At the beginning of March I've got the chance to exhibit some photos at the local library (Harrogate) for one week. The display area is on a stair case so there are only a few areas where the viewer can get a good distance from the images.
I'd like to include a couple of prints at a reasonable size for impact (possibly up to 20x30"). The idea being to place these where the viewer has plenty of space to view at a distance.
What size print would be best suited to viewing on a stairwell where viewing distance is only a few feet? I was thinking somewhere in the region of 12x16" but am not sure if this is too big.
Searching the archives here I found a post that suggests printing the images on 5mm foam board rather than getting images framed. This sounds quite a good option to me as the cost per image is lower than framing. Obviously I'm keen to keep the cost down but is it worth going the extra mile and getting them properly framed?
In the summer I have the same space available but this time for two weeks. The plan is to learn as much as I can from the one week (which I'm thinking of as a bit of a trial run as it also will possibly clash with the arrival of our second child) and then really promote the two week exhibition later in the year in every way I can.
Any thoughts and/or tips would be very much appreciated.
Thanks
Tristan
not sure about sizes in restricted space, but i can definitely recommend art board for printing on hence saving you a LOT of money on framing. i think cheap framing doesn't work at all, though some people will not buy something unless it's in a frame. ok, good framing makes an images really the best it possibly can, but everything depends on your budget.
but if using artboard, go to your printer and see some of his previous work on artboard, as i think its fairly fickle stuff so make sure you are happy with it first.
good luck!!
mark
Posted by Tom Perkins on January 16, 2008 at 4:24 PM
Hi Tristan,
Hmm, I'm not that experienced in this area, I should have a bunch of my prints going into a local gallery permanently in the next few weeks, but the first few will be just mounted not framed. The prints I will be doing myself at home as I am very happy with the results I am getting from my little HP printer, the prints will be on A3+ with a bit of a border, so about 11in on the short edge. I will hopefully get some larger framed ones in there soon too, when I can find a printer with one of the large inkjets which can match what I am getting at home at a decent price. I am mounting mine with a double layer matt of 8 and 10 cm, backed with archival waterproof backing card, with the print suspended from the top of the back of the matt to allow the print to "breathe" over time.
I think If your going to sell the images I think they've got to be done in a way thats going to last and stay looking good for years. If they're just being done for this one off exhibition, it's perhaps not so important. But if you go for cheaper options, just make sure they don't look cheap, your images deserve the best. I don't know anything about mounting on board, sounds a bit tacky but it could work if its done well. Writepic is right, cheap framing doesn't work at all, the card could be a better way to go, but be careful that you do your images justice. Make sure they're printed well too.
Good luck,
Tom.
Posted by Ian Cameron on January 16, 2008 at 9:55 PM
Hi Tristan
I've done quite a few exhibitions now and with quite large framed and matted prints. I went down the road of taking a risk gave high quality and charged for them appropriately. If its advertised right and presented immaculately you will make sales. I have always made a good profit and found it well worthwhile and of course any that don't sell can be included in subsequent exhibitions. Have a wee look at my Transientlight website in the print buying section you can see a shot of the gallery room adjoining our library where I hung the prints. They varied from 36 inch panos to 24 x 24 inch double matted ash framed prints. By the way 16 x 12 inch prints or smaller are best for a stairway I've found.
Posted by Ian Cameron on January 16, 2008 at 9:59 PM
By the way if your making very large prints make sure they are immaculately sharp and noise free because whether the print is A4 or A1 sized the public viewing it will still walk up to within six inches of it to check whether or not he can see if its a guillemot or a puffin nestled in a crevice on a cliff in your grand scenic!!.
Posted by Mark Sisson on January 17, 2008 at 6:06 AM
Tristan - in my experience it depends if you're looking to sell the prints off the walls (ie higher priced tickets) or smaller and more flexible size (and therefore price) options. This is a function of location/audience.
If the former, then bight the bullet as Ian suggests, if the latter then art/foamboard is the route.
Thanks for the thoughts on this one, I'm leaning towards getting them professionally framed rather than using board. I'll have to look into prices at local framers. The idea for board appealed lots because they used a similar method for the Take a view exhibition in London and I thought the prints looked really good there - the terrible snap has mine, Ian's and Dave's all together. Thanks for the input. Good going getting some permanent prints up in a gallery Tom!
Posted by Paul Everett on January 17, 2008 at 9:28 AM
I would agree that good-quality professional framing is your best bet, I have always felt it looked better in the small number of exhibitions I have had. I have to say that although the photos in the Take a view exhibition were great I thought that quality of the printing was not up to scratch.
Good luck with it Tristan, I am sure the quality of your work will impress all who see it.
Paul
Posted by Peter Barritt on January 18, 2008 at 3:36 AM
Tristan I bought wooden frames with ivory mounts to take mounted A3+ prints in bulk a couple of years back for about £20 each. They are easy to open and change the prints if need be. I usually charge about £50 each.
With your work I'd say the bigger the better. Limited edition prints of say 10 or 20 can sell for big bucks but you need to get into a gallery for serious money.
Peter
Discussion
8 repliesI'd like to include a couple of prints at a reasonable size for impact (possibly up to 20x30"). The idea being to place these where the viewer has plenty of space to view at a distance.
What size print would be best suited to viewing on a stairwell where viewing distance is only a few feet? I was thinking somewhere in the region of 12x16" but am not sure if this is too big.
Searching the archives here I found a post that suggests printing the images on 5mm foam board rather than getting images framed. This sounds quite a good option to me as the cost per image is lower than framing. Obviously I'm keen to keep the cost down but is it worth going the extra mile and getting them properly framed?
In the summer I have the same space available but this time for two weeks. The plan is to learn as much as I can from the one week (which I'm thinking of as a bit of a trial run as it also will possibly clash with the arrival of our second child) and then really promote the two week exhibition later in the year in every way I can.
Any thoughts and/or tips would be very much appreciated.
Thanks
Tristan
hi tristan,
not sure about sizes in restricted space, but i can definitely recommend art board for printing on hence saving you a LOT of money on framing. i think cheap framing doesn't work at all, though some people will not buy something unless it's in a frame. ok, good framing makes an images really the best it possibly can, but everything depends on your budget.
but if using artboard, go to your printer and see some of his previous work on artboard, as i think its fairly fickle stuff so make sure you are happy with it first.
good luck!!
mark
Hmm, I'm not that experienced in this area, I should have a bunch of my prints going into a local gallery permanently in the next few weeks, but the first few will be just mounted not framed. The prints I will be doing myself at home as I am very happy with the results I am getting from my little HP printer, the prints will be on A3+ with a bit of a border, so about 11in on the short edge. I will hopefully get some larger framed ones in there soon too, when I can find a printer with one of the large inkjets which can match what I am getting at home at a decent price. I am mounting mine with a double layer matt of 8 and 10 cm, backed with archival waterproof backing card, with the print suspended from the top of the back of the matt to allow the print to "breathe" over time.
I think If your going to sell the images I think they've got to be done in a way thats going to last and stay looking good for years. If they're just being done for this one off exhibition, it's perhaps not so important. But if you go for cheaper options, just make sure they don't look cheap, your images deserve the best. I don't know anything about mounting on board, sounds a bit tacky but it could work if its done well. Writepic is right, cheap framing doesn't work at all, the card could be a better way to go, but be careful that you do your images justice. Make sure they're printed well too.
Good luck,
Tom.
I've done quite a few exhibitions now and with quite large framed and matted prints. I went down the road of taking a risk gave high quality and charged for them appropriately. If its advertised right and presented immaculately you will make sales. I have always made a good profit and found it well worthwhile and of course any that don't sell can be included in subsequent exhibitions. Have a wee look at my Transientlight website in the print buying section you can see a shot of the gallery room adjoining our library where I hung the prints. They varied from 36 inch panos to 24 x 24 inch double matted ash framed prints. By the way 16 x 12 inch prints or smaller are best for a stairway I've found.
If the former, then bight the bullet as Ian suggests, if the latter then art/foamboard is the route.
Mark
Good luck with it Tristan, I am sure the quality of your work will impress all who see it.
Paul
With your work I'd say the bigger the better. Limited edition prints of say 10 or 20 can sell for big bucks but you need to get into a gallery for serious money.
Peter