Help w/ plaques & placards (for photo show)

[Heroique]

Im planning a 4x5 b/w show that will feature landscape shots – mainly neighborhood trees that have disappeared over the years – and I’d like your ideas about simple, attractive placards w/ a discreet presence.

A little about the presentation: the b/w photos are on white mat board – floating dry-mounts w/ a single over-mat inside black aluminum frames. The frames are 11x14 and 16x20, hung on long wire anchored a few feet above, where wall meets ceiling. A simple presentation for a casual, “coffee-shop”-type atmosphere.

On each placard, I need minimal information. For example:

Western Hemlock
Volunteer Park
June, 2007

BTW, I have plenty of leftover 4-ply mat board (matching the photo mats) that I could use for material, and I’m open to additional ideas. I’ve considered not using placards (that’s usually my preference) but including them in this case would better serve my aims. So I’d like to keep them simple, understated, minimalist – in harmony with the photos – not showy, expensive, distracting.

— In your experience, what materials & style (including printing) have worked?
— What size for the placard would be appropriate?
— How should it attach to the wall, and where in relation to the frame?

[Bill Burk]

I think it would look great in hand-set type (or Ludlow) on letterpress.

[John T]

Letterpress-printed cards are distinct but can be a problem.

Some people like the type debossed into the paper, but even a "kiss" impression would be very clean and rich. However, letterpress isn't designed for single prints. Setting type (or creating a Ludlow or Linotype slug) and printing one card isn't very cost effective unless you own your own printing equipment.

Also, most printers would not want to make adjustments to their press to accommodate the thickness of the mat boards with such a small press run. You would have to buy paper to match the tonality of your mat boards.

As an alternative to a plain placard, how about including a small photo of the location without the tree on the card. This could place the photo of the tree in a stronger, more poignant context.

[Jon Shiu]

You could use clear labels directly on the wall, or labels on a slightly larger piece of mat board. Partly depends on the wall color.

Jon

[Heroique]

Thanks for the pros and cons of letterpress printing. And Jon’s suggestion about clear labels on a wall is a simple idea to consider. That also makes me think about putting clear (adhesive) labels on the matching mat board, then cutting it down on my mat board cutter for clean edges. And perhaps use double-sided tape to attach it to the wall, adjacent to the photo. Another frugal option that might also look nice.

[Ron McElroy]

If you choose the label on matboard approach, you can cut the outside of the matboard with a reverse bevel.

[Heroique]

If you choose the label on matboard approach, you can cut the outside of the matboard with a reverse bevel.

I would have reached for my straight-edge cutter w/o considering this.

The beveled edge would look attractive indeed, and complement the photo matting.

Thank you.

[rdenney]

Back in the deeps of time, I hand-set lettering for a show using press-type, photographed them using a 4x5 camera with Kodalith, and made contact prints, all so that the finish on the placards would be "photographic".

Now, I would just print them in a laser printer on quality paper, mount them, and be done with it.

I would spend some considering the font, and I would use software that properly kerns the type (or that gives me control over the kerning, as does my favorite CorelDraw), and I might consider printing on a colored paper such as a light dove gray. Then, cut the paper to leave a border on the reverse-beveled mount board, and mount them normally. That would be quite finished looking and not require something as expensive or specialized as letterpress. Choose a single font for all of it, and something that is simple and elegant rather than fancy and hard to read.

Unless, of course, you just finished rebuilding that ancient Linotype machine that is now filling half your garage and you have a need to play with it.

Rick "who would rather people admire the photograph than admire the description of it" Denney

[Jon Shiu]

I think captions on nice paper mounted to small pieces of mat board looks good.

Jon