We have been producing wood prints for a while now. We recently made some changes to a maple wood veneer panel. The new prints allow us to produce a superior quality product which is more durable and has greater image saturation and detail. Our natural wood maple panels, are ready to display. The back of the panels includes a pre-cut keyhole, so it will hang flush on any wall.
At a little more than ½” thick these panels are an ideal choice for many applications and settings without the need to be framed. The refined natural wood sides give it that finished look you require. With wood prints your image is sublimated / fused directly onto the surface. It allows for incredible detail to show while also having the wood grain look required. The surface can be dusted or even cleaned with a soft damp rag without danger of scratching or harming the image. But even with these improvements some of the same practices apply to produce the best wood print possible.
A this time we have about 8 very popular sizes. These range from 5×7 which are perfect for a table top display to 30×40 which is ideal over any large wall space. You can see and order these at the following link:
So, how do you know if your image will look good on wood or not? All the images we initially tested and made into our new wood prints have looked fantastic! But we have seen some images really stand out above others. It has nothing to do with the image quality of the artwork or the photography. It has to do with the tones in the image. Fortunately we have invested a lot of time in testing the process which allows me to share with you what we have learned. If that is not enough, our print setup tool attempts to simulate a wood print before you order it so you can get a bit of a preview to help you decide.
Let’s first look at what really helps a photograph or artwork take advantage of the wood textures and grains that you want to show in your wood print. Images with a lot of whites or lighter colors will work best if your desire is to show the wood pattern. Images where you have darker tones may start to cover up the natural wood texture so if it it has black or really dark colors, you may not see the wood pattern very well.
The reason lighter colors show the wood pattern better is because the way printers work. With some exceptions, most printers don’t print with white ink. At least this is the case in the photo and art printing world. Rather than printing white, these printers rely on the whiteness of the paper the image is being printed on. A classic example is when you print a gray-scale image such as black and white photograph. With that black and white you can sometimes get a warmer tone to the print on certain papers over others if the paper you are making your print on is too off-white. First you won’t have any pure whites because the wood is not white. But this is what we want to make a wood print in the first place. We want the the hue of the underling wood with the natural wood pattern to be visible to some extent. Keep this fact about whites in mind with wood prints. Even though we are not printing direct to wood but instead sublimating and image to it via heat and pressure, any whites in the image don’t transfer.
As previously mentioned, where you loose the ability to show some of this potential wood hue and natural wood pattern is with an image that may have a lot of dark colors. For instance, when we were first testing the development of wood prints, we produced a number of test prints using various imagery from our stock imagery and staff created collections. It allowed us to see how different types of images would look. One particular image was an abstract art piece. The tones tended toward either deep red, browns and blacks with a few hi-lights in yellow and white. White the print came out looking really nice it did not really show the underlying wood. Because of that I would have probably been better off just printing it on one of our fine art papers and then mounting it on masonite.
So what kind of images look great on wood? Here are some examples of what I think looks really good:
- Photos and portraits taken with lots of light
- Illustrations or line drawings
- Artwork on pure white backgrounds (my favorite)
- Paintings with bright colors
Photo and portraits taken with lots of light
These give the photo a very vintage look. If this is of interest to you, you will notice the image takes on a somewhat sepia tone. Not completely but just enough of a hint. Because the wood is somewhat yellow in color, you colors are influenced by this yellow tone.
Illustrations or line drawings
These look incredible. It gives the artwork a look as if it was created directly on the wood itself. While making an interesting piece to frame or display, we are already seeing what we suspect are artists intending to simply use these as under paintings which they will later hi-light or paint over with actual paints.
Artwork on pure white backgrounds (my favorite)
Think of say a flower by itself with white in the background. Or a seashell which one customer just did the other day. It looked really incredible. The artwork was centered on the wood print but the white background was not visible. I could see a series of wood prints done displaying various subject matter.
Paintings with bright colors
A good example of on our site is a faerie sitting on a log in a forest. The background sky was a very light shade of color so the natural wood texture coincidentally looked like clouds. Again, you want the wood to show up so if you have too many dark colors, you won’t be able to take advantage of this as intended.
The bottom line is any image can look good on wood but if you want your wood pattern to show up make sure you have images with a good balance of brights, mid-tones and darks. Artworks and photos that best take advantage of the underlying wood patterns will have lots of lighter colors.
Now if this is not enough information for you how about simulating the entire wood print process. It is actually quite easy with a program like Photoshop. We will have to do a video tutorial later on this but for those somewhat versed in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements simply locate or even create a wooden like pattern, complete with a small amount of yellowish hue. Then drag the image you want to print on top. This should create a layer over your wood background. Set this image layer as “multiply” and it will make your lighter tones turn translucent so the wood pattern underneath shows. Use this to get a general idea because each wood panel will be a little different from each other.
A couple things I want to point out to the very color conscientious. Let’s be realistic. If you are after that specific shade of blue, orange or green that you spent hours trying to tweak and get right on your screen, you won’t necessarily get it in a wood print. A wood print is not going to be accurate because the wood being printed on can vary. While we currently only offer birch hardwood, slight variations in it’s natural hue will occur. While I am not an expert, I know this can be attributed to things such as the age of the wood and even where the wood originated. So if you tend to get hung up on colors, don’t with wood prints since you can never predict how the underlying wood will will affect the color. Finally on a similar note, you can’t soft proof a wood print. Soft proofing relies on a white point of the paper or media the image is being printed to. Since we can’t create a color profile with a consistent white point on wood, it is impossible to provide you one.
Hopefully this will give you some insight on wood prints. If you want to test the concept out with your artwork or photography, feel free to start off with something small. I will be surprised if you are disappointed. Be sure to let us know what you think of your wood prints when you get them so we can share your own insights with others.
Wood Prints FAQs
Shipping
Size availability is related to the style of print being ordered. It is best to review our pricing page to see what options are available. All of our media (canvas and paper) comes in 44 inch rolls, so we are limited to being able to fit the image with any added borders on a roll that size. Visit our pricing page for specific size availability.
Giclee Printing at FinerWorks
One of the largest ranges of paper selections, while using the highest level of archival print technology allowing superior detail and color, you can create custom giclee prints of your artwork and photos.
Shipping Prints Flat
Mounted prints are packaged in oversized corrugated boxes for added protection. Small to mid size paper prints on fine art papers are usually shipped flat if they can safely fit within a 24×30 inch or smaller area touching the sides of the package. Some exceptions may occur with International orders or if the order also contains prints which normally would be rolled.
Shipping Prints Rolled
Unmounted canvas, regular photo stock prints and and posters will be shipped rolled. Fine art paper prints that are too large to ship flat to be shipped flat (see above) will be shipped in a sturdy corrugated shipping tube.
Shipping non-prints
Other products such as gifts and keepsakes, stationary, etc, will be shipped in various types of packaging.
Drop Shipped Print Orders (Example)
Check out an illustration of a drop shipped canvas here, or a drop shipped paper print here. We package all prints carefully protecting them with corrugated sheets, plastic or foam sleeves and craft paper. Prints which are 20×30 or larger will be shipped rolled in a tube unless it is mounted. Otherwise all prints are shipped flat. Digital prints and products shipped from our Atlanta Pro Lab, will arrive via UPS, the US Postal Service, or Fedex. We have a separate shipping rate schedule for prints shipping from the Atlanta lab.. Prints are shipped either flat or rolled, dependent upon shipping method selected, destination and items being ordered.
Order HD Chromaluxe® Metal Prints
Print your artwork or photography as custom-size metal prints. Using the dye-sublimation process, your image is fused to the surface of rigid aluminum panels. These provide a modern look when decorating your home or office. Choose from multiple metal surface options. Order it framed, with a float wall mounting or even with a tabletop easel back.
You can see what shipping options and costs are available to you when you have items in your shopping cart.
Please note that some shipping options may not be available where print sizes exceed the measurements the packaging can hold. In cases of oversized packages (usually when they contains multiple mounted canvas prints measuring 30×40 or larger), additional shipping charges may be required. The customer will be notified in advance prior to processing the order.
View shipping rates and learn more about shipping rates for digital prints and products here.
Order HD Chromaluxe® Metal Prints
Print your artwork or photography as custom-size metal prints. Using the dye-sublimation process, your image is fused to the surface of rigid aluminum panels. These provide a modern look when decorating your home or office. Choose from multiple metal surface options. Order it framed, with a float wall mounting or even with a tabletop easel back.
Production usually takes an average of 1-3 business days (some very large orders may take longer.) Shipping transit time is based on the shipping option you chose and is separate from production times. To see transit time information, view our shipping page and look up the various shipping options.
Giclee Printing at FinerWorks
One of the largest ranges of paper selections, while using the highest level of archival print technology allowing superior detail and color, you can create custom giclee prints of your artwork and photos.
Unfortunately, we do not rush items through production. Orders are processed as they are received.
Order Giclee Printing on Canvas
Printed using some of the highest archival standards in the industry, your photos or artwork will last for decades to come.
Please contact customer service via email or phone to discuss what can be done to receive your prints.
Order Giclee Printing on Canvas
Printed using some of the highest archival standards in the industry, your photos or artwork will last for decades to come.
Yes. When checking out, you would enter your friend or family’s address information as the “Ship To” destination. You can also request drop shipping on the final review page. With the drop ship option selected a generic packing slip is included which does not reflect price. In addition, we will print your billing address on the return address label and not include any mention of FinerWorks.
Order HD Face Mounted Acrylic Prints
Printed on high quality photo paper and face mounted to 1/4″ acrylic with polished edges. Choose between satin luster or metallic photo paper. Included is easy to install hanging hardware in the form of a French cleat.
No. Only one shipping destination can be entered per order.
Giclee Printing at FinerWorks
One of the largest ranges of paper selections, while using the highest level of archival print technology allowing superior detail and color, you can create custom giclee prints of your artwork and photos.
Use our Order Status and Tracking page or refer to your shipment confirmation. When an order is shipped, we will send you an e-mail indicating your order has been successfully processed and is on it’s way. There will also be a link to view your order status and get the tracking number for your order.
Order HD Chromaluxe® Metal Prints
Print your artwork or photography as custom-size metal prints. Using the dye-sublimation process, your image is fused to the surface of rigid aluminum panels. These provide a modern look when decorating your home or office. Choose from multiple metal surface options. Order it framed, with a float wall mounting or even with a tabletop easel back.
Giclee Printing at FinerWorks
One of the largest ranges of paper selections, while using the highest level of archival print technology allowing superior detail and color, you can create custom giclee prints of your artwork and photos.
With the exception of stretched and mounted canvas, your print should arrive sealed in a clear (plastic) print sleeve. These print sleeves are intended solely for the purpose of added protection during transport. If you wish to obtain print sleeves for your own personal inventory, you can order print sleeves here. They are ideal for protecting your work from finger prints, smudging, dust and scratches as a result of casual handling or storage while also increasing the perceived value of the print.
Order HD Face Mounted Acrylic Prints
Printed on high quality photo paper and face mounted to 1/4″ acrylic with polished edges. Choose between satin luster or metallic photo paper. Included is easy to install hanging hardware in the form of a French cleat.
For mounted prints, we usually ship via UPS. Prints with a overall sheet size (print size plus borders) greater than 15×19 may also be shipped via UPS. Otherwise customers can choose U.S. Postal Service options. We package all prints carefully protecting them with corrugated sheets, clear plastic sleeves and kraft paper. Prints with a total sheet size of 20×30 or larger will be shipped rolled in a tube unless it is mounted. Otherwise all prints are shipped flat.
For digital prints and products shipped from our Atlanta pro lab, prints are shipped via UPS or via the US Postal Service. We have a separate shipping rate schedule for prints shipping from the Atlanta lab. Prints are shipped either flat or rolled, dependent upon shipping method selected, destination and items being ordered.
Order Giclee Printing on Canvas
Printed using some of the highest archival standards in the industry, your photos or artwork will last for decades to come.
Production takes on average of 1-4 business days and shipping is based upon the shipping option you chose. Please note that production times and shipping times are two different time frames. So, if two day shipping is selected, this does not necessarily mean you will receive your print in two days. View our turnaround page and shipping page for details.
Giclee Printing at FinerWorks
One of the largest ranges of paper selections, while using the highest level of archival print technology allowing superior detail and color, you can create custom giclee prints of your artwork and photos.
Yes. When checking out, you would enter your friend or family’s address information as the “Ship To” destination. You can also request drop shipping on the final review page. With the dropship option selected, a generic packing slip is included which does not reflect price. In addition, we will print your billing address on the return address label and not include any mention of FinerWorks.
Giclee Printing at FinerWorks
One of the largest ranges of paper selections, while using the highest level of archival print technology allowing superior detail and color, you can create custom giclee prints of your artwork and photos.
Below is a quick guide to determine if tracking is going to be available. In most cases it is yes:
- Economy (Yes) *
- Standard (Yes)
- Express (Yes)
- International(Yes**)
When your order has shipped, we will send you an e-mail informing you that it is on its way. There will also be a link to view your order status and get the tracking number for your order. The majority of the time you can click the tracking number itself to see where it is at and estimated date of arrival.
*Our Atlanta photo lab in some cases will use the most inexpensive shipping method to keep rates down for small orders like photo prints, which are using economy shipping. Because of this, tracking services may not always be available for very small orders that weight less than 13oz.
**International orders rely on the destination country and shipping method. In many cases for small orders tracking might end once it reaches it’s last stop before leaving the U.S.
Order HD Face Mounted Acrylic Prints
Printed on high quality photo paper and face mounted to 1/4″ acrylic with polished edges. Choose between satin luster or metallic photo paper. Included is easy to install hanging hardware in the form of a French cleat.
We utilize clear plastic print sleeves for added safety and protection during the transport of your print. The print sleeves used for packing are not intended for re-use. Often because of the amount of tape used to secure the print sleeve for safe travel, the print sleeve is not salvageable. If you wish to obtain usable clear print sleeves, you can order them here.
Giclee Printing at FinerWorks
One of the largest ranges of paper selections, while using the highest level of archival print technology allowing superior detail and color, you can create custom giclee prints of your artwork and photos.
Finerworks does not offer retail ready packaging.
Order HD Face Mounted Acrylic Prints
Printed on high quality photo paper and face mounted to 1/4″ acrylic with polished edges. Choose between satin luster or metallic photo paper. Included is easy to install hanging hardware in the form of a French cleat.
Our average for most frames is 3 to 5 business days however there may be exceptions dependent on current inventory levels and how quickly the supplier can send us the required stock.
You can also see our turnaround time page for time frame details.
Order HD Face Mounted Acrylic Prints
Printed on high quality photo paper and face mounted to 1/4″ acrylic with polished edges. Choose between satin luster or metallic photo paper. Included is easy to install hanging hardware in the form of a French cleat.
If you are based outside of the U.S. and want your order drop shipped, we recommend you enter your business information within your account but use our address. This prevents confusion and potential problems which can occur with the shipping service or even customs. This also helps us since we must use a U.S. based address on the customs forms.
Giclee Printing at FinerWorks
One of the largest ranges of paper selections, while using the highest level of archival print technology allowing superior detail and color, you can create custom giclee prints of your artwork and photos.
Print’s being lost or damaged during shipping is rare however it does happen on occasion (less than 1% of orders are ever reported to us) and we will do everything possible to provide a replacement as soon as possible. For more information please visit our returns and replacement page.
Order HD Chromaluxe® Metal Prints
Print your artwork or photography as custom-size metal prints. Using the dye-sublimation process, your image is fused to the surface of rigid aluminum panels. These provide a modern look when decorating your home or office. Choose from multiple metal surface options. Order it framed, with a float wall mounting or even with a tabletop easel back.
Order HD Chromaluxe® Metal Prints
Print your artwork or photography as custom-size metal prints. Using the dye-sublimation process, your image is fused to the surface of rigid aluminum panels. These provide a modern look when decorating your home or office. Choose from multiple metal surface options. Order it framed, with a float wall mounting or even with a tabletop easel back.