Moderator: E.J. Peiker

All times are UTC-05:00

  
« Previous topic | Next topic »  
Reply to topic  
 First unread post  | 8 posts | 
by scorless on Mon Mar 27, 2017 11:18 am
scorless
Forum Contributor
Posts: 350
Joined: 27 Feb 2004
Location: Corrales, NM USA
I am wanting to show my work glassless. I have no problem with the fine art papers and using one of the commercial varnishes to show these prints glassless. However, some image just look better printed on photo papers such as the baryta papers. Are there some commercial varnishes that will work with these papers to protect them enough to show the images glassless.

Thanks for the help.
Sandy Corless
 

by E.J. Peiker on Mon Mar 27, 2017 11:38 am
User avatar
E.J. Peiker
Senior Technical Editor
Posts: 86761
Joined: 16 Aug 2003
Location: Arizona
Member #:00002
Royce Howland is the expert in this area. I'm hoping he chimes in!
 

by signgrap on Mon Mar 27, 2017 1:41 pm
User avatar
signgrap
Lifetime Member
Posts: 1776
Joined: 1 Sep 2004
Location: Delaware Water Gap, PA
Member #:00424
I use ClearJet Fine Art sprays. I use the spray because it is much easier to apply and clean up. But they also sell cans that can be applied by brush/roller if you prefer. ClearJet makes a Gloss, Semi Gloss and Low Gloss finish. http://www.dtgweb.com/shop/home.php?cat=1431  I imagine that the Gloss would be the appropriate finish for a baryta paper.  You will need to seal the inside edge of the mat (the opening) to the print so that it remains adhered to the print. I use a ph neutral 3/4" ATG double sided tape that I apply with a tape dispenser (very important as it makes application so much faster and easier). http://www.findtape.com/product235/Scap ... viewHeader   3M makes a good tape (probable better quality the the Scapa I linked but it cost 3 1/2 times more. If you need more info post your questions.
Dick Ludwig
 

by Royce Howland on Mon Mar 27, 2017 2:13 pm
User avatar
Royce Howland
Forum Contributor
Posts: 11719
Joined: 12 Jan 2005
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Member #:00460
Unfortunately I'm not an expert on varnishes because we don't use them. Anecdotally I'm aware of a few different ones out there, including ones from Moab, Hahnemuhle, and others. I expect most of the ones produced by vendors with expertise in the digital / inkjet print realm will work equally well. But I don't have any firsthand experience with any of them...
Royce Howland
 

by scorless on Mon Mar 27, 2017 3:02 pm
scorless
Forum Contributor
Posts: 350
Joined: 27 Feb 2004
Location: Corrales, NM USA
The issue here is fine art papers vs photo papers. There is no problem with fine art papers it seems to be the photo papers with coatings that have the problem. I called Moab on Friday and they said they did not know and to let them know when I tried it. Breathing Color believes that if the varnish is water based, like theirs it will not work, they think (but could not confirm) that a solvent based product might work. As close as I can find would be from Golden their Archival MSA varnish. However, my initial test of that did not give me a smooth finish.

I will try the Clear Jet but I think it is water basesd and may not work so well.

Just hoped someone here would have some ideas.
Thanks
Sandy Corless
 

by Mark Picard on Mon Mar 27, 2017 4:29 pm
User avatar
Mark Picard
Forum Contributor
Posts: 2369
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
Location: Northern Maine
scorless wrote:I am wanting to show my work glassless. I have no problem with the fine art papers and using one of the commercial varnishes to show these prints glassless. However, some image just look better printed on photo papers such as the baryta papers. Are there some commercial varnishes that will work with these papers to protect them enough to show the images glassless.

Thanks for the help.
I assume you don't want to cover the images with glass because of the final reflection problems? Or, if not, what are your reasons for no glass? I hate the reflection problems associated with glass, so I tried non-glare glass and it makes a HUGE difference! The newer non-glare glass is much better quality than the old glass of 20 years ago, as it does not soften the image what-so-ever. A little more expensive, but still affordable. I have a Portland Glass company nearby and that's where I get my non-glare glass from (they cut to size for me). I'm sure there are hundreds of places you could get larger volumes of sheets from the internet easily probably cut to your specs too.) Cutting glass yourself is fairly easy too. 
 
If it's a shipping/breakage issue, try using the acrylic/sterene sheets. They are lighter and hardly ever break, and can stand up to shipping very well. Plus, polystyrene is much lighter (and just as clear) than glass if you do much shipping of your work. These sheets can be easily cut with a standard box cutter style knife using a metal straight edge.  You're going to have a hard time finding a coating/varnish type of material for applying yourself and getting a dust free, smooth surface in the end. If the coating has any kind of gloss to it you will have dust problems. And you will have "orange peel" problems if you use a hand roller application method. You could build a small spray booth with clear plastic walls and PVC piping in your garage or cellar with a fan for over-spray exit and use a HVLP spray gun - that could solve your dust and orange peel problems. 

Plus, how do you plan on mounting your images? Will you dry mount them to a foam board, or just hinge mount them in an archival method? Mat board on top, then frame?
Mark Picard
Website:  http://www.markpicard.com
Maine Photography Workshops
 

by bradmangas on Mon Mar 27, 2017 9:37 pm
User avatar
bradmangas
Forum Contributor
Posts: 278
Joined: 15 Feb 2013
I have been considering the same approach myself. If you think about it, glass has one purpose only, to protect the print. If one can eliminate it and still provide protection I don't know they wouldn't. Whether its standard glass, non-glare, acrylic, whatever it is, it will in some way have a negative effect on the print underneath.

I have not started trying any of these products yet, but I probably will at some point in the near future. Just keep in mind for RC paper I believe you will need to stick with a lacquer based product.

https://www.itsupplies.com/Premier-Finishing-Products
 

by scorless on Tue Mar 28, 2017 9:02 am
scorless
Forum Contributor
Posts: 350
Joined: 27 Feb 2004
Location: Corrales, NM USA
Thanks for the detailed reply Mark. I have most of my images that I show at arts and crafts shows under AR glass. However, Brad is right why glass if you can come up with an appropriate way to show and protect images without it. I recently showed a few pieces in the booth without glass and guess what they sold first and always grabbed the attention from all the ones that were under glass. I have never warmed up to the canvas gallery wrap look so for me that is not an option. I use a floater frame and the paper is dry mounted on gator board. I think I am going to make an effort to try some of the other varnish products and see what the results look like. I appreciate everyone's input on the topic. There just may not be a perfect solution to this yet.
Sandy Corless
 

Display posts from previous:  Sort by:  
8 posts | 
  

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group