Add Finishes, Textures, and Customizations to Make Your Metal Prints All the Better
- Understanding Different Finishes
- Exploring Texture Options
- Customization Options for Your Metal Prints
- Practical Considerations
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Whether you are a beginner photographer or a professional, metal prints are an excellent way to showcase your best images. They make colors POP and add extra contrast to photos, giving them a beautiful high-definition look. But did you know that there are many different types of metal prints?
That’s right! And in this comprehensive metal print guide, we’ll explore the most popular types of finishes, textures, and customization options you can use when printing on metal to make your images look even better. Additionally, we’ll recommend one of our favorite places to customize and order high-quality metal prints.
With that in mind, it’s time to put on your learning caps as we dive in and discover how to elevate your metal prints to the next level!
Table of Contents
Understanding Different Finishes
Different surface and finish options are usually available depending on where you order metal prints. Since we don’t want to overload you with information and bore you, instead of reviewing them all, we’ll just look at four of the most in-demand finishes: white gloss, white matte, white semi-gloss, and silver gloss. All of them bring unique pros and cons to the table.
First up is white gloss. It’s far and away the most popular finish, thanks to the stunning depth of color and luminosity it transmits. It pairs extremely well with landscape and sports photography and digital art. One thing to note is that white gloss metal prints can be quite reflective, so it’s better not to display them in places with too much direct sunlight.
Next, there’s the white matte finish. It is a smooth, more discreet surface with anti-reflective properties. That said, it still provides rich colors and in no way will dull your image. Matte metal prints are ideal for portraits, wedding photography, and black-and-white images. Moreover, they are good for outdoor photography exhibitions since they don't create reflections.
White semi-gloss is a hybrid that perfectly fills the void between gloss and matte finishes. It emulates the high dynamic range color depth of glossy metal prints while simultaneously minimizing reflections. All photography genres look fantastic on white semi-gloss metal prints, and they are great for hanging in rooms that receive lots of natural light.
Finally, you have silver surfaces for the creative folk out there. While silver gloss is the most common, you can also get silver matte and silver semi-gloss metal prints. Silver finishes add a mesmerizing metallic shimmer to your prints and are terrific for photographers who want their prints to stand out.
Check out the video above by Nateinthewild to learn more about metal prints and how different finishes affect them.
Exploring Texture Options
Similarly, you can sometimes select the texture of your metal prints. Don’t worry if your favorite print shop doesn’t offer this, though, because it is not as common (or as important) as the finish. You will likely have to decide between smooth and brushed metal prints if you have the choice. Let’s learn more about each one.
“Smooth” metal prints are the standard beautiful metal prints you are accustomed to seeing. They are printed directly onto non-textured aluminum sheets using a modern printing technique called dye sublimation. This process fuses the ink with the aluminum, making metal prints more vibrant and durable than other print types.
If you want to add an artistic look and feel to your image, you should opt for brushed metal prints. They are created in the same way but are printed on textured metal instead, which gives them a unique glint and highlights the brightest parts of your image. Brushed metal prints typically have either a silver or gold metallic effect.
Check out our article “Metal Prints vs Brushed Metal Prints: What’s the Difference?” to learn more about textures.
Learn More:
>Customization Options for Your Metal Prints
Two easy ways to customize your metal prints are by choosing framing and mounting solutions that work for you. Every framing and mounting option conveys a different effect, so working with a professional printing company is best to achieve your desired result. One company we highly recommend is Large Metal Prints.
As its name suggests, it specializes in printing large metal prints, but the truth is that it delivers high-quality prints of all sizes (big and small). Furthermore, they boast unparalleled customer service, affordable prices, and various framing and mounting options. Here are the options they currently offer:
Practical Considerations
Two important things to consider about metal prints are durability and price. They are way more durable than most other print mediums, but you still must care for them correctly. This includes preventative actions (hanging them in safe places) and maintenance (cleaning them regularly).
As for price, the cheapest metal prints are those without frames, making them wonderful options for hobbyists and photographers on a budget. Framed metal prints are always more expensive, but professionals and galleries often prefer them and are willing to pay the extra price to achieve a classier look.
Lastly, here’s a recap of what pictures pair well with what finishes and where to place them. Glossy prints are good for photos with bold colors, like landscapes and travel photography, and you should avoid hanging them in direct sunlight. Matte prints match well with black-and-white photography and are perfect for outdoor display. Semi-gloss prints combine features of both, work with all photos, and look great in offices and rooms with many windows.
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Disclaimer: Just so you know, some of the cool stuff we mention comes with affiliate links, meaning we earn a commission if you buy (no extra charge to you!). Plus, we occasionally feature sponsored content, but rest assured, we only shout out products we genuinely stand behind.
