Working VMP Uni
VMP University
Everything there is to know about metal prints, our finishes and framing, pricing and ordering, and the support behind every panel we make. Whether you are buying your first print or reselling at scale, start here.
Getting Started
The fundamentals: what a metal print actually is, what makes ours different, and who we build for.
What Are Metal Prints
A metal print is your image infused directly into a coated aluminum panel through dye-sublimation. Heat and pressure turn the dyes into a gas that bonds into the coating, not onto it. The result is luminous color, deep contrast, and a surface that resists fading, moisture, and scratches.
We produce every panel in-house, from 5x5 inches up to 4 by 8 feet, with no outsourcing at any step.
The Vivid Difference
Two decades of doing one thing well. Because production never leaves our building, we control color, framing, and finishing end to end, which means tighter quality and faster turnaround than shops that outsource.
Want the deep dive? Our complete guide walks through selling metal, talking to clients, and positioning the product.
Who We Work With
Consumers
Photographers and homeowners who want gallery-grade prints of their own images, finished and ready to hang.
Professional Photographers
Studios offering metal as a premium product line, with trade pricing and proofing support behind every order.
B2B & Commercial
Galleries, designers, museums, breweries, gyms, and offices that need durable, large-format wall art at volume.
Why Vivid
See it in practice. Wink Gaines shares why his work lives on Vivid metal, and what the finished product does for his business.
Earn on every referral. Share your code, your audience orders, you make a commission. No order forms, no inventory.
Product Education
The science behind the surface, the finishes, framing, hardware, and the services that help you choose with confidence.
The Science of Metal Prints
Vivid Metal Prints started as Image Wizards. Our original owner, Roger K. Laudy, helped shape modern dye-sublimation on aluminum before ChromaLuxe was even a brand name. The process we still use today is the one Roger worked out at his shop years before the rest of the industry caught up.
The trick is the sandwich. An aluminum panel on the bottom. A white titanium dioxide coating on top of that. Then a clear polymer layer over the white. When the dyes sublimate, they travel down into the clear layer and stop, suspended above the white base. Light enters the surface, passes through the suspended dyes, bounces off the white, and exits back out through the surface. That suspended-dye glow is the thing paper and canvas physically cannot reproduce.
"Every show I ever did, I put them on easels and leaned them back, and never used lighting. People said they have a light in them."
Finishes
Five surfaces, two families. White bases give punchy, saturated color. Clear bases let the brushed aluminum show through highlights for a metallic shimmer. Gloss maximizes pop and depth; matte and semi-gloss cut glare for bright rooms.
White Gloss
Maximum color saturation and depth. The most popular all-around finish.
White Semi-Gloss
Rich color with reduced glare. A balanced choice for varied lighting.
White Matte
Glare-free and soft. Ideal for bright rooms and direct light.
Clear Gloss
Metallic shimmer in highlights. Stunning for skies, water, and metal.
Clear Matte
Metallic character without glare. A refined, understated look.
Framing
Every panel, from 5x5 inches to 48x96 inches, can be finished bare or framed. Frames mount to the back so the print stays the hero.
Frame to Edge (Flush)
A clean border flush to the panel edge for a finished, contained look. Available in three depths and colors.
Recessed (Floating)
The frame sits behind the print, creating a floating shadow line. Shown in multiple depths, colors, and angles.
Shadowbox
A deeper recessed profile with a pronounced gallery shadow. Front, corner, side, and back.
Unframed
The pure panel with rounded corners. Modern, minimal, ready to hang.
DUO & Wall Mounts
Standoff and float mounting options that lift the panel off the wall.
Hanging & Mounting Hardware
Choose the hardware that fits the install. Each ships ready to mount with clear instructions.
Easy Mount
A cleated bracket that floats the print off the wall. Quick and level.
Secure Easy Mount
The floating cleat with a locking feature for high-traffic spaces.
Wire
Traditional wire hanging for smaller pieces and flexible placement.
Services & Samples
Not sure how a finish will read? We proof, and we ship samples. See the proofing process, then order a kit to hold the finishes in your own hands.
Standard Sample Kit — $10
A budget-friendly set of finish chips to compare surfaces in your space.
Personal Sample Kit — $120
Five full finishes printed with your own image. The truest preview available.
We look at your file before we print it. For free. Every order gets a real set of human eyes checking resolution, color, and the little things like lens dust or compression artifacts, before anything hits metal. If something looks off, we tell you. Consider it a second opinion you did not have to ask for. Send a file and we will take a look.
Pricing & Ordering
How pricing is built, the tools that quote it, and the steps to place an order.
How Pricing Works
Price is driven by size, finish, framing, and quantity. The fastest way to get an exact number is the calculator, which prices any configuration in seconds.
Trade pricing. Professional photographers and resellers unlock discounted tiers. Request your unlock code at info@vividmetalprints.com.
Pricing Tools
The calculator above is the live source of truth. If you prefer something printable to keep on hand, use the one-page price list below.
Printable Price List. A retail one-pager covering standard sizes and finishes. Handy for quick reference or sharing with a client.
How to Place an Order
Prep your file
300 DPI at final size, Adobe RGB, TIFF preferred. See File Setup in Chapter 04.
Configure and price
Use the calculator to choose size, finish, frame, and hardware, and confirm your total.
Submit and proof
Place the order online. We proof and color correct, then confirm before production.
We produce and ship
Made in-house and shipped nationwide, typically in 3 to 5 business days.
Prefer to watch it? Here is the full ordering walkthrough.
Support & FAQ
File requirements, shipping, our guarantee, and how to reach a real person.
File Setup
Shipping
The magic size for affordable shipping is 34x40. Anything that size or smaller ships from North Carolina to California for roughly $50 to $60. Go up even two inches in either direction and the cost can quadruple, sometimes more, because it crosses into oversized freight. If you are flexible on dimensions, staying at or under 34x40 is the single biggest lever on your shipping cost.
Returns
We stand behind every panel with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. For prints larger than 30x40, we provide a free proof set so you approve the result before we produce at scale.
Contact
Built to outlast the moment it captures.
Trusted by photographers around the world and featured in galleries like MoMA and The Getty. Every panel is engineered to last.