Glossary

Acrylic seal

Mounted prints can be sealed with a thin PVC film. This lamination will protect the print from minor dirt and abrasion but it does flatten colours, in particular areas of black. Once the seal is applied it can not be removed.

Aluminium

For sleek simplicity, aluminium mounting offers an ultra smooth surface onto which we can mount a wide range of papers including high gloss and super gloss prints.

The aluminium is first precision cut by guillotine for perfect edges before the print is applied. Hanging is either by split batten or aluminium subframe.

Archival mounting

Archival mounting is a process of mounting a print or photograph to a material that will not degrade or will not suffer degradation due to the mounting process. It does not mean it is reversible or removable.

What does archival mean?

Baryta paper

We use a range of Innova Baryta Giclée papers that produce stunning results when used with Epson pigment Ultrachrome inks. Coating ranges from a semi-matte to an ultra gloss finish, with the texture and feel of the art paper base giving it a quality close to a traditional Fibre based photo paper.

The acid inhibiting crystal layer technology makes it the perfect digital FibaPrint alternative. The FibaPrint papers has an extremely large colour gamut and D-max rating of up to 2.7.

CCD scanning

High end film scanners use a charge-coupled device (CCD). Spectrum offer CCD scans on the latest Imacon X5 scanner. This enables us to produce scans in either 8 and 16 bit depth with a quality that now really does rival that of any drum scan.

This scanner handles all film formats up to 5×4. We recommend using the X5 particularly when scanning colour negatives as it can give a smoother scan than achievable with a drum scanner.

CMYK conversion

Conversion of an RGB file used to display on a monitor or print photographically to a CMYK print space used in the litho print industry.

Colour management

The term ‘colour management’ simply refers to controlled conversions between the colour representations of devices such as image scanners, digital cameras, monitors, TV screens, film printers, computer printers, offset presses and other corresponding media.

For more information see our Colour section.

C-Type prints

Archival photographic C-Type prints are made by exposing light onto paper which is then developed and washed using traditional techniques. Historically photographic papers have been exposed by light through a negative but are now exposed by high resolution digital printers.

The process offers the artist the feel and quality of a photographic print with the creativity and consistency that can only be achieved from a digital process. At Spectrum we use a ZBE Chromira printers to expose a range of Kodak and Fuji Crystal archive papers.

Dibond (Alupanel) 

When weight is an issue because of framing or transportation Dibond (Alupanel) is a good alternative to aluminium. Weighing less than half that of aluminium this material is made of a plastic core with aluminium coated on each side.

Hanging is either by split batten or aluminium subframe.

Duratrans

Duratran is a translucent-base material designed for producing large transparencies for displays on light boxes, with or without built-in diffusers.

Durospec™ – acrylic face mounting

Photographic prints are face mounted behind clear acrylic using a wet silicon gel, ensuring a perfect finish. The prints can be backed with Dibond (which has scraped edges), or alternatively we can back your Durospec with black or white acrylic. The edges are then diamond polished to a high shine.

This process, pioneered by Spectrum, creates stunning flawless results that will last for many years.

Edition prints

Edition prints are identical reproductions made from an existing archived file. Edition printing is a great way of fulfilling gallery sales as they can just call or email to place an order with no need to re-supply files.

At Spectrum we archive proof prints with their master files to ensure when editions are printed they are an exact match to their original. All ‘mastered’ files are automatically archived but you can also pay a small fee to archive existing colour managed files.

Foamex/PVC

3mm Foam PVC available in either black or white. This material is tougher than either card or foamboard and can be framed or hung directly to a wall with Velcro or suitable adhesives.

Fuji Crystal Archive paper

Fuji Crystal Archive paper uses optimized Silver Halide Crystals for laser exposure. Producing excellent prints from laser and LED printers. This paper is considered to be the industry standard for fine art printing, offering vivid colour reproduction ranging from subtle shades of green, to vivid blues and reds.

The paper exhibits high image stability during long-term dark storage and excellent light storage stability.

Giclée printing

The term Giclée has its origin in the French language meaning to spray. It is now used to describe the process of printing with pigment inks to produce the highest quality digital art prints.

Our prints are produced using the new 11 colour Epson UltraChrome HDX inks ensuring a wider colour gamut for optimum performance on fine art papers. The inks are specially formulated for superb prints that look exactly the same under a range of lighting conditions.

We print to a selection of Hahnemühle, Ilford and Innova papers.

ICC profiles

In colour management, an ICC profile is a set of data that characterises a colour input or output device, or a colour space, according to standards promulgated by the International Colour Consortium.

At Spectrum we create our own ICC profiles for papers that we print to. You can download our ICC profiles and view your image with the profile attached before ordering. This then enables you to make the necessary changes to get the best from your file.

To download and for more information about attaching an ICC profile click here.

Lambda printing

Digitally exposed photographic prints are known as Digital C- Type prints. The paper is exposed to light using RGB lasers or LEDs and is then photographically developed. Spectrum use a 50” ZBE Chromira printer to make archival photographic prints.

Master and supervised printing

When precise control of your image is required, one of our highly experienced Master Printers will work closely with you to achieve your desired result.

Both levels of service include adjusting and testing your files, either working remotely via the post or one-on-one in the studio. With both Master print services your files will be written to disk for you to keep, allowing you to order reprints easily.

MDF

Block mounting to MDF can create simple and effective displays. The edges are painted either black or white and are most commonly hung with 9mm battens making it appear to float from the wall.

Mountboard

We offer the highest possible protection for your artwork by using archivally sound materials in our framing department. We only use Artcare™ mountboard for our window mounts, described as the next generation in museum-quality conservation.

Whereas standard mountboards are purely acid-free so as not to harm artwork, Artcare™ proactively traps and neutralises pollutants and acid by-products that would damage your artwork. We offer this at no more cost than a standard mountboard.

Museum card

Museum card is lightweight, archival and very cost effective. It is normally used when prints are to be framed as it is thin and lightweight. All card has a slight texture making it unsuitable for gloss prints.

Museum glass

Museum glass protects against UV light. Where colour reproduction and clarity of image is of the utmost importance we recommend Mirogard. All Mirogard™ glass can be used at any distance off the artwork without image distortion, making it perfect for box frames. Because it is absolutely colour neutral and reduce reflections to less than one per cent, Mirogard glass is as good as invisible.

Leading authorities on preservation recommend using glazing that blocks at least 97% UV light. Tru Vue Conservation Clear and Mirogard™ Anti-Reflect glass plus enhanced UV filtration glazing products surpass this standard in providing up to 99% UV protection.

This is the maximum level of protection available in the industry, protecting against irreversible UV light damage.