Your Prints
You will have some options about your actual prints, with choices to make about;
Size & Tone, Paper quality and Ink permanence
Each of these will affect the life, look and feel of your final print.
Size & Tone
Sizes are a simple matter, (there is a table of sizes at the bottomof this page) but remember once you put an image on the wall it will appear smaller than you think! If you are framing an image, remember to allow at least 4 cm all around the image for a matt to help display the image well.
Do you want a colour, black and white or sepia image? Do you want it to look modern or old?
Paper Quality
Paper quality and ink permanence are often a bit tricky for people to ‘get their head around.’ All images – even those in the museums and art galleries –fade with time and exposure to ultra violet light. However, the quality of the paper and type of ink drastically affect the life of the image. The more ‘acid free’ a paper is, and the more protected from acid in the air it is stored, the better it is for images that you want to hand down. If your use for an image is for less than 20 years, your home is air-conditioned, you’re going to frame it to protect it, and it won’t be ever in direct sunlight, then you probably might not need a fully archival print.
Ink Permanence
As above, this makes a big difference! Most ordinary commercial print processes are chemically based; they use chemicals to get an effect that looks like colour on paper. For the shorter term photographs mentioned above, this definitely has its place and is the cheapest option. If however you are looking for an image to be handed down, a print made with pigment-based ink (instead of chemicals) is much more likely to go the distance.
So, give these ideas some thought, and don’t hesitate to call me if you are unsure.
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You can find some of my artwork on Flickr, facebook, Myspace or DeviantArt.