To hang these and prevent warping (which all foamcore does), make a wooden frame out of 3/4 inch poplar sticks. If it's a 16x20 print, make a frame that's 12x16 and use wood glue to mount on the back of the board in the center. This is a reverse frame. Hang it on the wall and looks like the print is floating off the wall. Since wooden frame is smaller and in the center, can't see it. Also prevents the core from warping due to the sticks.
Thanks for all of the great videos Mark. A couple of tips I would add to this tutorial are: 1. It's more expensive but a steal vs. aluminum straight edge for cutting will last longer over time. Aluminum can actually get sliced up some over time by a blade where steal will not. 2. There are straight edges made for cutting which have a small lip on them. These are safer too. It has happened (experience speaking here) where the blade jumps up onto the straight edge and into the hand holding it....
If you are going to be doing a lot of mounting I recommend using a XYRON instead of spray mount.... it really makes things better.... No spray going all over the place. When you run your print through a Xyron it adds a layer of glue to the back much like a sticker.
I'm not a fan of the spray and drop technique and a trick I learned while laying plastic laminates was to place the sheet on dowels. This allowed precise positioning of the sheet so that it could be smoothed out gradually from one end thus preventing trapping air bubbles. This technique also works well with large photographs especially if you are working on your own. The dowels, spaced about 50 - 75mm (2"-3") apart, are positioned across the smallest dimension of the sheet and can be rolled along and removed before hitting the next dowel in the lineup.
I would recommend purchasing a 4 x 8 board (or even smaller) that is pre-coated with a backed adhesive instead of using the spray. A local reprographics company should be able to do this for you, and the adhesive will be much easier to deal with. Mounting your work would be very similar to what is going on in this video, except you would just have to peel the backing off of the board to expose the adhesive.
If you spray glue on the board, it will get sticky and will be harder to trim. If you trace first you will be wasting you time because it will be way too hard to align the print with the trace and at the end you'll find out that the way his showing in the video is just easier, it takes a bit of practice but it's not hard at all.
3. This tip has saved me and my expensive artwork/ print more than a few times. You can cut on the outside of the edge so that only a small edge of the artwork is peaking out from the straight edge vs. putting the blade on the inside (on the side where the majority of the print is). If by some chance the blade moves away from the edge you will not slice into the print but away from it. If you did slice into it you could ruin it.....
and finally...4. Making sure that your print out is flat (before spraying on the Super 77 adhesive) and not curve could also save you some frustration when placing it down on the foam core board. Sometimes large prints are put in tubes for shipping and storing which causes them to curve. If this happens you can often roll them in the opposite direction very carefully and subtly to get the print flat again. Just do this a little bit at a time and be patient not to force it and it will work.
His advise about using fresh blades and the straight cutter are so important AND it is something I have not been doing but will from now on. Since I usually don't have anyone to help me I'll lay it flat on newspapers and spray. The other practice I have changed is that I will spray the print instead of the board; it makes sense but sometimes we get into bad habits. The only thing I didn't like was the background music it seems to be something that industrial training film makers are addicted to. Granted that was picking of nits but overall this was and is a very helpful video.
The largest I've ever done is 13 by 19. The way I did it was to line the photo up on the board (that was already the same size as the photo. Press one end the photo and the board and lift up the other end and spray half of it...lay that part back onto the paper and then lift the other half.
@zehcnas1008 Do a search for foam board hangers on line. I'm pretty sure that Michael's and Hobby Lobby both carry them. They're really simple and inexpensive. They just stick onto the back of your foam core board and then you just hang it like any frame
My dad and I used to build kitchens in Seattle. We laminated many interesting things. We used the School sized mini blinds to lay out our heavy materials. We used contact cement and when we slid them out some would get messy just like using the 3M on the photos. The Metal was easy to clean, and the excess on the wood which, was more porous, making it harder to clean. I'm thinking that a proper length set of Cheep mini blinds will work for photo mounting. That's if you don't have extra hands. All you have to do is cut the cord.
The blade was Long enough so why did you not cut all the way through? Also why not use the Logan Board Mounted Mat Cutters Much better and also a mat I think is much better then like bear on a foam board. As for smoothing out the print on the board Why not use a J roller? better then a cloth
well, you guys know a lot about photograpy i agree. But you know nothing about health and safety. Your lungs are a very important part of the breathing system. Wear a respirator when speaying any glue products.
100th like from an Indian :) amzing guy you are mark i have sent you a mail with my question do look at it as its really gonna help many people its about Night Light painting with slower shutter speeds ..
I have bubbles under my yupo paper (which would be similar to photo paper) ....I used a spray adhesive and squeeged the yupo paper out flat, but now bubbles are showing up after a couple of What can I do?
Why not just spray the board rather than the photo? Why not measure the photo and trace it on the board first? Than you can cut it without risking messing up your photo?
By the time I buy a metal square, and a straight cut...oh and extra blades, and the spray adhesive, and the gloves, and the extra paper or plastic for overspray, and the matboard to protect my print, and then finally buy the foamboard to mount it on.....I think I'll pay my lab.
@kingalias Some will tell you dived the size by 300ppi; BUT the bigger you go you can lower the resolution as its all about viewing distance. But it need to be sharp in the first place as any error in focus will be magnified when bigger.
Hi Mark Really appreciate the work you are doing, as a result I'm inspired, particularly with large print, could you help.. I need a good large scale printer but I'm not sure which to buy.. I have a budget of $2000, but willing to go up to $3000, the truth is I dont have a clue about these things..however, I need the best bang for my buck... Regards Luke Luke
To hang these and prevent warping (which all foamcore does), make a wooden frame out of 3/4 inch poplar sticks. If it's a 16x20 print, make a frame that's 12x16 and use wood glue to mount on the back of the board in the center. This is a reverse frame. Hang it on the wall and looks like the print is floating off the wall. Since wooden frame is smaller and in the center, can't see it. Also prevents the core from warping due to the sticks.
Thanks for all of the great videos Mark. A couple of tips I would add to this tutorial are: 1. It's more expensive but a steal vs. aluminum straight edge for cutting will last longer over time. Aluminum can actually get sliced up some over time by a blade where steal will not. 2. There are straight edges made for cutting which have a small lip on them. These are safer too. It has happened (experience speaking here) where the blade jumps up onto the straight edge and into the hand holding it....
A protective mask and protective goggles are more than necessary with the spray glue. Otherwise the damage may by irreversible.
If you are going to be doing a lot of mounting I recommend using a XYRON instead of spray mount.... it really makes things better.... No spray going all over the place. When you run your print through a Xyron it adds a layer of glue to the back much like a sticker.
I'm not a fan of the spray and drop technique and a trick I learned while laying plastic laminates was to place the sheet on dowels. This allowed precise positioning of the sheet so that it could be smoothed out gradually from one end thus preventing trapping air bubbles. This technique also works well with large photographs especially if you are working on your own. The dowels, spaced about 50 - 75mm (2"-3") apart, are positioned across the smallest dimension of the sheet and can be rolled along and removed before hitting the next dowel in the lineup.
I'd rather use a heat press (even a hand one) and a paper guillotine. Much safer, easier, and less messy.
Amazing... sadly, I even have trouble putting a screen protector on my phone.
This video explains why I have my lab do my mounting.
I would recommend purchasing a 4 x 8 board (or even smaller) that is pre-coated with a backed adhesive instead of using the spray. A local reprographics company should be able to do this for you, and the adhesive will be much easier to deal with. Mounting your work would be very similar to what is going on in this video, except you would just have to peel the backing off of the board to expose the adhesive.
Great video. The process isn't that hard at all once you get used to it. Heck design/photo majors in school are required to know how to do this!
Totally worth the few extra bucks to have Miller's do this for me.
If you spray glue on the board, it will get sticky and will be harder to trim.
If you trace first you will be wasting you time because it will be way too hard to align the print with the trace and at the end you'll find out that the way his showing in the video is just easier, it takes a bit of practice but it's not hard at all.
3. This tip has saved me and my expensive artwork/ print more than a few times. You can cut on the outside of the edge so that only a small edge of the artwork is peaking out from the straight edge vs. putting the blade on the inside (on the side where the majority of the print is). If by some chance the blade moves away from the edge you will not slice into the print but away from it. If you did slice into it you could ruin it.....
How do you attach some kind of mounting hangers or whatever so you can mount the picture on the wall?
as a student, watching this during break is like re-living last semester.
and finally...4. Making sure that your print out is flat (before spraying on the Super 77 adhesive) and not curve could also save you some frustration when placing it down on the foam core board. Sometimes large prints are put in tubes for shipping and storing which causes them to curve. If this happens you can often roll them in the opposite direction very carefully and subtly to get the print flat again. Just do this a little bit at a time and be patient not to force it and it will work.
His advise about using fresh blades and the straight cutter are so important AND it is something I have not been doing but will from now on. Since I usually don't have anyone to help me I'll lay it flat on newspapers and spray. The other practice I have changed is that I will spray the print instead of the board; it makes sense but sometimes we get into bad habits.
The only thing I didn't like was the background music it seems to be something that industrial training film makers are addicted to. Granted that was picking of nits but overall this was and is a very helpful video.
great tips, add to that a shop vac (with a throw away filter) near the spray area, and bull dog clips instead of people to hold the print.
The largest I've ever done is 13 by 19. The way I did it was to line the photo up on the board (that was already the same size as the photo. Press one end the photo and the board and lift up the other end and spray half of it...lay that part back onto the paper and then lift the other half.
I love this idea. One question though, "How would you hang these foamboards on a wall without framing?" Any ideas?
I just print them to self adhesive vinyl (up to 61" shorter side) then I can apply the print anywhere with a smooth squeegee laminating tool.
ever thought about covering it in resin now???!?
ill send you some!
No mask, No ventilation - no clue about how to do this properly.
If only I had a team to help with the aligning!
Mark......Is there anything you don't do?...LOL Great tutorial! Thank you!
@zehcnas1008 Do a search for foam board hangers on line. I'm pretty sure that Michael's and Hobby Lobby both carry them. They're really simple and inexpensive. They just stick onto the back of your foam core board and then you just hang it like any frame
...Instead you would simply have to realign the blade and continue cutting without ever harming the print.
Good work mark! I was curious how my labs were doing this. Now I'm certain that they are incredibly smart business people :) -mM
Nice video as usual......Thanks Mark.........
Very helpful! Any ideas for what to use to actually hang on well?
why don't you spray the foam instead of the picture?
I was thinking the same thing done thousands of foam mounts.
Looks like a Logan straight cutting tool.
thanks Mark!
My dad and I used to build kitchens in Seattle. We laminated many interesting things. We used the School sized mini blinds to lay out our heavy materials. We used contact cement and when we slid them out some would get messy just like using the 3M on the photos. The Metal was easy to clean, and the excess on the wood which, was more porous, making it harder to clean. I'm thinking that a proper length set of Cheep mini blinds will work for photo mounting. That's if you don't have extra hands. All you have to do is cut the cord.
The blade was Long enough so why did you not cut all the way through? Also why not use the Logan Board Mounted Mat Cutters Much better and also a mat I think is much better then like bear on a foam board. As for smoothing out the print on the board Why not use a J roller? better then a cloth
well, you guys know a lot about photograpy i agree. But you know nothing about health and safety. Your lungs are a very important part of the breathing system. Wear a respirator when speaying any glue products.
Thanks Mark real good!, can you make a video on how to size photos on photoshop for printing? Thanks again.
EARLIER THIS YEAR...,, Mark its 2012 time to buy a new calendar haha
This guy is making this as he goes. He has no idea what he doing.
so... how do you do this procedure with only 2 hands?
Two sided sticking foil is better than glue spray
100th like from an Indian :)
amzing guy you are mark
i have sent you a mail with my question do look at it as its really gonna help many people
its about Night Light painting with slower shutter speeds ..
I have bubbles under my yupo paper (which would be similar to photo paper) ....I used a spray adhesive and squeeged the yupo paper out flat, but now bubbles are showing up after a couple of What can I do?
Why not just spray the board rather than the photo? Why not measure the photo and trace it on the board first? Than you can cut it without risking messing up your photo?
What if you don't have that kind of room to work with and don't have any helpers?
By the time I buy a metal square, and a straight cut...oh and extra blades, and the spray adhesive, and the gloves, and the extra paper or plastic for overspray, and the matboard to protect my print, and then finally buy the foamboard to mount it on.....I think I'll pay my lab.
@kingalias Some will tell you dived the size by 300ppi; BUT the bigger you go you can lower the resolution as its all about viewing distance. But it need to be sharp in the first place as any error in focus will be magnified when bigger.
is that other guy in the video ryan seacrest?
How do I know how large I can make my prints from my camera?
Hi Mark
Really appreciate the work you are doing, as a result I'm inspired, particularly with large print, could you help.. I need a good large scale printer but I'm not sure which to buy.. I have a budget of $2000, but willing to go up to $3000, the truth is I dont have a clue about these things..however, I need the best bang for my buck...
Regards
Luke Luke
EPSON SURE COLOR P6000.
wouldn't it be easier to spray the foam core instead of the back of the photo? just wondering.
I thought that while watching, but cutting the excess foam core would be a pain because it would have adhesive on it.
how do you prevent warping with large prints?
Or do the obvious since you ORDERED the printed photo...order it with a foam backing. Problem solved and look no mess.
Is rag mat, say 4 ply going to work the same as foam board? And is the glue going to last many years?
Why the hell I always see like there's a little bit of motion blur in "AMA TV"?
i think you meant "you're"
@WylunCustoms Hey , one of your subscribers ! ;D Big fan of your vids
Should you wear a mask?
Can you make more episods on prints please?
@Drmikekuna fyi, thats the hardest thing to do on your phone.
what kind of paper did you use to print the photos?
@YipKuSing All hail our new king!
Nice big ass printer ! Name ?
what's that spray ?!!!!
What is the name/brand of the cutting tool?
+scottbrosenthal Looks like a Logan straight cutting tool.
@TheOptiflash hey!
wow. that's a hassle. I think I will just keep paying $6 to have mine dry mounted at my local hobby store.
Something went wrong at 7:15 or am I wrong? I heard ".... has to be flat..... I could shoot me"
1st
how do you mount the final product to the wall?
how you see fit