Mounting and storage questions

Hi All,

I am curious to hear how you all store your prints and what sizes you cut the matts/backing boards for your prints.

Currently I store my unmounted prints in acid free cardboard boxes I bought locally but can no longer find. Any suggestions for good storage boxes for unmounted prints and presentation type boxes for mounted prints?

Normally I have matted and framed my prints one or two sizes larger than the print...ie: an 8x10 print is matted 11x14, and 11x14 print is matted 16x20.

I am finding however that I now prefer to matt a bit bigger. An 8x10 in a 13x15 matt is very nice, especially if I window mount the print. What size would then be right for 11x14? 16x20?

Thanks

Craig

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I am not a big image printer. I use 16x20 for nearly everything. Most of my stuff is in the 8x10 size and mount and cut matts so that the image is slightly above the middle and the top and two sides are the same depth. I store prints in mylar bags and in an archival boxes.

lee\c

13 X 16 works out nicely, in my opinion, for 4X5, 5X7, and 8X10. This allows six mounts and/or overmats to be cut from a 32X40 sheet of mat board. I don't enlarge larger then 11X14 much anymore. I use 16X20 mount and overmat for that size print since it allows better utilization of the material again.

For 12X20 contacts I make a mount and overmat 20X30. With the sides and top width at appr 4 1/2 inches and the bottom at appr. 5 1/2 inches. This again allows a mount and overmat to be cut from a 32X40 sheet of mat board.

I use an acid free storage case for my loose prints. I use a portfolio case for my matted and mounted work. Both obtained from Light Impressions.

I am using 14X17 for 8X10, 16X20 for !!X14, and 20X24 for 16X20. I store my matted & un-matted prints in archival boxes available from Light Impressions as well as several local sources.