Dye sublimation is a heat-based printing process where solid dyes are turned directly into gas—skipping the liquid stage—and infused into a specially coated aluminum sheet. Under high heat and pressure, the dyes penetrate the surface coating and solidify as they cool, becoming a permanent part of the metal. This creates rich, vibrant images with exceptional durability and a smooth, professional finish that won’t peel, crack, or fade over time.
Before sending your photo for printing, it's crucial to make any necessary edits and adjustments such as: cropping, straightening, and enhancing the colors and contrast. Ultimately, we match to what we see on screen. That being said, you can always request for us to do more work to enhance your photos.
Please be sure your file scales to the appropriate ratio you are trying to order. If you have a square image and you do not want it cropped, be sure to order a square print, otherwise you could lose critical parts of your image. We will never crop key components of an image without first contacting you.
We typically recomment 300dpi at size in the Adobe RGB color space. We accept most popular formats, though we prefer TIFF as it is lossless and keeps all of the data in your file resulting in the best possible image.
Modern camera phones can print images up to around 20"x30". Older smartphones typically cap out at 11"x14" to 12"x18". If you have a nice DSLR camera then you should be fine. We will review your image FREE of charge.
There are several surface options to choose from. Each surface has its own unique characteristics and can enhance certain types of images. Keep in mind that not every surface works perfectly on every image. As a general rule of thumb, printing something that has a ton of white with light gray gradients would not be good on the clear finishes as those whites and grays would be lost on the metallic base. You'd want to do something with a ton of contrast, like a city skyline for example. The white finishes look great and pop with any image.
White Base + Ultra-Gloss is our best-seller. It produces a vibrant, stunning print that will shine from any angle and in any light with the sharpest level of detail and highest contrast. Any white colors in the photo are preserved and shown as true white. If you’re not sure which finish to choose, choose White Base + Ultra-Gloss.
LEARN MORE
White Base + Semi-Gloss gives the same depth of color but with slightly less light reflection. Great middle ground between gloss and satin. Preserves contrast & details with minimal reflectivity.
LEARN MORE
White Base + Satin gives almost the same depth of color with a slight hit to contrast. Photos have no reflectivity but can appear a bit soft. Perfect for portraits or for rooms where you have reflectivity concerns. Not recommended for photos with a lot black/shadows.
LEARN MORE
Clear Base + Ultra- Gloss: White colors in your image will not be printed, rather the aluminum will show through. This finish is just as bright and reflective as the White Base + Gloss, but gives your images a metallic glowing effect. Many artists and photographers design their images specifically for this finish, especially those that focus on machinery, architecture, outer space, and other content categories that can benefit from true metal shades shining through the final print. Snow scenes & photos with a lot of white should not be done on the clear finishes.
LEARN MORE
Clear Base + Satin has all the same properties and use occasions as the above, just less reflective which may suit you better depending on where the print will live. This finish also drops whites out and shows them as the metallic aluminum base. Contrast is reduced from the glossy variant, but can give images a unique “antique” effect. Snow scenes & photos with a lot of white should not be done on the clear finishes.
LEARN MORE
To get the most accurate and vibrant print—what you see is what you get—choose the White surface. It works like white photo paper, keeping whites bright, shadows clear, and colors fully saturated. On the Clear (brushed aluminum) surface, white parts of the image become transparent, letting the metal show through; the image loses depth and contrast, and there will be loss of detail in the shadow areas. Clear is a very cool effect if it is exactly what you’re looking for, but not if you’re not.
If you’re hoping for an exact representation of the hue, saturation, and luminance values of your photo, you’ll want to go with the White surface.
Our primary focus when choosing the different frames choices that we offer was letting the images be the focus, and allowing the frames to just be vehicles for the art. Even though you cannot see the frame when standing in front of the print with two of these options, we still consider it a “framed” print even though it is not traditional. If you want to frame the metal prints in more traditional frames with a local framer you may have a relationship with, simply order the “no frame” option during the order process.
The frame-to-edge is flush to the very edge of the print creating a classic and timeless look suitable for any type of decor. This frame is available in 1.25” and ¾” thicknesses. 1.25” is available in black, silver, and pewter. ¾” is available in black & silver. Max size for the 1.25” frame is 48x96. Max size for the ¾” frame is 32x46.
Recessed frames are inset 1.5" from the edge of the image which makes it stand out away from the wall creating the appearance that the print is floating away from the wall. This frame is available in 1.25” and ¾” thicknesses. 1.25” is available in black, silver, and pewter. ¾” is available in black & silver. Max size for the 1.25” frame is 48x96. Max size for the ¾” frame is 32x46.
This frame creates a 1/2" gap between the edge of the image and the frame resulting in a dramatic thin black frame surrounding the perimeter of your print in shadow. This frame is only available in black and is 1-7/8” thick.
For certain sizes, there are other options that are not considered “framing.” These include DUO, Wall Mount, and Curved prints, which can be seen on the FRAME OPTIONS PAGE.
Our exclusive "DUO" backer allows you to hang your print on a wall without nails or damage. Move it up to 5-7 times! You can also display it on any flat surface like a desk/shelf. Lowest cost option. For sizes from 5"x5" to 11"x14".
The wall mount is perfect for mounting your metal prints pretty much anywhere! Even in humid environments like bathrooms and kitchens. For sizes up to 32"x46".
Vivid's innovative curved prints come in concave and convex shapes. Perfect for displaying your photographs on tabletops, shelves, wherever you need a pop of fun! Our curved prints come in sizes up to 10"x20".
We are a small lab with big lab experience and capabilities. This means that you have professional photo editing in your toolbox when ordering from VIVID. We offer photo enhancement services, press proofs, sample kits, and 3 levels of gallery prep. Let us help you Elevate Your Image.
We offer many turn-key sercices and are very flexible. Bulk crates, PMS colors, exterior finishes & more. We recommend you contact us directly so we can learn more about your business and how we can assist/work together in the best way. We can even soure an install team to completely take the project over for you if needed.