Metal Prints Question

Hi, I am considering taking one of my photos from Hawaii and making a decent sized metal print. Have never done a metal print before and just wondering what types of image characteristics might make for a better or best version? If it helps my Hawaii album link is available.

https://www.flickr.com …8167144/with/26​246202889/

Thank you so much.

Bright saturated colors work well especially blues and reds but yellows, oranges, greens also show well.

There are two types of "metal" print. one is one normal paper but instead of matt or gloss finish the paper has a finish that is most like Pearl finish car paint. Actually Fuji call theirs Fuji Pearl. The other sort is directly printed onto a sheet of aluminium. This can either be directly onto the bare metal, or with a white substrate that gives a more normal finish. Actually there is a third option, which is to have paper directly bonded to an aluminium sheet. These often have a thick layer of acrylic poured over the top.

For the metallic paper option highly saturated colours do work very well as JJ suggested above. So it will be very surprising to hear that it can also work really well with a monochrome image. The lab I use was handing out samples at a show, and the black and white sample on Fuji Pearl was also stunning. I print a lot on glossy papers, but a metallic print is a really nice change as far as I am concerned.

The direct print onto an aluminium sheet is a completely different matter, especially where it is directly onto the bare brushed finish metal. These images pretty much lose all the highlights, since white becomes the metal finish with no added colour. The original sample that I got from Whitewall.com was on a heavily brushed finish, and was fairly low contrast and saturation. I also have a couple of samples of later products that were labeled as an HD finish, these have a much finer finish and a very thin polished finish. One is bare metal and the other has a white substrate which is over printed. These are all like you would imagine the results of printing directly from an inkjet onto metal would be.

The last is simply a print on paper bonded to a sheet of aluminium, and the result is mostly dependent on the paper type used. These also seem to get the option of a thick acrylic overlay. You sometimes just see the paper bonded to the acrylic sheet, which can be up to 8mm thick.

Alan

If you are looking to print onto aluminum (white background/glossy), I've used Costco and CGPro, and they both came out great.

I've done a few prints on aluminum using Mpix's Modern Metals. I've been very happy with them. In general, bright, vivid colors look best, particularly reds and blues. I had the two images below printed on metal and was very happy.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/LcqY​jG

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/K4Gb​df

As for the quality of the prints directly on metal: These are very highly dependent on the lighting under which they will be displayed. Under dim, diffuse ambient lighting they will be lifeless and simply not look good. Under museum-style spotlights they will look fantastic.

Figure out where and how you're going to display it, and if you can set up lighting (track lights or whatever) to properly illuminate it.
Have a small test piece made: Most places will print a 4x6 or 4x4 sample for just a few bucks, so you can see how it looks under your expected lighting.

If you're printing on the bare brushed aluminum, without the white substrate, you may need to boost your midtones a little bit. Without the white underlayer they may seem darker than expected.

nathancarter wrote in post #18484687
As for the quality of the prints directly on metal: These are very highly dependent on the lighting under which they will be displayed. Under dim, diffuse ambient lighting they will be lifeless and simply not look good. Under museum-style spotlights they will look fantastic.

Doesn't the depend on the finish of the metal print? . I mean, you can order printed-on-aluminum prints in matte, glossy, or semi-gloss finishes, as well as specialized finishes such as brushed aluminum.

They are really not a whole heck of a lot different than paper, inasmuch as you can get so many different finish options, and the finish will depend what lighting is best, what images will look best with any given finish, etc.

I use AdoramaPix for metal prints because they are the best value, especially when they run their 25% off everything or 35% off everything sales. . And of course there is always free shipping with AdoramaPix.

My only problem with them ("them" being AdoramaPix) is that they only go up to 36" for the metal prints, and I often want 48" prints.....in which case I then am forced to go elsewhere and pay higher prices, and not have as many options with the finishes. . Which sucks. . I've written to the people who run AdoramaPix time and time again, begging them to offer bigger prints, but they never do anything about it.

.

Great, thanks everyone!