# Stupid question here, I need help with sizing



## iPhoto17 (Jun 17, 2014)

I'm surprising my girlfriend with a print she really likes of mine and I just need to know the standard landscape size prints, I haven't printed anything since I took photography in high school and I have no idea how landscapes are sized, I went to CVS.com and looked there for prints and the biggest they do is 8x10 and that's not big enough for the entire picture to fit, I have an account on fineartamerica.com and was just curious on how much prints would be from there for it and its nearly $100 dollars for a 16x8.88 with basic frame and matting (I know I can get my own frame and matting cheaper than that). But with all the photo stores gone now I don't know where I can get a size like that


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## sscarmack (Jun 17, 2014)

Why not do three 8x10's?

Left, center, right

And make a 'collage' style print out of it.

So your overall would be 10x24.


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## AmberAtLoveAndInk (Jun 17, 2014)

I use artsycouture.com, incredible pricing. Though they don't do frame work so you'll have to do that yourself, but they a large range of sizes and the quality is great.


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## iPhoto17 (Jun 17, 2014)

That's a good idea, I'll see how that looks, I've done similar with a train set of 3 photos but it was 3 separate photos instead of 1 long photo cut into 3


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## iPhoto17 (Jun 17, 2014)

I decided on a 10x20 with a half inch boarder, so I should find a frame that will overlap the photo by a quarter of a inch to show the boarder?


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## Big Mike (Jun 17, 2014)

I would look for a frame first, then print to match the size that will fit into the frame, or fit the cutout of the mat that goes in the frame.

Ideally, I would print to whatever size/shape looked best and custom frame it, but that gets expensive.


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## iPhoto17 (Jun 17, 2014)

Do mats usually come with the frame? There's a frame warehouse that opens in 10 minutes I'm gonna give them a call and see what they have available because they don't have 10x20 on the website, maybe they'll have one in store


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## iPhoto17 (Jun 17, 2014)

Well, 11x14 is the biggest landscape sized frame they have available without making it custom made and the guy said a custom 10x20 frame would end up being around 100 dollars, I had no idea it was gonna be this hard to just print and frame a landscape photo


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## Big Mike (Jun 17, 2014)

Some frames do come wit a mat, many don't.  You can usually buy a 'standard mat that is the for the next smallest standard size.  For example, you could buy an 8x10 frame with an 8x10 mat, which has an opening/cut out for a 5x7 photo.  You could buy an 11x14 mat with a cut out for an 8x10 photo....and so on.

You can cut (or have cut) a custom size mat but I don't think that is what you're looking for.

I would suggest that you go into this place, or Micheal's, or even Wal-mart/Target etc.  Look at their frames for something that will look nice with your photo and is in your price range.  

Once you have a frame picked out, have your photo printed at the size that will fit that frame.  You may have to crop the photo to get the correct shape/ratio...but that is pretty common.


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## iPhoto17 (Jun 17, 2014)

Amazon.com - ArtToFrames FRBW26079-10x20 Satin Black Picture Frame, 1-1/4-Inch Wide - Single Frames

I went with this frame and now I'm ordering my print and will make my own mat, what's a good length of mat to show past the frame? A quarter inch or half an inch in?


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## KmH (Jun 17, 2014)

iPhoto17 said:


> (I know I can get my own frame and matting cheaper than that). But with all the photo stores gone now I don't know where I can get a size like that


You can order custom framing materials from a variety of online stores like - Custom Picture Frames: Metal and Wood - DIY Picture Framing - American Frame

As it is you'll need a custom size print, but online print labs like Mpix cab do that for you and most online labs do not charge extra for the service.
However, you need to have the print made on paper larger than your image and then have the lab trim the excess.

Mpix.com has 10x20 (20x10 for your photo) paper and assuming you want a mat in front of the photo the sides of the print would have 2" borders and  the top/bottom would have a bit over 1/2 inch borders.
If you want a mat in front of the photo the border would facilitate framing the print and you wouldn't want the borders trimmed. 
You would need to do the set up using image editing software.

It would look like this. If you don't want it trimmed don't add the text. If you want an even border show where you want the sides trimmed so they are the same size as the top/bottom border and include the text.


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## vintagesnaps (Jun 17, 2014)

Adorama has a pretty good variety of frame and mat sizes and colors. I've heard AdoramaPix is good but I haven't tried them, I print my own. I've gotten framing materials from Lumiere Photo | Print, Publish, Present, Preserve in Rochester NY which is more pricey and geared more I think to gallery quality.


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## iPhoto17 (Jun 20, 2014)

Thanks for the help, I received the print today and the frame should be here tomorrow, I went to Michaels and they wanted to charge 25 dollars and a week to finish it, which doesn't sound right to me at all

View attachment 77480


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## KmH (Jun 20, 2014)

For a frame that size, $25 isn't expensive to have someone else do it, and Michaels does a lot of framing so it's no wonder you're #47 or so on the list.

What kind of paper is the print on? Did you get it coated for UV protection, and how will the print be kept from touching the glazing?


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## iPhoto17 (Jun 21, 2014)

KmH said:


> For a frame that size, $25 isn't expensive to have someone else do it, and Michaels does a lot of framing so it's no wonder you're #47 or so on the list.
> 
> What kind of paper is the print on? Did you get it coated for UV protection, and how will the print be kept from touching the glazing?



It's printed on 1/8 inch single weight matboard backing on Kodak Endura Metallic paper. I'm not sure if it's UV protected, so I will be making sure my girlfriend hangs it above her window away from direct sunlight, and as far as keeping it from touching the glass I guess I'll just use some cotton balls or something int he corners to push it back a little bit


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## KmH (Jun 22, 2014)

They are likely dry mounting the Kodak metallic print onto the mount board.

A mat that has a window cut in it so the photo shows and the mat serves to keep the print from contacting the glazing. Using a mat in front means needing a frame larger than the image. A mat in front of the image also helps visually separate the image from the wall wher the framed photo hangs.

If there won't be a mat in front, they make spacers that keep the glazing away from the print. 

That will shorten the life of the print, even if the mount board is of archival quality. Over time the mount board will absorb contaminants from the atmosphere and the acidity of the mount board will increase. Since the print is stuck to the mount board the mount board cannot be replaced and the more acid it becomes the quicker the print will deteriorate.


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## Shawnster (Jul 5, 2014)

iPhoto17 said:


> I'm surprising my girlfriend with a print she really likes of mine and I just need to know the standard landscape size prints, I haven't printed anything since I took photography in high school and I have no idea how landscapes are sized, I went to CVS.com and looked there for prints and the biggest they do is 8x10 and that's not big enough for the entire picture to fit, I have an account on fineartamerica.com and was just curious on how much prints would be from there for it and its nearly $100 dollars for a 16x8.88 with basic frame and matting (I know I can get my own frame and matting cheaper than that). But with all the photo stores gone now I don't know where I can get a size like that
> 
> View attachment 77133



at the risk do being yelled at by the anti Walmart folks,  maybe try them?  They have great prices and Quality Prints!


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## KmH (Jul 5, 2014)

Quality comes in a variety of grades.

The expertise of the in store personnel can vary widely from Walmart store to Walmart store.
The make/model of the machine used to make the prints can also vary, though most Walmart stores use one of the Fiji Frontier print making machine models.

Print machine maintenance is also a store by store variable.


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