Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "tboleyyh" <tyler@...> wrote:
>
> actually I've seen quite a bit of large inkjet works framed that way, with plexi. The papers were always fairly textured and porous fine art matte, and the entire sandwich not air tight (porous materials as backing too).
> The problem I would worry about is that these prints "perspire" well into later life if hit with direct sun, moisture forming at that papersurface/plexi transition would definitely create stains.
> If they buy the prints it's their decision, and all you can do is warn them of possible consequences.
> Obvioulsy it would not be wise to do it with photo surface papers.
> Tyler

I have a large inkjet print in my office done just this way in a gold frame (I like the borderless "painterly" look).  I plan on adding several samples with different microporous surface types into my real world print monitoring studies.  I monitor light, temperature and RH inside the frame package over long time periods.

 While the concerns expressed by others in this thread are real, I'm not so sure they apply to all inkjet papers. Traditional photographic emulsion use gelatin.  Gelatin is a unique polymer with a Tg (glass transition temperature) that varies with moisture content.  When the relative humidity reaches approximately 75% at normal room temperatures, the gelatin coating reverts to gel state, then later upon drying down again (ie. returning below Tg) it glues itself to the glazing if in direct contact. The phenomenon is often called ferrotyping, and this Tg issue is also what accounts for the silver ion diffusion that leaves the silver mirroring/tarnish look on many old B&W photos.  However, microporous inkjet papers aren't going to have these Tg issues whereas swellable inkjet papers have it to excess because they use a highly water soluble gelatin coating. So, for certain type inkjet papers with microporous coatings or acrylic overcoats,  direct contact may be perfectly safe. That said, I need to test my hypothesis with some real world print studies...now in progress.

cheers,
Mark
http://www.aardenburg-imaging.com