Dry Mounting Photos

[Matoaka]

A local art show here required all photos be submitted "dry mounted" on mat board...

Some of them turned out to be a little lumpy, like a mild orange-peel effect, even when mounted on velum. And the black ink portions in ALL the photos looked very scuffed. These were all photos that had been scanned into PC's and printed on some kind of "PC Photo" paper.

How can one tell which photo prints can be dry mounted and which can't? The customer doesn't know, and when asked, neither does the person doing the printing.

We used SpeedMount at the recommended time/temp.

When an exhibition requires "dry mounting", do you supposed they also mean "spray mounting"?

I'm really confused.

 

[wpfay]

isn't technology wonderful...
Sounds like you may have thermally sensitive photo prints (certainly not old school stuff...B&W fiber prints). Get the printer to supply you with some proofs or messed up images so you can experiment. You might need to shift to a lower temp bond like the "Restore" board from Bainbridge. (though I have had some of them release prematurely...not so good when used for outside shows in the summer, or when the art is going to be stored in a non climate controlled environment, say the back of a van, for any length of time).
There are a number of current printing technologies that don't do well in the dry mount press.

 

[Dave]

I would think that when a show requests work to be "dry-mounted" they are just stating that the work should be mounted by whatever means is appropriate.

Dave Makielski

 

[DesignsInk]

When photographers say dry mounted, they do generally mean dry mounting. Though sometimes they don't take new digital photos with heat sensitivities into account. What they are actually asking for is a photo uninfringed by a mat or frame, simply floated in the center of the backing. So that the photo may be judged purely on its own merits.

Also is the problem of dry down, which could be the case with the scuffed image mentioned. Inkjet images must be allowed to dry two weeks before being subjected to mounting temperatures, even low SpeeMount or Restore 150 degrees. A sensitive ink that mounts without damage at 150 degrees in 15 seconds can show surface ink damage at 150 degrees for 30 seconds. Just as a 160 degrees at 15 seconds could damage the same inkjet image. So the time/temperature ratio is very important, as well a dry down. Some inks can take as much as six months to dry, but always make sure the newly printed images have been printed at least two weeks beore dry mounting.

 

[Sister]

Originally posted by DesignsInk:

Inkjet images must be allowed to dry two weeks before being subjected to mounting temperatures, even low SpeeMount or Restore 150 degrees. A sensitive ink that mounts without damage at 150 degrees in 15 seconds can show surface ink damage at 150 degrees for 30 seconds. Just as a 160 degrees at 15 seconds could damage the same inkjet image. So the time/temperature ratio is very important, as well a dry down. Some inks can take as much as six months to dry, but always make sure the newly printed images have been printed at least two weeks before dry mounting.

Luckily, I have successfully dry mounted several photos for customers.

Chris, thanks for joining in on this and other topics, as the above info. will definitely be of more concern in future mounts. We welcome free, expert advice anytime!