Transferring Photos to Canvas/Masonite

CAGallery

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Jun 14, 1999
Posts
574
Loc
Brooklyn, NY
Hello Everyone,

It has been so long since I have been online that I forgot my user ID and password and had to request it :). It looks like there has been some good posts/discussions and I wish I could keep up daily.

I was wondering how many of you offer the service of transferring photographs to canvas when framing someone's photograph. We have offered it for years with success but our supplier's quality of work has declined in the past year or so.

We are now looking for another source for this service. We have been in touch with Old Grange and they explained to us that they remove the photograph inks from the paper and transfer it to canvas. This is not the method we have used before and we don't feel comfortable with it.

Any ideas? Also, we would like to move up to some of the beautiful finishes we sometimes get in on photographs. They are mounted on masonite and have several different finishes which look fabulous. If there are any photographers out there maybe you can direct me to a source for this as well.

Thanks in advance.

Cee
 
We can do it. We scan the photograph/negative, do a little clean up work and contrast adjustment for $30 and print for 10/sq.ft. on canvas. We don't hurt the original. We print using Epson Archival pigmented inks on an Epson 10000 wide format printer. We also coat the canvas extending its prefade life to well over 40 years. You can cointact me through the web site info. Feel free to call. Warren
 
Thank you Warren. We are actually looking for someone who uses the original photograph. We have someone locally who does scanning, touch up etc. and then can print it for us.

Cee
 
Cee, why would you want the original photograph destroyed? Removing the emulsion and glueing it to canvas won't look better than printing on photo canvas. Is it less expensive?
 
We offer a scan and print (for photos) OR direct to canvas (for digital files) service. It's much better quality than tranferring (gluing) the original AND preserves the photo. We use OG for prints and posters, photos we do locally.

I wasn't aware Warren offered the service but I'll be in touch - he's a little better priced than my current service provider.

Tony
 
I hope those of you that offer this service are aware that unless you have permission from the maker of a professional photograph to scan it and print it in this manner, you are in violation of copyright law. I would hesitate to even transfer a professionally made photo to canvas, just as I would any other copyrighted work of art.
 
Originally posted by Warren Tucker:
Cee, why would you want the original photograph destroyed? Removing the emulsion and glueing it to canvas won't look better than printing on photo canvas. Is it less expensive?
It just seemed to me that those photographs that come in directly from the photographers are done that way and they seem very clear. I was out for a couple of days but when I get back to work I will check some of them out carefully. If I recall correctly most of them have brushstrokes as well.

Also, if you scan the original what would the customer do with the original?

I would still be interested in finding a source of transferring photos to Masonite. We have found these to be very safe and long lasting for family photographs which in years to come can be irreplaceable.

As far as the copyright comment is concerned I would guess that scanning would be more of a question than using the original because you are not producing or copying a new one. These are family photographs and not artwork and I would think that mounting it to canvas when framing would be just like dry mounting it to board when framing.

Warren - I will check out your website now.
 
Yes, scanning and producing a copy of a professional photograph is a copyright violation and is illegal. I belong to the Professional Photographers of America (PPA, which is not affiliated with the PMA) and they have worked very hard over the years to protect photographers rights.

As far a mounting a photo to canvas or masonite, that is a gray area. Since frame shops have gotten in trouble for mounting limited edition prints to canvas, I would be cautious about mount photos also. If they didn't come in that way, the photographer or artist could make the claim that you have altered their art. As far as masonite is concerned, it is a common mounting method but it isn't archival so I don't think it would really protect the photo in the long run. Plus it is very heavy. I prefer to use 4 or 8 ply unbuffered rag board.
 
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