What is a metal print, and why would you want one?
Well, metal prints are a speciality process for physical prints of your photographic images that are made from thin yet completely stiff aluminium panels instead of being printed on photographic paper. It sounds simple enough, right? But, if the process isn’t perfected, your metal prints could come out looking so-so (or worse).
The second part of the question – why would you want a print like this – is easy enough to answer: they can be absolutely beautiful!
So, in today’s article, we’ll explore what a metal print is and explain what sets some prints apart from the rest.
Table of Contents:
- What is a Metal Print?
- What is a Metal Print Made From, and How?
- Images That Look Great as Metal Prints
- Where to Get Your Metal Prints
What is a Metal Print?
When considering the question, “What is a metal print,” it’s important to note that the way a metal print is created is substantially different from how most photos printed on paper are done. But first, the basic idea behind a metal print is this: It is a physical image print that doesn’t need any frame or even a mounting board because it is stiff enough to stand on its own.
The resulting display of a metal print is quite stunning. You can add a very low profile frame to it or allow it to simply float as the image itself. Seeing a high-quality image made this way has a very unique eye appeal – it really stands out to viewers.
The reason a metal print is able to be displayed in this manner is that the image is printed on a stiff piece of aluminium. The larger you go with a metal print, the more impactful this type of display is. So, that’s the first part of what is a metal print.
What is a Metal Print Made From, and How?
Now let’s look at the second part of what is a metal print – how a metal print is made.
We already know the answer for what is a metal print made out of: it’s a thin, stiff aluminium panel. Somehow, your image needs to find its way onto the metal.
Interestingly, a better way to say that is that your image finds a way INTO the metal. The process used is called dye-sublimation. Dye-sublimation infuses the image into the material as opposed to being printed on top of it or etched somehow.
With the dye-sublimation process, the ink is not liquid; it goes from a solid directly to a gas and then back to a solid again. As a gas, the image is pushed into the metal itself, becoming part of the material. This happens with heat as the driving energy
Perfecting the Process
Some printing companies, like Shiny Prints, have perfected this process. For example, they use the latest F-series dye-sublimation printers along with custom print profiles. Doing so ensures the prints the Shiny Prints team creates have exceptional color accuracy and clarity.
So, if you order a print, the printing technician first makes a reverse image print with specially made inks. They carefully check and adjust the colour profiles so that the final image will have the correct colours (with one optional exception I’ll detail in a bit). They have to take into account all of the materials involved as well as the special color processing you may have already done to your own image.
Ensuring a Top-Notch Print
In some cases, before the aluminum panel receives the image, printing companies might treat the metal with a layer of polymer gel to aid in the absorption of the dye-sublimation inks. That reverse image print with its specially designed dye-sublimation inks detailed earlier is then pressed into the aluminum panel with a heat process.
The heat press turns the solid inks directly to a gas, skipping the liquid form altogether, and that gas is pressed into the metal where it transforms the upper layer of metal into an image. The gel can work with the metal and ink, depending on your instructions. A silver finish turns highlights and whites in your image into mostly clear, allowing the finish of the metal to show through for a stunning effect. Or, you can choose a more realistic color rendition of everything with a white finish.
The gaseous ink sinks into the metal is absorbed by it, and then it rapidly turns back into a solid, again completely skipping the liquid state of matter. The resulting print is durable and has a depth of color that can look outstanding.
Keep Reading: Beginner Tips for Printing Photos
Images That Look Great as Metal Prints
Realistically, any high-quality, well-crafted image file can become a beautiful metal print. But some styles of images do seem to take fuller advantage of the metal dye-sublimation process. Images with good contrast and exceptional color depth are perfect for making metal prints.
When choosing an image for a metal print, think not just about the presentation of the image on metal, but also the sizing. Metal print companies typically offer a vast range of options for specific situations. So, you might get an 8×8 print for a small space like a powder room. Alternatively, you might get a print several feet tall and wide for a great room or another large space. Shiny Prints, for example, offers prints up to 48×96, with additional custom sizes available.
Where to Get Your Metal Prints
You already likely have the impression that I’m partial to Shiny Prints. You’re not wrong! As I explain in the video above, the prints I’ve gotten from these folks have been absolutely astounding. The color, detail, sharpness, and build quality of my metal prints have been off-the-charts good.
Of course, this should come as no surprise. With decades in the business, Shiny Prints knows how to create a killer metal print. And since metal is their sole focus, they’ve gotten really good at using it in the printing process.
Aside from the level of experience, expertise, and gorgeous final products, I buy my prints from Shiny Prints because these folks are true professionals. You aren’t just another customer with a photo to print. Instead, you’re a friend and someone who deserves the utmost of customer service.
Sure, you can get a metal print from dozens of different companies these days. But if you want a quality print for a good price and be treated like royalty, Shiny Prints is where it’s at!
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