Our new line of metal prints is here, and they rock! Now metal is available in 4 different metal surface finishes and multiple ready to display styles. Use our online ordering tool to create custom sizes as small as 8×8 up to 30×40. The “panel only” option can even be ordered with a frame! Metal prints are one of the most remarkable and easiest ways to display your work. And it is not just for photographers anymore. Every day see artists now offering their illustrations and reproductions as metal prints as well.
So, you may know that we have been offering metal prints for a while now. But last year we saw we needed to make some major changes as part of our efforts to become one of the premier locations to go to for metal prints.
Centralized Production
First, we recognized (and not just with metal) that we needed to move our metal print production to us headquarter facility so that we improve average transit time, speed up production and have better quality control. This was made possible when late last year we expanded our facility to allow us to move the production to from the East coast to San Antonio. Early this month we also we finalized the installation of the equipment need to make the manufacturing possible and the volume and size requirements needed. Most important is by being at our headquarter production facility allowed our Auxiliary Operations Manager to personally oversee the training of staff and production process for these metal prints meaning greater consistency levels.
More Surface Finishes
Second, many of our customers wanted more surface finish options so they could match metal prints they had produced elsewhere. When we studied this closer we found most other color labs have been limited to offering a white gloss like we used to do but some color labs were using other finishes. Some were using a silver gloss. Others using a white matte and others offering a silver matte. A few even offered semi-gloss versions in both the white and silver. As you can imagine, this has the potential to cause some problems if you try to order from a different lab that does not have your preferred finish, We decided based on the choices people were used to we needed to offer all the finishes.
Custom Sizes
Third, custom sizes. One of the most frustrating things for artists and fine art photographers is the lack of size options so many labs have. A few out there do a good job of offering a wide range of sizes but fewer do custom sizes. I saw this as a big problem. One of the reasons our fine art paper prints and canvas prints are so popular is we have the capability and offer custom sizes. For artists and fine art photographers which many times rely like to compose their images in uncommon aspect ratios, the custom size option is an incredible help for them, so they can minimize cropping. For photographers it also allows for popular things like panoramic on metal and square sizes. Not you can easily create a cluster of metal prints for a wall or even split a very large image across multiple metal prints.
We are extremely excited about out new line of metal prints and the options we have for them. If you want to learn more about our metal prints, checkout our metal prints page.
Metal Prints FAQs
Fine Art Papers
The following items can be ordered ready to hang or will have hanging options available for ordering:
- Framed Prints (Canvas or Paper)
- Stretched & Mounted Canvas
- Wood Prints
- Acrylic Glass Prints
- Acrylic Prints – Floating Framed
- Metal Prints
- Dibond Prints
Yes, you can. When creating your print, make sure you include a border on your print. Matting options will be found below sizing.
Yes. We offer some special request media types for high volume offline orders. Check the options list and make sure you contact us for a quote when you have an opportunity to place a very large order with FinerWorks.
We do not recommend this. We cannot guarantee any paper print that has been embellished or has had paint applied to it. Unlike canvas, many of the papers will wilt and warp like most papers when saturated with any sort of liquid base. While some customers have reported success with both acrylic and oil paints when embellishing their fine art paper prints others have reported negative results. If you think you want to try doing this you should consider ordering smaller prints to test and practice the technique that works best for you before attempting with a larger print. Most artists that attempt this will pre-coat their print with either a spray fixative or spray lacquer based coating to seal the print first.
In addition to the standard canvas and art papers FinerWorks offers for online ordering, customers can also choose from a wide range of name brand media types when ordering larger quantities offline. View options here
More and more fine art photographers are turning to giclée prints since in many cases, photos look better and have a wider color gamut than you might normally experience with traditional photo prints. This was not always the case but advancements in inkjet technology over the past 10 years have allowed the right image with the right paper to offer a superior color gamut and better contrast and depth.
Yes. The fine art paper prints are printed with a method we refer to as giclee printing. This is a technology that has evolved since the late 20th century to use primarily aqueous wide format printers with archival inks on archival media.
Order samples of our giclee papers and canvas here.
In most cases your prints will not be coated and definitely not laminated. In some instances we may need to coat prints which have large expanses of dark colors in them such as solid black backgrounds. This is to help alleviate potential scuff marks that are visible within the print if not looking at it behind glass or a clear plastic sleeve.
Some papers have more difficulty in flattening out than others. This is especially true during the cooler months but can happen during any time of the year. The papers the prints are produced on are originally in rolls and the prints are printed on these rolls. In most cases we will ship prints up to a certain size flat so that they have had time to lose their curl and flatten out however this is not a guarantee. Thicker or heavier weight papers may still need more time to flatten out. We have a blog posting on our site which discusses this in more detail as well as some solutions.
To extend the life-span, store you giclee fine art paper print out of direct sunlight and avoid extreme temperature changes or exposure to humidity. It is recommended that paper prints be framed behind glass or acrylic glazing when on display. If kept in a retail environment unframed, you should keep the prints sealed in clear, acid free bags. we offer these bags on our website.
While our staff will be happy to offer suggestions sometimes the best choice won’t be obvious until you view the image printed on the paper. There are four characteristics that affect how an image will appear on any of our varied fine art papers: ink absorption, brightness, texture and gloss levels (if any). A good start is test printing small prints on different papers. You can also order one of our starter kits to see and feel our different paper types.
Both Epson and Canon promote their inks as being resistant to fading over time. Over time we have used both wide-format printers from both companies. Our parent company FinerWorks has been producing canvas prints since around 2001. In that time, we have had no one contact us and indicate their print had faded.
A giclée print is a way to classify a professionally produced print using inkjet technology; primarily printed on canvas or fine art paper with archival-grade inks. While the process is only several decades old, it has quickly become the method of choice for both artists and photographers. Read more…
We have built in volume & bulk discounts that will cover most scenarios; however, if the scope and size of the order is not listed when checking pricing, please contact us with the details of what you want to order and the time frame so that we can work out the fulfillment and pricing of the order.
Most people order online via our website’s Print Online Setup Tool. Using this method, you will upload your image file(s), select the product type, styles, and size of print you want, then add the item to your shopping cart.
Some businesses that use us may have their websites connected to us, either through our Order Fulfillment App or one of our legacy integrations, which allow for batch order submissions.
FinerWorks is unable to accept orders by phone or email.
Home printers and many local shops can’t match the precision, quality, and archival-grade materials we use. Plus, we offer scalable solutions, professional packaging, and integration options for online sellers—saving you time and helping you grow your business.
Nope! You can order just one or as many as you need. Whether you’re creating a custom gift, testing a new design, or fulfilling an order for your online store, we’ve got you covered.
However, you can likely save when ordering in bulk since many of our products have built in volume discounts.
There are 3 ways you may want to try. Since different monitors and screens can be adjusted differently, you may see variations compared to a print, especially if the device you are viewing the file on is not properly calibrated.
The following article lists 3 common ways you can proof your image files before submitting them for print.
Artists and photographers will have varying levels of expectations as to what is acceptable and not when it comes to accuracy.
It’s also important to understand that different printing processes can also have varying results. When it comes to color accuracy, giclee fine art prints, photo prints, and canvas will tend to be able to achieve the greatest accuracy because of the nature of the printers and inks used. Other items and surfaces may be more limited in their capacity to achieve the same level of color accuracy or even detail, so testing on varying types of print products can be key.
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.