How to display very large canvas prints?

[robgo2]

I have been asked by a local business establishment to provide 40 x 60 inch prints of some of my travel photos.  My plan is to have them printed on canvas, but I am unsure of how they can be displayed.  Typically, canvas prints are stretched and then fastened to a frame.  My client thinks that this will be too expensive and would like to know if there are less costly alternatives.  He also plans to change the photos periodically, so if there is some reusable display methodology, that would be of interest.  As my client explained it to me, they are a store, not an art gallery.

Also, I would appreciate suggestions as to how much I might charge for my services, including expenses.  I am in the USA (but you all knew that, because I used inches as the unit of length). 

Thanks,
Rob

[hugowolf]

Stetched and wrapped is probably the least expensive way of mounting and displaying a printed image. If you are going for another mounting method, then [edit] why go with canvas?

Brian A

[robgo2]

Stetched and wrapped is probably the least expensive way of mounting and displaying a printed image. If you are going for another mounting method, then way go with canvas?

Brian A

What other materials and methods would you suggest?  I am new at this game.

Rob

[hugowolf]

What other materials and methods would you suggest?  I am new at this game.

Well matted and framed would be much, much more expensive, but you could then swap prints out of the frame. With the alternate to canvas being paper. A gallery wrapped canvas is by far cheaper to do, and would be much lighter weight.

You could go around to a few local frame shops and ask them what they can do at that size and how much each option would cost.

Brian A

[neile]

Use Miracle Muck and stick it to gatorboard. Dan and/or Bill T. will jump into this thread soon enough and provide their insight I'm sure, but until then, here are some greatest hits on the same topic:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=66754.msg528208#msg528208 (Bill's description of how to do it)
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=60260.0
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=68080.0 (This one is particularly good, as Bill mentions describing this process 17 times on the forum, and that was back in June of last year!)

Neil

[langier]

Did a hotel full of 600 canvas prints up to 40x60. We used heat-activated foam board (board with dry mount already) and f.ramed each with moulding, no glass. It was fast and easy and nearly trouble free.

In the overall scheme of things, the heat-activated board has also streamlined our other print mounting, too.

The board is available in different size boards, thickness, colors.

[howardm]

Can you give a lead as to mfgr or reseller of the board?

[canvaspro]

i am with Canvas Press and we could potentially help you out.  Depending on your client there are a few options other than having stretched canvas. I kind of like the gator board idea and framing it, but that too can get pricey with the frames.  You can contact us through our site.

http://www.canvaspress.com

best,
Eric

[mstevensphoto]

I like mounted to gator and framed with no mat or glass. I dislike anything matted with no glass as the mat gets icky over time and I dislike canvas behind glass. You need to go to a frame wholesaler, many will chop and assemble and all you have to do is pop your boards in there.

at that size I'm not sure they're going to see much of a cost savings by not going stretched. hopefully they're aware that large format art is an investment and not a $39.99 proposition.

[mstevensphoto]

other thoughts. mounting to gator is rather easy and with a little practice you can knock it out fairly easy (use 1/2" at this size). stretching a print of this size I've often found to be a task left to those who know what they're doing unless you've got the experience. it's not hard once you know but it's quite hard to get good at IMHO.

you amy also consider float mounting a photo on styrene (or gator or masonite or whatever) as a less expensive and nice presentation.

[John Caldwell]

We Gator foam mount and laminate afterwards. We usually print on a luster paper, like Canson baryta and laminate with luster; or print on metallic paper and laminate with glossy when image punch is called for. The resulting pieces look quite nice, are inexpensive, light in weight and are easy to hang.
John Caldwell