Inkjet print life expectancy?

[mud]

Hi all,

Until now, I print at home on an HP PSC1210 with higher quality glossy photo paper. This works fine for the fun & family stuff. Lately, I've been fortunate to have a few requests for purchased matted prints. My concern is offering a product that will withstand time without fading. I've tried a couple of the kiosks offered by Kodak & Fuji but they tend to crop and adjust at will with no input from me. I also think they're quite pricey at $6-7 per sheet.

Also, where can I find some info on matting and using the right adhesives that will not negatively affect the prints?

Appreciate any feedback..thanks!

~mud

[Trevor Ash]

Hi all,

Until now, I print at home on an HP PSC1210 with higher quality glossy photo paper. This works fine for the fun & family stuff. Lately, I've been fortunate to have a few requests for purchased matted prints. My concern is offering a product that will withstand time without fading. I've tried a couple of the kiosks offered by Kodak & Fuji but they tend to crop and adjust at will with no input from me. I also think they're quite pricey at $6-7 per sheet.

Also, where can I find some info on matting and using the right adhesives that will not negatively affect the prints?

Appreciate any feedback..thanks!

~mud

Hi mud,

This is a pretty big topic for which I claim little expertise. There's a lot of information out there that covers it and much of it is still being learned and understood.

I know of a few things to consider that affect longevity including, paper, ink, paper + ink combination, matting materials, glass materials, etc.

If I were in your position the first thing I'd ask myself (realistically) is "How long do I really need this print to last in the different environments I know it will be used in?"

For example, if the print will only be hung in a dark place with no direct sunlight, and I want the print to maintain its quality for a max of 20 years, then that would be a lot easier to find the materials to accomplsih that than looking for something that will hang in direct sunlight for 2000 years. I hope you get my point....which is to be realistic and honest with your needs and the expectations of those who will buy your print.

From that point forward it's just a matter of identifying the materials that meet your needs. And the less your needs are (longevity) the more optinos and easier this whole process will be for you.

Good luck. I'll be very curious to know how this works out for you and what you decide on.