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Author Topic: Printing on the matte  (Read 3487 times)

Woofa

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Printing on the matte
« on: April 13, 2009, 05:11:23 pm »

howdy,
been really wanting to make some nice prints frame them and sell them
just wondering what yous do for signitures and all that?
i was thinking that rather than signing each one and having the possibility of messing it up i would print out some stickers with all my info and stick that on the back of the frame and also the actual photo but for the front i would like just my signiture, a number like 1/25 and also the name of the print.
but for all this i was wondering if its possible to print it on the matte just under the actual photograph rather than photoshopping it onto the print.
anyone have any ideas or suggestions on this kind of idea?
what do you guys do or have seen done?
i think my signiture looks crap and dont want to accidently stuff it up and have to pay for a new matte.
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jasonrandolph

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« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2009, 05:32:38 pm »

IMHO, putting anything other than a signature and possibly a limited edition number on the mat would look "gimmicky".  It would wind up distracting from the image.  I keep things simple: signature in pencil, year, and number (if applicable).  Because of customer requests, I'm thinking of including extra info on a sticker on the back of the backing board.  But I think the mat should be kept clean and simple.  

Also, I wouldn't worry about the aesthetics of your signature, as long as it's an authentic signature.  Just keep it small.  That's my approach anyway.

bill t.

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« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2009, 05:45:31 pm »

At first I shared your hesitation to sign the print, and I messed up a few for being a silly goose about it.  I got over it.  After about 200 prints.

But, you HAVE to manually sign each print, just inkjetting your name etc is pure tackola.  It will scare collectors away for sure.

Personally, I think imposing a white border around the print just for you signature etc is over-the-top, hyper-retentive BS. I just sign the damned print, people love it.  Just say NO to stupid prissy white borders.  Use Micron 03 or 05 marker for RC and light colored areas on canvas, medium soft pencil for all others.  Sometimes I do inkjet my last name at lower right in small type in a color closely related to what's underneath , but then I also sign my illegible authentic signature nearby.  Put the name and sequence number on the back.
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jjlphoto

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« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2009, 05:59:52 pm »

No one signs the matte.
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bill t.

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« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2009, 06:20:13 pm »

Quote from: jjlphoto
No one signs the matte.
But they do!  For instance I just saw a lot of that on a famous canyon road.  The idea is the print is ALSO signed underneath the matte in the white print border.
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Wayne Fox

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« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2009, 07:52:34 pm »

Quote from: jjlphoto
No one signs the matte.

I've seen the matt signed by many.

Trying to recall, but I believe the LL video interview with Bill Atkinson mentions he signs the print, then signs the matt as well.  The matt often covers the signature ... some don't like showing a reveal of white around the image.  Haven't checked Camera to Print ... Michael and Jeff might have mentioned it there as well.

Probably not a real "right or wrong", probably more important is what pen/pencil do you use?  I've been using the archival ink ones designed to prevent check scrubbing, since using pencil on EEF doesn't work very well.  Not completely sold, but not sure what alternative might be better.

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Woofa

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« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2009, 03:49:59 am »

hmmm. food for thought.
cheers guys, ill think on all options.
got a couple of weeks before i kick all this off so want to make sure i do it the proper way from the start.
i am by no means going to make a million bucks off this but might make a little here and there.
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Jerry Basierbe

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« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2009, 02:49:48 pm »

I make the opening of the over mat a half inch wider than the print on each side.
Then sign in the lower right corner on the mat board the print is mounted on between
the print and opening of the over mat. The edition number goes in the lower left
corner. All in pencil.

Jerry
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Tklimek

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« Reply #8 on: April 14, 2009, 07:01:28 pm »

Wow...that's strange...my post seems to have "disappeared".

Sorry if this is a duplicate.

Wayne you are absolutley right on both counts.  In LLVJ #15 Bill Atkinson demonstrates his matting and framing technique and leaves a border around the actual image when printing.  He then signs the print in INK and then signs the actual mat in PENCIL.  Michael illustrates this same exact technique with Jeff Schewe in "From Camera to Print".  I've taken my cue from these three 3 guys who will forget more about printing than I'll ever know!  

Bill indicates that he didn't particularly care for showing the exposed white border of the print in case the "white" of the print doesn't match with the "white" of the matboard, so he double-mats with a 5/8" reveal to create that effect.  I've used that double matting technique and rather like it; but it does raise the cost of the raw materials required to mat a single print.  And I also agree with Michaels assessment that leaving the border around the image allows the print to be handled easier if one is concerned about the conservation of the print.

LLVJ #15 is well worth it just for that segment alone (I think) as Bill describes the actual products that he uses and the reasons why he does most of the things he does (related to matting and bagging).

Cheers....

Todd in Chicago

Quote from: Wayne Fox
I've seen the matt signed by many.

Trying to recall, but I believe the LL video interview with Bill Atkinson mentions he signs the print, then signs the matt as well.  The matt often covers the signature ... some don't like showing a reveal of white around the image.  Haven't checked Camera to Print ... Michael and Jeff might have mentioned it there as well.

Probably not a real "right or wrong", probably more important is what pen/pencil do you use?  I've been using the archival ink ones designed to prevent check scrubbing, since using pencil on EEF doesn't work very well.  Not completely sold, but not sure what alternative might be better.
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Justan

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« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2009, 12:06:48 am »

Quote from: jasonrandolph
Also, I wouldn't worry about the aesthetics of your signature, as long as it's an authentic signature.  Just keep it small.  That's my approach anyway.


This is interesting. I have a horrid sig and was thinking of using a trade name rather than a hand written sig.

Not entirely unrelated, but not intended as a threadjack, but does anyone put a watermark or some kind of copyright notice on signed works? Or is that redundant?

Jerry Basierbe

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« Reply #10 on: April 15, 2009, 11:31:31 am »

I also put stamp on the back of the mat board that the print is mounted on that carries
the copyright info and has blank spaces to fill in the title and the number of
prints in the edition.

Jerry
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MichaelAlanBielat

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« Reply #11 on: April 15, 2009, 11:52:14 am »

Quote from: Wayne Fox
I've seen the matt signed by many.

Haven't checked Camera to Print ... Michael and Jeff might have mentioned it there as well.

Probably not a real "right or wrong", probably more important is what pen/pencil do you use?  I've been using the archival ink ones designed to prevent check scrubbing, since using pencil on EEF doesn't work very well.  Not completely sold, but not sure what alternative might be better.

They do run through all the steps on properly archiving, matting and framing their pieces which was an awesome bonus to a terrific video series.

Michael and Jeff's comments on that were to sign the actual print with pen (which won't get seen when matted) and then the matt in pencil.

No word on what pens/pencils that are used.

Personally, I use only black acid-free archival pens and a Conte hard graphite 2B pencils.
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