A local cafe gets good traffic and the place has display  room for local artists.  I asked about getting my photos on those walls and it looks like this spring will be when that happens.

I know this has been discussed several times before on the forum but please help if you can:

What would you consider a frame fornice exhibit appearsance and at the same time not make me beg for food after the purchase.  : )    I assume a simple mat will be a help and that perhaps in a black or other simple frame.     I don't want to get into dry mounting the prints and do not want a permanent mount.

The other problem is getting the prints done. I do use one online printer and get fine results.  If you have a suggestion for this please let me know.  I do want the prints done on quality photo papers by pros in that business, not home printing which I am not set up to do.   I suppose about 11 in. x 13 in. would be the max print with most closer to 8x10 inches, put into larger mat and frame.

Any advice will be appreicated.    Now, I will spend some time when available getting the photos properly rendered for the prints.

Thanks.        Tom.

Attached Link: http://www.pictureframes.com/scripts/WebObjects/PictureFrames.woa/wa/EditionHome

Hi Tom, I'm kind of in the same boat, looking for services and such, and came across this site. I now receive regular emails from them detailing their latest sale. we haven't tried them out yet, but it sounds real promising. I'm especially interested in their canvas printing, since seeing some for myself recently at a local art show. I think they have a virtual frame shop too, where you can upload a jpg and try out different mats and frames look to find the best suited for that particular piece. They also have a set up for professional artist where you pay for a proof of your work and then they help sell or you can order and have it shipped directly to your customer. They even offer Certificates of Authenticity! SO it's worth having a look.

Kim 

Thanks, Kim.  I have had a look at the site.  This place is crammed with goodies and many choices.   I will look more at the site and other possibilities. If I find something really special I will let you know.  Thanks again.       Tom.

Thanks Tom, it would be good to see what other services are out there. Even though we have a decent printer, if we take our prints in town to be framed it cost us an arm and a leg or two!!! I would love to have the room to do my own framing, but finding a service to do all the dirty work would be worth the cost!

By the way, I have looked into a couple of popular printing sites, like Shutterfly and Snapfish, but have not been impressed with the quality of their stuff. Those site are more for the people who just want prints to share with family and friends.

Keep in touch and enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Kim

I have used Shutterfly and do get decent prints.  However, this took some experimental stuff on my end to see what worked well with their Fuji printers.  I never allow "enhancements" such as satruatrion, etc. which these sites offer for the shapshot shooter.   Any postwork is done by me then work to get a print with the quality I want.

Fine art prints including giclee get rather pricy for a guy like me.  I would love to get some bw prints with the fuller tonality of the processes but really need:  Better than the consumer grade prints and a decent framing method which is also not too costly.  

The last thing to do is appear straving in the presentation...but it sure can cost a bunch to really put on the good exhibit.    I wonder how much difference the regular casual viewer will notice the differences in higher grade prints and better online consumer prints?

I may drop the cash for better prints or even giclee for a couple of images and go a much less costly road with others.  Who really knows at this time.        Tom.

Hey Tom, When I had my first gallery showing a year ago I just used simple black frames from Hobby Lobby.  for an 8x10 pic I used a black 11 by 14 frame.  I used a white or very light cream colored mat.  these were for black and white pictures.  As far as mounting goes, we did not dry mount any of them.  They make "scrapbook" corners.  We just used the back that came with the frame.  Mounted the pictures to that.  (there is a bit of a trick to doing that but it isn't difficult.  You just line up the picture, mat, and back with eachother.  Then use a small sand bag to hold the picture in place.  Remove the mat and use the corners to "mount" the picture.  then assemble in the frame.  Don't forget to sign your mat.  I think all total for 10 pictures was about 70 dollars.  I did print the pictures myself but that was part of the showing.  Hope this helps.

Thanks for your experience.  I will let folks know how it goes but that will be after the holidays.

Tom, I had a show last January  and will have one next month.  I bought frames through Dick Blick.  They were  Nielsen  Bainbridge Archival Gallery Frames.  They come with a 100% archival rag , museum guality mat.  They are kind of spendy but give you a great gallery look.  I sold  one of my photographs so that paid for two of my frames.  I hope this helps you and good luck.

                                                                                     Bonita

Thanks drag.  Those do look good.  I found out my exhibit will be put off to May so I do have time.

Tom got an idea here is cheaper to print on canvas

Attached Link: http://americanarteditions.com/index.html

Jeroni, your idea is quite interesting but unfortuntely not suited to the area I will have to fill.

Bentchick, I tried a company recently for a nature scene and you might find it worth checking out. Prices are not cheap for any of this but their prices are the best I found for what I had done.  They did a print on stretched canvas for me, a giclee print.  The print came today about 1 week from upload to delivery. This was a surprise and the image was stunning on canvas with bright and clean colors and excellent detail.  I will try them next using paper for more traditional work. The stuff I had done(bw developed on photo paper) from myphotopipe was also quite well done.

The giclee printers are located in of all places...Mt. Airy, NC. aka Mayberry RFD.

Take care.         Tom.

I'm putting the pictures in my gallery I have made the fruits of paper in size 40 x 50 cm, for an exhibition this summer fruits will have some 40 pictures and frames the buy in a store of those Chinese who cheaper in emerging difinitiva teaching work.

Did you find anything special yet Tom? Personally, for the gallery look, I prefer to eschew a frame and just mount the photos on a nice looking board or even foamcore. Inexpensive too. If they HAVE to be framed, consider where they will be hanging too (and the subject matter). Slick metal frames might be out of place in a rustic country cafe, etc... Simple aged look wood frams might be better in a case like that.

I am thinking of hanging on high quality foamcore with photo corners and a mat hinged over the top..if that will look ok.  I plan to check around to see who might do it.  I hesitate to drymount the photos.    Still thinking on it all....