How do you hang up your work prints?

[Harlan Chapman]

I left some blank wall in my printing space to hang completed work prints for viewing. I don't want to fill the wall with push pin holes. What is your preferred method for hanging work prints for viewing?
-Harlan

[Vaughn]

If you print in a semi-consistant size, you might try cutting a few window mats out of cheap mat board and slip the work prints into them. Then have a couple strips of wood with channels to slip the matboard into. Or a couple pieces of glass held on the wall with "L" screws to slip the matboard behind.

[archer]

I covered one wall in my darkroom with dark cork tiles 1/2 inch thick and 1ft square and it is very handy for just what you plan to do. It also makes a great background for macro and close up still life work.
Denise Libby

[Ulrich Drolshagen]

I have a magnet board.

Ulrich

[Harlan Chapman]

Thank you for your constructive and sensible suggestions!
-Harlan

[Mark Woods]

I made a bulletin board over my kitchen table and use push pins. There an overhead fluorescent light (one tube 3200 and one tube 5600K) to light them that is shielded from the viewers eyes.

[drew.saunders]

I used some wall space, nice brass push-pins and those black paper holding things that you find in the office supply section for my free wall space (see the closer up pic). It's optimized, as you can see, for 8.5x11 prints, but I can do 11x17 on the top row, and 11x17 or even 13x19 on the lower row.

The lighting is only my regular floor lamp on the right, so isn't very consistent, but I used daylight CF bulbs, so at least it isn't greenish.

Drew

[Louie Powell]

I have a sheet of homosote on one wall of my darkroom.

Homosote is a gray fiberboard material that can sometimes be found at home centers and lumber yards. I was sometimes used as inxpensive wall sheathing where it was simply painted.

I purchased a bunch of it for use in our old home - I covered it with burlap and hung it in the kids rooms to make places where art work, etc could be pinned to the wall. The burlap covered the unused pin holes.

For the darkroom application, I simply hung it 'naked'. The natural color is gray (roughly 18%), so it works well as a backdrop for workprints. I don't worry about pinholes - most of the time, the lights are off and I can't see them!

[Brian Ellis]

I have four little table-top easels that you can buy at any art supply store or at places like Michaels. I set these easels on shelves and tables around the house and put 9x11 prints on them. Makes a nice decorative touch and I like "living" with the prints for a while rather than having a dedicated viewing area that I periodically stare at.

[Toyon]

I use the various types of clip frames, some of which have frames and mats. They give you a chance to see your prints matted and behind glass - useful because the glass darkens the print by about 1/2-1 stop.

[Lenny Eiger]

I have a sheet of homosote on one wall of my darkroom.


I think Louie is on the money here. The stuff is great. It has a white side and a gray side, can be painted to whatever. Last time I bought some it was $12 for a 4x8 sheet. I have a whole wall covered in it, have another in my kids bedroom, etc. Sometimes its called Cellotek (SP?) and it has some other names as well, including pushpin board.

It also cuts nicely with a mat knife...

Local hardware store....

Lenny

[David E. Rose]

I have a decent sized white marker board hung on the end wall. I use it to keep notes about print exposure times and other notes with a dry erase marker. I tack up the work prints with strong magnets to the same board. It has a ledge/shelf attached along the bottom that can hold the markers, pencils and other darkroom tools. I got the board at Staples for a reasonable price. It is one of the best features in my darkroom!