To mount or not to mount...?

[gr82bart]

In these print exchanges, do you guys mount or unmount the prints?

I ask because just before I was going send out my prints, I recieved a beautiful - nay, amazing - print from PATS that was mounted. So I turned around, bought mounting supplies and just finished mounting my prints. I didn't want to contravene ettiquette.

So, back to the question, do we mount or un-mount? Really curious.

Art.

 

[Ole]

Unmounted.

Just about every print I get or send goes by intercontinental mail, and I have found that unmounted prints stand up to that treatment far better.

I attach my prints to cardboard with photo corners, cover with (archival) paper, another cardboard, and into the envelope. So far I haven't heard that any have been damaged, which is better than the mounted prints I've received.

 

[VoidoidRamone]

In the previous exchange all three prints I recieved were unmounted and none were damaged. This exchange, my first print I have received is mounted and it also was not damaged. I send out my prints unmounted because I usually mat to 16x20, and that's pretty big and seems almost prone to damage unless I did some really heavy-duty packaging. And I've heard that some prefer unmounted because they take up less room- therefore easy to store. I personally don't mind what I receive, but I prefer to send unmounted.
-Grant

 

[etriplett]

Art.

Being in your group, also recieved Pats print, mounted. I therefore mounted mine as well...I didn't go as far as creating a window mat, but I did feel like it might take the shipping a little better if I did mount it. I also did it for asthetic reasons, since most of the prints were rather wrinkled. If you want to send them unmounted that's cool with me, I know how much of a hassle it can be to measure and cut everything, I always get a nice headache after trying to focus on stuff like that.

-The E

 

[Pats]

Thank you for the wonderful comment on my photo. I sent my out matted as to me it looks more professional ( personal opinion only ) and more complete. I sell alot of my photos at outdoor art shows and I find the public perfers them to be semi finished or comlpetely finished. Very rarely do I get requestes for the picture only. I figure I spent so much time making sure the pictures are archival that by mounting and matting them myself I know for sure the are done with archival mats etc. I am sorry that yours got dinged on one corner . I have not had any problem before and I have sent my pictures around the world to varoius customers. My policy is if there is damage that I will replace it and will do the same for you if you like . I look forward to receiving the last two prints form group 10 . I also look forward to participating in the next round .
Cheers Pats

 

[gr82bart]

Looks like unmounted gets the edge here, but there are fewer voters.

Art.

 

[bobfowler]

The prints I mailed yesterday (group exchange) are 8X10's in 11X14 mounts. I took a tip from the print Bob Carnie sent me in the last blind exchange and sandwiched the mount between 2 pieces of slightly oversize foam core, then slid that (with a short letter about the picture) into a large bubble wrap lined mailer.

Postage wasn't as bad as you might think - the 2 prints that went to APUGers here in the States were only $3.85 each for USPS Priority Mail, and the one to Canada was $3.75 for USPS Airmail.

My print for the blind exchange will be sent the same way - as soon as it's made!

 

[colrehogan]

I received several mounted prints in the last exchange. I didn't send mine out matted last time as I haven't really had much practice with the mount cutter yet (I know, now is a good time). Don't know if it will be done that way this time either. Things are kind of hectic at the moment.

 

[Bob F.]

It does not seem to take much of a bend to damage a dry-mounted print. A slight bend during the postal experience that does not come anywhere near to damaging the mount can cause a crease in the print that seems to be just in the top few fibres of the paper and the emulsion layer, destroying the print. I'd be interested in the opinions of anyone who ships a lot of prints dry mounted as my experience, though limited, seems to be echoed by what I have read elsewhere. Corner mounts seem immune from this problem as the paper can flex separately from the mount.

Cheers, Bob.

 

[KenM]

Personally, a print never leaves my house unless it's first been mounted. Matting, however, is only done if a print is to be framed. However, the added cost and time to mount prints was one of the reasons why I dropped out of the print exchange.

Out of the 20-odd prints I received as part of the print exchange, maybe 2-3 were mounted.

 

[Ole]

I have sent matted but unmounted prints. In my experience this is far safer than mounted but unmatted

 

[MurrayMinchin]

This Blind Print Exchange will be my first. I'm going to send out an unmounted, flattened print with a wide border. Space, or lack of it, is an issue in our home.

Murray

 

[Peter Rockstroh]

I always mount my prints. Not only do I think they look better mounted, but if they require spotting (and they often do), I can only do that with a mounted print. I also find it easier to evaluate a mounted/matted print, as the broad frame isolates the image from its surroundings.