Chromaluxe Glossy Metal Prints

Metal prints are another unique and attractive display option that I offer. The photo is infused onto a thin, rigid aluminum sheet with a glossy finish that provides vivid colors with excellent clarity, high contrast, and an extraordinary depth of imagery.

Unlike my other display options which involve a mounted fine art ink print, the metal prints involve an entirely different dye sublimation printing technique. With this innovative technique, dyes are applied onto a ChromaLuxe polyester coated sheet of aluminum then baked in a high pressure heat press. The dyes sublimate from a solid to a gaseous state and permeate into the surface where they solidify in the polyester coating. The image is thus suspended in the surface of the print rather than simply on top of it, giving the metal prints a remarkable sense of depth.

With that sense of depth and deep dark blacks and vibrant colors, the glossy metal prints are very eye-catching, impressive prints - so lusciously glossy that they almost seem to be dripping wet!

ChromaLuxe is an aluminum substrate with a very fine multiple layer polymer finish that contains a specialized, formulated coating providing the foundation for a visually stunning and durable fine art print.

Essentially a thin sheet of aluminum, ChromaLuxe prints are also surprisingly light with durability unmatched in fine art printing. ChromaLuxe prints are produced using a technology called sublimation, where inks are infused directly into specially coated metal sheets, creating images with stunning color, vibrancy and resolution. ChromaLuxe panels are scratch, fade, water and flame resistant. Requiring nothing more than simple glass cleaner, they are effortless to clean as well. Metal prints can be produced up to 48" x 96" creating large, captivating image displays for the ultimate in metal wall decor.

Metal prints are quite striking and provide a clean, crisp and modern appearance to your artwork, allowing them to either stand out and make a statement or blend in to existing decor depending of the size and how it is displayed. Metal prints can be displayed unframed, or framed with a number of aesthetically pleasing float, edge and surface mounts. Metal prints can be produced in sizes up to 48" x 96" and can even be cut to virtually any shape you can imagine.

Many of the visual differences between metal and acrylic photography prints can only be identified when comparing the two side by side. At first glance, when not illuminated, a metal print will often appear brighter than the same image printed on a silver halide paper like Fujiflex. Once properly lit, the acrylic print takes on an ethereal glow, making the image appear backlit, or illuminated from behind. A metal print does not share this same effect and simply appears brighter when illuminated.

While typically not identifiable by non photographers, the fine detail of the image when comparing the two mediums is clearly won by a traditional photographic print mounted behind acrylic glass. This does not mean a metal print has poor detail, it simply does not have the same level of detail and fine detail and tonal shifts that a traditional photo medium possesses.

When color and contrast are compared, a metal print has a lower color gamut, higher contrast and as mentioned previously, often times appears brighter overall under comparison. This brighter, high contrast punch is one of the reasons metal prints work so well in public display, when high quality lighting is often not used. All things considered, if you are looking for the very best image quality overall, a traditional photograph behind acrylic glass wins almost every time.

Where visual qualities of metal prints slightly underperform when compared to traditional photo papers, when physical qualities are compared, metal truly brings home the gold.

A metal print is both lighter & stronger while boasting strong resistance to water, heat, humidity and surface scratching. As a single sheet of aluminum vs the three glued layers of an acrylic print, separation of materials is non existent.

The combination of weight, durability and brighter overall appearance without external lighting makes metal prints a top choice of many interior design, hospitality and medical facilities around the world. Artwork can be displayed, moved, cleaned and admired almost worry free after initial installation.

My metal prints are mounted on 1/8" dibond backing substrate for significant added rigidity and durability. The print is then mounted with a 3/4"-deep recessed float hanger, so the print appears to float off of the wall with no hanging system visible.