What are matt boards?

[Wazza]

Just a quick question, I hope with a quick answer.

I'm no print specialist, or have no idea how professionals do their work. All I do is take the digital photos, and store them on my computer and website.

I've done a quick search for matt boards, on the forum, and didn't really seem to give a detailed description of them. All I need is an image of one, so I know what to look for when buying one. Not many arty supply shops around, which is the problem. It's probably going to be from a store such as KMart, unless any Kiwis know of some professional places, which are open late night, so I can pick a couple up by Thursday.

Also, what is the proper way to mount these images onto the board?
Adhesive? Spray? Cellotape. :p

I'm fairly sure of what these boards, are.. It's for a photographic competition, and I've seen entries in other competitions before, on an A3 size thin white board, all matt tone. Just need confirmation this is what I need? I sound silly, but I don't want to waste money and a couple of entries, if I have done something wrong.

BTW, the competition is this one:

http://www.aucklandnz.com/Photo_Competition/Default.aspx

Cheers.

[Moppie]

LOL!

Its a very simple piece of usualy white cardbourd that you put behind a work of art, either before its hung in a frame, or just hung on a wall.

Goto whitcoulls get some A3 sized bits of white card that are non-flective, i.e Matt surface.
An art supply, or photography shop that sells lots of frames will have them as well.

:)

[PhotosGuy]

OTOH, a matted print might be a board with a hole cut in it for the print & both are put on a 2nd board.

[Wazza]

Yeah, that's just what I was thinking.

I just didn't want to send in 2 entries, and then get told, as I'm so stupid, and didn't follow instructions, my entries, are not entered.
:p

Thanks. :p

[MattL]

I just read the T&C of entry, and what I want to know is how you are meant to apply the ID labe to the back of the photograph if you are then to mount it on to A3 card?

[MattL]

Also, we manufacture edges that surround the matt boards that Photolife NZ use. Ive got a couple of their boards in the garage. Bit larger than A3 tho.

The hard part is affixing them images to the board. FWIW Photolife have a big frame where they can drop all the images into, so they line up perfectly. They have a light coating of spray glue on the back of the image to hold it in place before they get laminated.

[Wazza]

Tried 3 shops today in West City, where I work, (well outside), and had no luck in finding a board.
I would need to order my prints online from digital max tomorrow night at the latest as well.

Doesn't look like I'll get any entries in again. :(

Where do you work for anyway?

Lighting director is your dream job, or actual?
I work at Westpac.

[MattL]

Actual. Tiz my weekend job. By week, im still a student studying at Unitec.

Wicked fun too :D

[Wazza]

Oh yeah nice.

Mmm

Have been unable to find any at other shops either. Had a look at The Warehouse today. (:lol:). I may take Friday off, to go into the city, and buy some, return my faulty lens, and drop the competition prints off.

[Wazza]

Well I managed to get some done. Only took an hour for them to talk things over with me, cut them really quick though on a cool little cutting machine.

The finished product:

http://wazz*****scity.com/temp/tourism_prints.jpg

Prints cost US$45 for 5x 12x8"
And the matt boards, cost me US$45 also for 5 of them, A3 (420x297mm) size. They cut one 32x40 down, made 4, and cut another one from scraps.

[PhotosGuy]

Those look great. Good luck!

[Wazza]

Thanks. :)

When I had arrived, there was one person just leaving with an art folder, and one guy came running in puffing just like myself. I saw his shots, and they were pretty darn good. They also said this year there was a lot more entries than last year, and I asked how many?

"No idea, but they're out the back, and this tall" - Holding her hand up to her own height, over 5 foot of entries! hehe.