What is an Acrylic Mount?
In 1969, Heinz Sovilla-Brulhart invented and patented a method of face-mounting photos to Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), also more commonly known as acrylic, acrylic glass, or plexiglass– a transparent thermoplastic often used as a lightweight or shatter-resistant alternative to glass.
Due to the light penetration and refraction of clear acrylic, acrylic mounted photos result in a display of more brilliant colours and a much sharper image- when compared to that of a photo cased in a standard picture frame with standard float glass.
An acrylic mounted photo is usually of a high gloss finish- although, matt coatings can now also be applied to acrylic mounted photos to produce unique finishes.
As the photos are glued to the acrylic glazing with either silicone or pressure sensitive optically clear self-adhesive films, the result is a completely flat mount of the photo which produces less glare.
Are all acrylic mounted photos the same?
ABSOLUTELY NOT!
As with any product, the raw materials used in the production process ultimately determines its quality and lifespan. In this instance, the type of acrylic sheet used in the mounting process determines not only the quality of the artwork produced but also its lifespan. Many online framing shops and small establishments today are offering an acrylic mounting service. However, the difference between a cheap mount and a high-end mount is the duration for which you get to enjoy the artwork for and/or how clear the image is.
Poor quality acrylic mounting will only result in an artwork which loses appearance after 1 to 3 years- due to yellowing from lack of UV resistance, chemical reactions occurring between the print and acrylic (due to the paper reacting with the acrylic) or hairline cracking occurring in the acrylic sheet due to expansion or contraction from the weather. It is for this reason, that we do not recommend the use of acrylic mounted photos for individuals looking for cheaper fine art photo finishing options. A traditionally framed photo (with float glass) is preferred to a poorly mounted acrylic fine art photo print- which looks fabulous at purchase but degrades within a short period of time. Accordingly, fine-art prints such as those produced by “SEE” should not be mounted with cheap acrylic. Either order pre-finished acrylics prints from us or stick to traditional framing.
A properly mounted acrylic photo is however a prized possession. For example, one of the world’s most expensive fine art photography pieces: “99 Cent II Diptychon” by Andreas Gursky, (world renowned Photographer and Professor at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, Germany) was acrylic face mounted. The work became famous for being the most expensive photograph in the world when it was auctioned at Sotheby’s on February 7, 2007, for a price of US$3.34 million. Another auction in New York in May 2006 fetched $2.25 million for a second print, and a third print sold for $2.48 million in November 2006 at a New York gallery.
Below are some other factors which determine the quality an acrylic mounted fine art photo:
- Clarity or Light transmission (>98% Light Transmission is preferred);
- Haze (the less the better quality image as this determines the mounts transparency and optical brightness).
- UV resistance/inhibition– Protects the photos from UV rays produced by sunlight. Greater than 70% UV rating is preferred.
- Surface damage– Fine surface scratches, inclusions or impurities like minute black dots within the acrylic or impact marks on the surface also produce poor quality images. Thus, handling during the mounting process is also of utmost importance.
- Type of Photo print used– the type of paper used with the acrylic mounting also determines the quality and durability of your artwork. The smoother the photo print, the better result you will get from the acrylic mounting. Dust, paper texture etc will magnify post mounting and appear as silvering which is basically the formation of tiny air pockets trapped between print and acrylic. One does not necessarily need to see the air pockets for poor image quality to occure. The use of Acid Free paper is also important- as any chemical reaction between the photo and acrylic sheet will result in discoloring of the photo.
What type of acrylic mounting do you use?
“SEE” currently offers three options for our clients:
(i) Acrylic Mounting provided by Five Magic Photo Imaging, Australia. For more information please see http://www.fivemagics.com.au/
(ii) A premium acrylic mounting service provided by the Zeinberg laboratory in France. For more information on the Zeinberg process please refer to https://en.zeinberg.com/the-laboratory
(iii) Diasec Mounting for special orders (Price on Application); Please refer to https://www.diasec.com/where-to-find-a-diasec-producer for more information of the Diasec process.
Why are your Zeinberg Acrylic Mounts so expensive?
ZEINBERG is a specialist photographic laboratory, based in Poland. ZEINBERG quality is born from the combination of the mastery of advanced technologies and craftsmanship.
Before printing the photographs, each one of them is checked and manually optimized by Zeinberg experts to guarantee the perfection in terms of resolution and colours.
The Zeinberg Acrylic Glass Finish emphasizes contrasts, magnifies colours, intensifies the depth and enhances the qualities of your photograph.
Your photograph is printed on a Fuji DPII Gloss 250 mg photographic paper by Zeinberg. The print is then glued on Dibond©, a composite plate. Sharp and light, it is composed of two layers of aluminum around a resin core. A 2mm-thick Acrylic Mat Glass plate is directly affixed to your Dibond© laminated photograph. The photograph print is glued under the acrylic mat glass thanks to an acid-free adhesive system. This produces a durable and exceptional print, without bubbles or cracks, which perfectly protects the photograph. Acrylic Glass is lightweight, unbreakable and stable.
Do you sell prints only?
Yes we do. Please explore our Artwork sections. Upon selecting a fine art piece, click on the cart icon. This will open a “purchase options menu” to the right of the photo. Select “print only” option and then your print size and follow the steps to complete your purchase.
What type of paper do you use for your prints?
We primarily use Canson ® Infinity of France paper.
We offer the following options to our clients:
- Canson Infinity® PhotoGloss Premium RC 270 gsm – Gloss
Canson ® Infinity PhotoGloss Premium Resin Coated consists of an alpha cellulose acid-free art paper coated with polyethylene and a microporous colour receiver layer.
The enhanced coating finish offers a stunning gloss effect. PhotoGloss offers an exceptional Dmax as well as a wide colour gamut and is ideal to produce stunning colour photographs.
- Canson® Infinity Platine Fibre Rag
Canson® Infinity Platine Fibre Rag is the combination of the premium 100% cotton Platinum paper that Canson has supplied for many years to the original Platinum and Platine photographic market, with the latest microporous coating, making the traditional darkroom paper now available for digital printing.
Setting the benchmark for Digital Darkroom papers, Platine Fibre Rag provides the aesthetic and feel of the original F-Type Baryta Fibre paper, having a true pure white tone without using optical brighteners that are known to affect the longevity of digitally produced images.
Platine Fibre Rag’s extremely high Dmax and exceptional grey tones make it the product of choice for the more discerning black and white as well as colour photographic prints.
Is the paper used archival?
The Canson® Infinity range of Digital Fine Art media exceeds the ISO 9706 museum grade standard that has been developed to meet galleries and museum’s longevity requirements.
Canson® has submitted the Digital Fine Art & Photo range to the world’s leading independent print permanence testing laboratory, Wilhelm Imaging Research (WIR) for longevity testing on the Canson® Infinity range.
Below is a table which summarizes their findings:
