Mounting prints for sale

[DanK]

I'm thinking of selling some prints, and I am curious how folks here mount theirs for sale. It's too expensive to frame them, particularly given that a buyer might want a different frame.

I will need to accommodate prints in 11 x 14, 13 x 19, and 17 x 22 inches (approximate), which is about 28 x 36, 33 x 48, and 43 x 56 cm.

I have a mat cutter.

thanks for any suggestions

Dan

[Manfred M]

Dan - I am not in that business myself, but know a number of people who are.

The general trend is that they sell the base print and will offer matting and framing services as options, as per client requests. The price shown is for a finished print only. Everything else is an option and priced based on what the client wants. In one case, I know that the photographer offers a second price which includes a standard matted, framed and mounted work, based on a standard frame offering. Obviously shipping, handling, insurance, etc. are all part of the package and are customized by the specific order.

In terms of work, some print their own while others run a hybrid model where they print to a certain size and go to a third party custom printer for larger sizes. One does most of his own matting and framing while others use suppliers to supply the materials and they assemble the prints yet others have a third party do all the work.

The combinations and permutations are endless...

[DanK]

Manfred,

Thanks very much.

I suspect there will be some venues for which I will need to hang framed prints. What I need is two different options for venues in which that isn't necessary:

-- some way of matting the prints so that they can be put in a rack, for places that display that way.
--a more inexpensive alternative to framing for places that want prints on the wall but that don't expect expensive frames.

I've often seen the former. I've never paid much attention to how it was done, but I do recall that some people had the print and matting in what appeared to be very thin shrink wrap.

As an example of the latter, a local library often has displays by local artists. Two years ago, a photographer displayed images that were held flat between backing board and mat board by two wooden bars, one on top and one on the bottom, that had slots in them.

I'm expecting small numbers, so I expect to print all of my own.

Dan

[Manfred M]

Most of the photographers I know exhibit / sell once a year, if the, so they tend to handle the event as a "one off". One of them exhibits twice per year and generally does solo exhibits, so he has things down to a system.

Jim prints to a standard size and does a white matte board around his framed images. He has a decent collection of frames and simply replaces the prints in the frame. He exclusively uses Nielsen frames because they taken the wear and tear that he puts his frames through. He does his own prints, up to 44" wide and does his own matting and framing. He has enough volume that he uses a wholesaler to supply both the frames and custom cut mattes, although on occasion he does cut his own mattes, but only the thinner 4-ply ones. The thicker ones he gets custom cut by his supplier. He also sprays all of his images with an anti-fade finish. All his prints are done on archival papers, but he uses papers with Optical Brightening agents, even though that can have an impact on life because he finds that these prints look better when exhibited and that results in more sales.

His "go to" papers for his own work are Epson Hot Press Bright as a matte paper and Canson Satin Baryta Photographique for a glossier finish.

[DanK]

I might follow a similar path for places that hang the art on walls. I don't use a wholesaler, but I get frames (usually Nielsen) and pre-cut mat from Frame Destination, which has good prices and a good selection. I generally use an 8-ply mat, which of course costs more but looks better. I cut my own mats when I already have a frame and print with an aspect ratio that doesn't match the opening in the exiting mat board. One can then offer the art either framed or unframed, for different prices.

What I don't know how to do, however, is to handle the places that put a small stack of prints in a rack. (Some do both: a small number are hung, usually framed, and then a bunch more are in a rack.) I'll have to go to some craft shows and look more closely at how people do it. The thin plastic is helpful because people can paw through the pile without smudging the mat board.

[ST1]

Dan I have used presentation bags which I believe are the items (thin plastic) you mention for mouthed prints displayed on racks. The bags have a self adhesive flap to seal them.
To give you an idea the link below is to the UK supplier I’ve used.
https://www.cotswoldmounts.co.uk/products/bags


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[DanK]

Peter,
thanks. That looks like it might do the trick. Do you mount the photos first?

Dan

[ST1]

Peter,
thanks. That looks like it might do the trick. Do you mount the photos first?

Dan

Yes Dan the bags are for mounted prints. Whilst I don’t actively sell my prints I do use the bags for storing mounted prints that have been demoted in our house gallery (read a wall ) not that it happens very often. But by using the bags for storage if at some future date the director of art ( She Who Must Be Obeyed, SWMBO) decides that a previously demoted image deserves to be resurrected, it can be.

I use Nielsen frames that have a spring fastening back that facilitates easy change out of mounted prints. These arrangements could work well for your displays where you need mounted and framed in a venue, or mounted and bagged for displays using racks. That way one mounted print could be used in two ways but displayed as required by the venue.






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[davidedric]

I do matting and framing for my own purposes. I'm pretty sure that one my finished pieces (normally a double front matt, single rear mounting board matt, and a 2mm mdf back) would be robust enough to be placed in a rack in those protective bags.

Dave

[DanK]

Dave and Peter,

Many thanks.

When I frame, I use a fairly conventional method. I use archival tape to make a hinge between the mat and the mounting board. I then position the photo and use archival tape to fasten the top to the back of the mat. Then I just close the sandwich and pop it into the frame.

If I do this but then put it in a bag, if the bag isn't the same size, the sandwich will be free to swing open. I suppose I could put a small piece of double sided tape on that side. I would not be able to use the archival tape I use for the rest of it. It's single sided, and it has to be heated to be removed without damaging the surface to which it is attached.

I most often use a fine art mount, but with a very small additional width at the bottom. (Framers have a term for this additional width, but I am drawing a blank at the moment.)

Dan

[Manfred M]

I most often use a fine art mount, but with a very small additional width at the bottom. (Framers have a term for this additional width, but I am drawing a blank at the moment.)

I've heard it referred to as "optical centering". You might find this article to be of interest. We had an interesting discussion on the topic at a recent printing course that I attended.


http://www.russellcottrell.com/photo/centering.htm

[davidedric]

I use the "T-mount" to fix the photo to the rear mount board so that it is freely suspended between front and back mounts ( and there is nothing sticking to the front of the photo). I use single sided tape to create the hinge between front and back, and double sided tape (no heating) to fix front and back together.

Dave