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Author Topic: Large Format Print  (Read 2340 times)

Kit-V

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Large Format Print
« on: May 03, 2021, 06:43:32 pm »

I need to hear from some of the voices of experience. My daughter loves one of my 30" X 40" wildlife prints. However, she would like the print to be enlarged to 46" X 60" & mounted. I contacted the ProDPI lab who can do it. However, as a large custom mount, apparently it has to be shipped via FedEx Freight for several hundred dollars. In addition, if the image quality of such a large print turns out to be disappointing (for whatever reason), there would likely be no reimbursement on the freight costs. So.....two questions:

1.   Since my daughter lives in the Sacramento/Bay Area of California, does anyone know of a commercial lab that might be able to do the printing & mounting? If so, she could avoid the freight costs entirely.
2.   Might there be an alternative way to display the print on a wall without framing it?

Thank you
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mtakeda

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2021, 07:30:21 pm »

How about Bay Photo. They are my regular printer with excellent service.
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Kit-V

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2021, 11:02:40 am »

Unfortunately, Bay Photo can only mount photos up to 30" X 40".
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sportmaster

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2021, 12:11:35 pm »

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Kit-V

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Panagiotis

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2021, 02:37:05 pm »

I need to hear from some of the voices of experience. My daughter loves one of my 30" X 40" wildlife prints. However, she would like the print to be enlarged to 46" X 60" & mounted. I contacted the ProDPI lab who can do it. However, as a large custom mount, apparently it has to be shipped via FedEx Freight for several hundred dollars. In addition, if the image quality of such a large print turns out to be disappointing (for whatever reason), there would likely be no reimbursement on the freight costs. So.....two questions:

1.   Since my daughter lives in the Sacramento/Bay Area of California, does anyone know of a commercial lab that might be able to do the printing & mounting? If so, she could avoid the freight costs entirely.
2.   Might there be an alternative way to display the print on a wall without framing it?

Thank you

whitewall.com. They say that for a mounted print up to 70.9 inches the long edge, the shipping cost for all US is $64.95.

https://www.whitewall.com/us/metal-prints/aluminum-mounted-print

...at the bottom of the page above click at "shipping".
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Kit-V

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #6 on: May 04, 2021, 03:01:05 pm »

whitewall.com. They say that for a mounted print up to 70.9 inches the long edge, the shipping cost for all US is $64.95.

https://www.whitewall.com/us/metal-prints/aluminum-mounted-print

...at the bottom of the page above click at "shipping".

Thank you. I will follow up.
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Kit-V

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #7 on: May 04, 2021, 10:08:28 pm »

https://posterhanger.com/

Has anyone had any experience with using this hanging system on a large print?
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JRSmit

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #8 on: May 05, 2021, 01:52:29 am »

Has anyone had any experience with using this hanging system on a large print?
We looked at it, tested it, but could not get lengtes needed. So we found a different system which was available in 3 meters length.
See https://www.fineartprintingspecialist.nl/a-tribute-to-flowers-van-richard-fischer-2/
This was also used recenter in an exhibition in Vienna.
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Dan Wells

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2021, 02:19:08 am »

If you can find someone to make the print (and 46x60" is an odd size, being just a little bigger than a common 44" printer can handle), I've had good luck getting art supply places to mount really large pieces. I had a show right before COVID that featured three prints in the 40x60" size range - all were within the capacity of a 44" printer, though. The same show also had a couple of panoramas that were printed on my 24" Canon Pro-2000, but were as much as 8 feet long.

A local Dick Blick Art Supplies (the one I used was in the Boston area - although I'm in San Francisco now - a quick search reveals four in the Bay Area plus one in Sacramento - of which Berkeley and one of the San Francisco stores have frame shops) was able to dry mount these pieces to Gatorboard at a very reasonable cost (well under $100 per piece). I did have to call around to several Blick locations to find one whose dry mount press was in an unobstructed enough spot (and whose framer was creative enough) to handle the large pieces. If neither of the Bay Area Blick's with frame shops can do it, I'm sure there are other places that can. Prices vary really widely, and I have found art supply stores (or camera stores) with framing departments to often be MUCH cheaper for this kind of work than the average stand-alone framer. With Blick's, watch out for the omnipresent sales - they send out multiple junk e-mails per week, and they often have a discount on framing (which includes mounting). At least when I last dealt with them (pre-COVID), anything less than a 40% discount wasn't worth using, and 50% was occasionally available.

The bigger challenge is going to be getting a really good 46" wide print made. The ideal machine for this purpose is a Canon Pro-6000 or Pro-6100. None of the 60" or larger Epsons use the full photo inkset (the P20000 is pretty close, and would be another good choice), while the 60" Canons do. The range of papers available above 44" is also quite a bit less than you'd find in 24" or 44". Only about half of the Canson Infinity papers and 1/3 of the Hahnemuhle and Moab lines are available in 60"width. Finding a place that caters to photographers and has one of the few real photo printers in a 60" width plus the paper you want may be a challenge. Bayphoto (as an example that has been mentioned here) doesn't do inkjet over 40" They do have a Lightjet or something similar that goes up to 50"...

Dickerman Prints in SF does do 60" inkjet (it looks like on some Epson or another) ,and they're a high-end place that works with photographers. They'll mount to a whole range of things as well (more money than Blick's, but they'll mount to some high-end materials that Blick's won't)
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sportmaster

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2021, 09:56:30 am »

Has anyone had any experience with using this hanging system on a large print?

I have used this system.  It's the most cost effective means to display large prints. 

The company is very responsive to orders.  Got mine very quickly.
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Kit-V

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2021, 10:45:07 am »

I have used this system.  It's the most cost effective means to display large prints. 

The company is very responsive to orders.  Got mine very quickly.

Did you feel that the print hung evenly against the wall without any curling on the edges? I am a bit  concerned about a 46 X 60 print.
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Kit-V

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #12 on: May 05, 2021, 10:55:28 am »

If you can find someone to make the print (and 46x60" is an odd size, being just a little bigger than a common 44" printer can handle), I've had good luck getting art supply places to mount really large pieces. I had a show right before COVID that featured three prints in the 40x60" size range - all were within the capacity of a 44" printer, though. The same show also had a couple of panoramas that were printed on my 24" Canon Pro-2000, but were as much as 8 feet long.

A local Dick Blick Art Supplies (the one I used was in the Boston area - although I'm in San Francisco now - a quick search reveals four in the Bay Area plus one in Sacramento - of which Berkeley and one of the San Francisco stores have frame shops) was able to dry mount these pieces to Gatorboard at a very reasonable cost (well under $100 per piece). I did have to call around to several Blick locations to find one whose dry mount press was in an unobstructed enough spot (and whose framer was creative enough) to handle the large pieces. If neither of the Bay Area Blick's with frame shops can do it, I'm sure there are other places that can. Prices vary really widely, and I have found art supply stores (or camera stores) with framing departments to often be MUCH cheaper for this kind of work than the average stand-alone framer. With Blick's, watch out for the omnipresent sales - they send out multiple junk e-mails per week, and they often have a discount on framing (which includes mounting). At least when I last dealt with them (pre-COVID), anything less than a 40% discount wasn't worth using, and 50% was occasionally available.

The bigger challenge is going to be getting a really good 46" wide print made. The ideal machine for this purpose is a Canon Pro-6000 or Pro-6100. None of the 60" or larger Epsons use the full photo inkset (the P20000 is pretty close, and would be another good choice), while the 60" Canons do. The range of papers available above 44" is also quite a bit less than you'd find in 24" or 44". Only about half of the Canson Infinity papers and 1/3 of the Hahnemuhle and Moab lines are available in 60"width. Finding a place that caters to photographers and has one of the few real photo printers in a 60" width plus the paper you want may be a challenge. Bayphoto (as an example that has been mentioned here) doesn't do inkjet over 40" They do have a Lightjet or something similar that goes up to 50"...

Dickerman Prints in SF does do 60" inkjet (it looks like on some Epson or another) ,and they're a high-end place that works with photographers. They'll mount to a whole range of things as well (more money than Blick's, but they'll mount to some high-end materials that Blick's won't)

Dan, thank you for the information! Regarding the 46 X 60 print.....ProDPI lab in Minnesota can do it. I have used them & am very pleased with their work. I initially wanted a 48 X 60 print, but a 46" was the maximum they could do.

The print is for my daughter who lives in the Sacramento area. So I will follow up on both Blick & Dickerman. Although ProDPI can mount the print on either styrene or foamboard, the freight cost from Minnesota to Sacramento will be several hundred dollars. So the option to be able to pick up the mounted print in either the Bay Area or Sacramento would be perfect.

Again, thank you!
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Kit-V

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #13 on: May 05, 2021, 11:00:50 am »

We looked at it, tested it, but could not get lengtes needed. So we found a different system which was available in 3 meters length.
See https://www.fineartprintingspecialist.nl/a-tribute-to-flowers-van-richard-fischer-2/
This was also used recenter in an exhibition in Vienna.

Jan, it looks like the hanging system you used is similar to the Poster Hanger system. Were you satisfied with the way that it displayed your prints?  I want something that is professional looking. Thank you.
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sbay

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #14 on: May 05, 2021, 11:32:16 am »

I've had some work done by blowup lab in S.F.

JRSmit

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #15 on: May 05, 2021, 11:40:19 am »

Jan, it looks like the hanging system you used is similar to the Poster Hanger system. Were you satisfied with the way that it displayed your prints?  I want something that is professional looking. Thank you.
It is poster clamping system. And for Fine Art papers it is easier to mount. We had several prints of 3 meters, and mounting was pretty  straightforward. The poster hanging system, mentioned above, is not really easy with Fine Art papers like those of Hahnemuhle.
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Jan R. Smit

sportmaster

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #16 on: May 05, 2021, 03:08:11 pm »

I suggest doing a Google search for commercial poster hanging systems.  There are many types available that could be suitable for your needs.  You could also go to a shopping center and look at various store displays for ideas. 
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Kit-V

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #17 on: May 05, 2021, 04:24:27 pm »

If you can find someone to make the print (and 46x60" is an odd size, being just a little bigger than a common 44" printer can handle), I've had good luck getting art supply places to mount really large pieces. I had a show right before COVID that featured three prints in the 40x60" size range - all were within the capacity of a 44" printer, though. The same show also had a couple of panoramas that were printed on my 24" Canon Pro-2000, but were as much as 8 feet long.

A local Dick Blick Art Supplies (the one I used was in the Boston area - although I'm in San Francisco now - a quick search reveals four in the Bay Area plus one in Sacramento - of which Berkeley and one of the San Francisco stores have frame shops) was able to dry mount these pieces to Gatorboard at a very reasonable cost (well under $100 per piece). I did have to call around to several Blick locations to find one whose dry mount press was in an unobstructed enough spot (and whose framer was creative enough) to handle the large pieces. If neither of the Bay Area Blick's with frame shops can do it, I'm sure there are other places that can. Prices vary really widely, and I have found art supply stores (or camera stores) with framing departments to often be MUCH cheaper for this kind of work than the average stand-alone framer. With Blick's, watch out for the omnipresent sales - they send out multiple junk e-mails per week, and they often have a discount on framing (which includes mounting). At least when I last dealt with them (pre-COVID), anything less than a 40% discount wasn't worth using, and 50% was occasionally available.

The bigger challenge is going to be getting a really good 46" wide print made. The ideal machine for this purpose is a Canon Pro-6000 or Pro-6100. None of the 60" or larger Epsons use the full photo inkset (the P20000 is pretty close, and would be another good choice), while the 60" Canons do. The range of papers available above 44" is also quite a bit less than you'd find in 24" or 44". Only about half of the Canson Infinity papers and 1/3 of the Hahnemuhle and Moab lines are available in 60"width. Finding a place that caters to photographers and has one of the few real photo printers in a 60" width plus the paper you want may be a challenge. Bayphoto (as an example that has been mentioned here) doesn't do inkjet over 40" They do have a Lightjet or something similar that goes up to 50"...

Dickerman Prints in SF does do 60" inkjet (it looks like on some Epson or another) ,and they're a high-end place that works with photographers. They'll mount to a whole range of things as well (more money than Blick's, but they'll mount to some high-end materials that Blick's won't)

Dan:  I checked with Blick & they cannot mount a print that large. Dickerman can do the mounting, albeit they are a bit expensive. I will have to let my daughter decide whether she wants the print mounted or simply to hang it using a poster hanging system. Thanks again.
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Kit-V

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #18 on: May 05, 2021, 04:34:20 pm »

For those of you who have used a poster hanging system to display large prints, which type of photo paper would hang the best?
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MichaelKoerner

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Re: Large Format Print
« Reply #19 on: May 05, 2021, 04:49:45 pm »

We looked at it, tested it, but could not get lengtes needed. So we found a different system which was available in 3 meters length.

Jan, could you please post the name/source of the clamping system you recommend? Thanks.

Btw: Beautiful exhibition!
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