Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: drralph on January 26, 2018, 07:34:42 am
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I am planning a new set of frames for personal use, for displaying my own work in my home. I plan to swap out the images several times a year. I have always used Nielsen aluminum frames for this purpose. It has proved a bit more work to change the images than I would like, and resulted in less rotation than I envisioned, but was manageable.
I am considering a switch to wood frames, which have more aesthetic appeal. I am concerned that the bending and straightening of the flexible points may be a less satisfactory method of image exchange than the spring clips on the Nielsen frames. Does anyone have experience with repeated image swapping in wood frames?
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The pins should not be a problem especially if you have one of these.
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I have been using some basic black frames from Aaron Brothers for exactly the same purpose for about 16 months now and have changed the photos at least a dozen times in multiple frames without a single issue with bending the points. Takes me 2 to 3 minutes to change out an image. I do have a point driver like Dan has shown just in case...
Good Luck,
Roy
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That is reassuring.
One more thing, do you recommend mounting a print directly onto an acid free foam board, or would you use a blank mat for mounting, with the foam board behind that?
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As they are for your own use, what type of material you use doesn't matter.. either AF foam core or a rag mat board is ok especially seing as how you are hard mounting and not just T hinging.
Any fully adhesive mounting proess is,by nature, not archival so it then doesn't matter what you mount it to..it could be regular FC as it is cheaper.
As for how to have a system to hold the package in the frame, they make what are called swing clips or spring clips that screw into the frame and then you swing the spring over the package to hold it in place usually minimum 2 to a side. Swing back over the frame to remove and replace.
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As for how to have a system to hold the package in the frame, they make what are called swing clips or spring clips that screw into the frame and then you swing the spring over the package to hold it in place usually minimum 2 to a side. Swing back over the frame to remove and replace.
Those are cool! A possible alternative to buying a point driver (but the kid in me wants one!) I am using mylar photo corners rather than dry mount, so I am shooting for a fully archival approach.
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I have many of my prints hanging in my home and rotate them fairly often. I've tried wooden frames in the past, but gave up because of having to mess with the black pins (I don't have a driver tool). So, years ago, I settled on black aluminum sectional frames. They do 2 things for me. First I find them easy to put together and take apart. Secondly, they allow me to have several different lengths on hand, and I can size my prints and frame them to aspect ratios that are best for my prints, rather than shoehorning my almost always cropped final prints into standard sized wooden frames.
These work best for me.
Brad
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For some of the reasons you describe, I stopped framing images in our home. Now we mount to gator, laminate, band the edges and hang. The images are printed to the edge of the paper.
Cost is low, no big deal when its time for them to come down. In honesty, the prints look better than when framed.
Not what you asked, but since I'd been down a similar road, I took the liberty of chiming in.
John Caldwell
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For some of the reasons you describe, I stopped framing images in our home. Now we mount to gator, laminate, band the edges and hang. The images are printed to the edge of the paper.
Cost is low, no big deal when its time for them to come down. In honesty, the prints look better than when framed.
Not what you asked, but since I'd been down a similar road, I took the liberty of chiming in.
John Caldwell
John,
So, what would a 16x20 cost using this method? Also, why laminate? Does the lamination cause glare? I imagine it would take away from a matte surface.
Thanks,
Jerry
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I prefer frames from the company Halbe (https://www.halbe-rahmen.de/en). They use a magnetic connection of the frame which allows switching images in very short time (only seconds if you're in a rush). Also, there are no springs or clips which might wear and brake. I've accumulated over 30 frames in three sites for various exhibitions and am continually delighted how quick it is to exchange images. Their overall material and build quality is excellent!
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What would a 16x20 cost using this method? Also, why laminate? Does the lamination cause glare? I imagine it would take away from a matte surface.
Thanks,
Jerry
Jerry, virtually all of my printing that's handled this way is on PK paper. Canson Baryta Photographique and Epson Legacy Baryta are my routinely used materials, but a gloss paper is also good. The laminates are "satin" in finish, but very matte surface laminates are also available, as are high gloss laminates. The satin materials offer the best compromise between maintaining color gamut, contrast and Dmax. Glare is absolutely not an issue unless a high gloss laminate is used. Occasionally an image calls for metallic paper, and in that instance a glossy laminate is used.
Rarely do I print smaller than 17x26, and the finished cost for that size is about $30, provided I produce the print (which is always the case). I often make much larger prints than this, and that's a circumstance where framing and museum glass would not only break the bank, but just be totally impractical.
Initially there was some adjustment of mindset needed to get away from the fine art approach, with Hahnemüle Matte media, well done frames and, always, museum glass. But I gotta say, that I enjoy my prints much more now than ever, and the prints that I present as gifts make a big impression. Simply printing to the edge of the canvas and dispensing with matte and frame allows the images to speak more clearly, in my eyes. Since my images nearly always need some sort of legend describing location, date, age of persons shown (if they're children) etc. I photoshop a discreet "badge" at the bottom corner of the printed image posing that legend.
This brings up the topic of canvas prints. I hate canvas prints.
Matte media should not be laminated, in my opinion. If you want to mount a matte print in this way, you'll need to spray or treat the printed surface in some way. I have used Print Shield spray for the rare matte prints I've mounted and they look very fine. But you'd need to exercise much greater care with a matte print surface unless there is some heavy and durable surface protectant applied and, at that point, you may as well laminate PK paper perhaps.
I get that this is not an approach to prints that art conservationists would endorse. This is a personal decision, naturally; one that my mother used to say is between the artist and his or her god. But consider giving a few images a try, Jerry.
John Caldwell
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For some of the reasons you describe, I stopped framing images in our home. Now we mount to gator, laminate, band the edges and hang. The images are printed to the edge of the paper.
Cost is low, no big deal when its time for them to come down. In honesty, the prints look better than when framed.
Not what you asked, but since I'd been down a similar road, I took the liberty of chiming in.
John Caldwell
How do you laminate and band?
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How do you laminate and band?
I don't. The prints are taken to a local graphics company for the gator mount, laminate and edge band. Depending on the print size, the gator rear surface is either routed, or we glue wood blocks with eyelets for hanging.
Modesty aside, my work is quite rare in their shop. Most of their work centers on sports memorabilia art (we're in Pittsburgh) or health care advertising. But I'm in my 12th year of handling much of my printing this way. No regrets.
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I don't. The prints are taken to a local graphics company for the gator mount, laminate and edge band. Depending on the print size, the gator rear surface is either routed, or we glue wood blocks with eyelets for hanging.
Modesty aside, my work is quite rare in their shop. Most of their work centers on sports memorabilia art (we're in Pittsburgh) or health care advertising. But I'm in my 12th year of handling much of my printing this way. No regrets.
You should buy that company a bottle of of good Scotch each year if they only charge $30 to mount, laminate, and band a 17x26" print! If anybody knows of a company in the Seattle area that can approach those prices I would love to get a recommendation.
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For some of the reasons you describe, I stopped framing images in our home. Now we mount to gator, laminate, band the edges and hang. The images are printed to the edge of the paper.
Cost is low, no big deal when its time for them to come down. In honesty, the prints look better than when framed.
Not what you asked, but since I'd been down a similar road, I took the liberty of chiming in.
John Caldwell
How are you banding?
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Sorry, I see you've replied already.
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