvas wraps and metal prints are very nice, but also more expensive. If cost is not an issue, then it would be good to have some of those. Canvas wraps work well with all sorts of photos, as long as the surface texture will work with them. Nature scenes, etc. where a lot of it is soft is an example. I have not tried metal prints, but I do use a metallic paper which I like very much. It does not work for every image, because of the reflective qualities. But its characteristics give the impression of 3-dimensional characteristics, and will make the colors pop. In general, it does not work for an image with a lot of bright areas close together [tend to look washy], and is best when there is a lot of contrast and a need to emphasize depth of field. My favorite go-to paper is "Luster" whose surface has some depth and a bit of shine [not too much, like glossy paper].

There are places you can order pre-cut mats if you don't want to do it yourself. But you have to know the frame dimensions and photo dimensions ahead of time. Printing the images a standard size makes it easier and in some cases less expensive. I have a tendency to crop pictures so they are not standard dimensions, which is one reason why it is better for me to cut the mats myself. But planning ahead you can make it easier on yourself! Framing and matting can also be left up to a professional, but you did mention using your do-it-yourself skills. Depending on what type of frames you want to use, there are also different sources for those. It is easier if you want something simple, such as black or brown without embellishments. You can buy ones like that very inexpensively from Walmart or on Amazon, etc. When you prefer something with more detail, pre-made frames can get more expensive, but are still less than a professional custom frame. I go to Estate and Yard sales for my frames to get a variety of good ones at low cost.

Rotating pictures is a great way to enjoy your work. It is difficult to hang everything, and switching them out keeps things interesting. Regardless of how you choose to mount the pictures, you will also need to consider storage for the ones that are not being displayed. They need to be in a place without high humidity and protected from scratches and falling [breakage]. I use those Rubbermaid plastic storage bins with high sides for frames up to around 16x20. If possible, get ones with the sides straight up and down, not getting narrower at the bottom. Pictures should always have protection between them so they do not scratch each other - on the glass or on the frames. They are not big enough for very large frames, but it gives you an idea to work from to figure out your own way. Ideally, if I had more room, I would install cubby-holes that would take larger frames about 4 to a niche and a sliding panel at the bottom so as not to have to slide the frames and risk scratching them.

Hope this helps. More questions, just ask.
Susan

bobwalder

How many computer screens will I need to fill my 16x12' wall space? What is the best way to hang them? How can I hang them without the power cords being visible? Can I drive 12 screens from one computer with a different image on each, or will I need a computer for each one? Where will I put the computer so that it is not visible? How can I run connections from computer to screen without wires being visible? I prefer borderless presentation.... how do I get rid of that nasty surround from the computer screen? I prefer flat to the wall presentation, will I need to dig into the sheetrock to make the front of the screen flush with the wall? How easy will it be to adjust the position or orientation of those when I rotate my pictures?

And... how much will that all cost me? I am thinking there will be a fair few screens needed for that 16x12' space. Oh, and I would like a mixture of sizes too, from 20x16" down to maybe 10x8"

I absolutely LOVE your idea of using a computer screen to display artwork on my walls instead of boring old canvas or paper.... if you can help me with some of the practical issues mentioned above I would be most grateful....

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

I started out using Gatorboard and affixing with adhesives designed for that task...I'm a cabinetmaker so am equipped with nice table saw (with which to cut the material) and other tools to make the job easier. I crafted a wooden square to fit over the Gatorboard to help me get the print situated on the Gatorboard with an inch surround. This actually worked OK, but I had several failures due to some grit landing on the adhesive before mounting the print...this caused an irritating bump. Start-over time. Well, after many successes and not a few failures, I finally went to a graphics shop (the kind that *does* this stuff day-to-day and had him do one using the dry mount process. I've never done one myself since! Now, understand that when I need this kind of treatment I'm usually doing the work for a client so this strategy is a definite money-saver, not to mention the time. Gatorboard is bulletproof and I love it, very clean and light and won't warp or cup...if you can devise a system, maybe a clean room, then you're golden for DIY, but a pro will make the task much less stressful.

PGHphoto Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

I have been doing frame-less mounting for home display. Purchase foam-core from an office supply store and cut to the image size. I use a spray adhesive to attach the photo to the foam-core and mount the foam-core on a wooden 'frame' made from 1'' square stock that I stain to the same color as the woodwork in the room it will be displayed in. The wood frame is smaller than the foam-core by about 2'' (ie the foam-core may be 19x13 and the frame is 17x11) so the image appears to 'float' on the wall. Simple white glue attaches the foam to the frame and the frame is butt-jointed, glued and has a single brad holding it together. You don't really need the brad to nail the frame together, its just a woodworking habit I always do. You could miter the corners but since it is not directly visible, no need to spend the extra time making it look perfect. No distracting frame around the image and gives a great shadow line which separates it from the wall. I typically do boarderless printing as well so nothing but the image shows when displayed.

I am also a woodworker so I have a rather endless supply of scraps that I can rip down to 1x1 but Home Depot also has 1'' square stock that you can purchase and using a simple hand saw, cut to length easily. The price is very small and the floating mount is my most requested mount for people requesting/ordering images. Although I don't sell a large number of prints, I make a lot of gifts for family and friends.

In-lightened Loc: Kansas City

A quick THANK YOU to everyone who has responded so far! I'm in the field to watch the total eclipse and will respond individually later or tomorrow.

In-lightened Loc: Kansas City

So excited to hear from someone using this option. I am using Bay for printing and had looked at this option. My concern was fading from sun exposure. Two of my walls get some direct sun. Is it sealed with UV protection? How would you compare this to paper or canvas?
Thanks!

In-lightened Loc: Kansas City

Susan...thanks for taking time to share your experiences. The type of medium or paper for each type of picture has me stumped. .so your thoughts on that have given me some help.

I wish money was no object. But it is and I want to start somewhere. I like the look of a mat/frame piece but it is expensive and does create storage issues. Perhaps one day I could move into this part of photography if I like the results of my prints and want to print frequently. For now I need to choose a less costly and time consuming venue. Thanks for the offer to answer questions in the future..I will probably be back. So much to learn...!!!
Kim

In-lightened Loc: Kansas City

Charlie...I kind of wondered if it wasn't going to be an ordeal getting the print on the gatorboard. I Did see a tutorial that looked easy enough to do. My husband has a table saw but I still wouldn't try to cut the board. That leaves me with printing to match the gatorboard size. A friend has just started to do this and then puts a metal frame around it. He's using a UV spray. Have you used that or experienced fading issues? I get a lot of light on most of my walls.

I liked your suggestion to have some body local mount it. Thanks for sharing!
Kim

In-lightened Loc: Kansas City

This is great! My husband wood works and has a table saw. This would make this super easy.
Thanks for sharing!