What To Consider About Large Acrylic Printing

by Alex Melen on October 10, 2022

what-to-consider-about-large-acrylic-printing

After purchasing a large acrylic painting, some customers wish for something bigger that will have a greater impact. But which size is best? Your selection should be made based on three criteria, which are image resolution, wall space and budget, which are highlighted below.

Determining Maximum Print Size

You’ll want to begin by measuring the area where you will showcase the print. Once you’ve done that, the next thing you’ll need to consider is the resolution. For example, if you have an IPhone photo that you wish to get printed in 50-90” it might not be doable unless you use pano.

This is because 50-90” size prints will usually need a premium DSLR camera. It isn’t enough to merely resize photos to the size you desire. You’ll need to either use the IPhone panoramic feature in order to stitch together or buy a premium DSLR camera. This will enable you to print panoramics which are as big as 96’’ that look fantastic.

Determining Acrylic Size and Thickness

The maximum size for big acrylic prints is around 96x48 per panel. However, one way of getting around this (if you possess a file which may be printed above 96” width) is splitting the image into panels. Two is referred to as a diptych while three is called a triptych. The decision to split a photo into panels has become a popular option also for smaller prints because it is possible to span a bigger space while producing an impact which is more dramatic.

For acrylic thickness you’ll have the choice of ¼” or 1/8” acrylic for exceptionally large sizes. Most experts advise 1/8” acrylic as it will keep weight under control. Each piece will be backed using rigid dibond while including a complete subframe (that has French style cleat hanging) which will keep your acrylic print rigid while avoiding bowing.

Visualize Using Wall Gallery Software or Augmented Reality

Wall gallery software or augmented reality will enable you to capture photos of a space then superimpose the photo within the room at various sizes. There are many apps available so you’ll want to experiment to find one that works for you but most of the really good ones cost money. There are free apps available but they tend to be clunky, but the paid ones often don’t provide free trials so you’ll need to read views or watch online videos to get a feel for their interfaces.

Additional Factors to Consider

Thousands of large acrylic prints have been processed over the years and when done properly the results can be dramatic. Some of these prints have been created using metallic paper, while others consist of a large acrylic triptych which is 3 36x60 panels in size.

One thing to keep in mind when you create prints of this size is to be careful when positioning them near windows, as the sun glare can hit it and obstruct the view. Finally, if you don’t want to be bothered with creating an acrylic print yourself, there are companies that can do it on your behalf.

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