Printing a photograph is no longer a question of a frame over a canvas — as printing technology improves, the possibilities for what you print your photos on expands from wood to metal and even burlap. Just like choosing between glossy or matte, each medium has it’s own unique quirks and styles that are important to understand before you invest getting that favorite shot enlarged. So besides canvas gallery wraps and prints, what non-traditional printing surfaces can give your prints the perfect presentation? Here are four non-traditional prints to consider.
Wood
Wood has long been a home decor staple and now it has ventured into displaying favorite photos. The natural grain and imperfections inside the wood help create a unique piece. Often, when printing on wood, anything white in the original photo shows the color and texture of the wood.
Of course, printing on wood opens up even more options — what kind of wood? Maple’s light color creates a more modern than rustic look. Bamboo, on the other hand, adds lots of texture to the edges.
Besides being a beautiful way to display a photograph, wood also has the added benefit of being a renewable resource.
Glass
Putting a photo on something transparent like glass or acrylic has a unique effect — as the light passes through the photo, the color appear more vibrant and the image can almost sometimes appear to be three dimensional. Unlike printing on wood, glass prints offer modern, clean lines that go with those bright colors.
The downside? Glass and acrylic prints tend to be more fragile, though many are reinforced for more durability. Like most non-traditional prints, they also tend to be more expensive than a simple gallery wrap.
Burlap
Burlap is standard in any rustic decor, and now it’s making its way into printing. While burlap was originally a popular DIY project for transferring graphics to, now it’s even suitable for printing photos from print companies. Burlap is often wrapped around a frame, much like a canvas gallery wrap.
Unlike traditional canvas, however, burlap adds more texture. Since burlap isn’t pure white, the images have more muted, almost vintage colors to them.
Metal
Metal signs aren’t just for advertising your favorite car or drink brand anymore. Prints on metal have the clean lines and thin edges of glass. Prints on metal tend to have a softer look to the images, despite the sharpness of the medium, though colors are still vibrant.
While metal prints are a beautiful medium, they tend to have a shorter lifespan — they’re best to hang in areas without direct sunlight. Metal prints can also chip and scratch, so they’re best left hanging, not handled.
Printing an image is no longer about choosing whether you want paper or canvas — printing on wood, glass, burlap and metal offer their own unique characteristics that can give that photo a unique edge. Paper and canvas wraps aren’t going anywhere, but getting creative with print mediums is now easier than ever.
