large scale prints on backlight foil? experiences? doombrain

[chopov]

I've got the idea of building a large LED light box with glass front as backplane for my kitchen (between wall hanging and lower cupboards) to cover the ugly tiles which are there right now. Into that light box I'd like to put large scale prints of photographs. Exchangeable, so the prints should be on a sturdy material. For example landscapes, panoramas etc... Max. size would be about 60cm x 210cm
Any experienced peeps here?

-which material/backlit foil would be best for this purpose? Any (non) recommendable manufacturers/products. Is backlit foil usually translucent white or transparent?
-what about dark/black colors of the print? How to avoid them to look pale when lit from the back (I want black to stay black an not become pale/translucent. Similar to a diapositive). Any special print method?
-is there usually a limited print resolution for backlight foil or can it be printed in photo quality (~200+ dpi)
-any experience with the long term stability of the colors at higher temperatures (since the light box will also run along the hob with a distance of ~5cm)

Doombrain, possibly your special field?

[Doombrain]

Normally backlits are just white and mainly used for high end POS like jewellery etc.

There's may types, question is which type of ink do you want to use. Water based maybe enough but solvent based can give a better punch.

As for the film Folex do a great backlit, so do many others. You need the right print provider to get it right because when colour profiling for backlit you need to take in to account the light is transmissive, not reflective and there's only a few spectrometers that can do that.

Where are you based now, still in Nantwich?

[Doombrain]

-which material/backlit foil would be best for this purpose? Any (non) recommendable manufacturers/products. Is backlit foil usually translucent white or transparent? - both, but you need white translucent.

-what about dark/black colors of the print? How to avoid them to look pale when lit from the back (I want black to stay black an not become pale/translucent. Similar to a diapositive). Any special print method? - yes, high resolution modes and aggressive solvent ink give better results.

-is there usually a limited print resolution for backlight foil or can it be printed in photo quality (~200+ dpi) - 180 or 360dpi is the standard native res. 300 for press and HP/Canon heads. I'd avoid Latex printers, quality is too low.

-any experience with the long term stability of the colors at higher temperatures (since the light box will also run along the hob with a distance of ~5cm) - If done on solvent you'll have no worries. 3 year outdoors.

[chopov]

Normally backlits are just white and mainly used for high end POS like jewellery etc.

There's may types, question is which type of ink do you want to use. Water based maybe enough but solvent based can give a better punch.

As for the film Folex do a great backlit, so do many others. You need the right print provider to get it right because when colour profiling for backlit you need to take in to account the light is transmissive, not reflective and there's only a few spectrometers that can do that.

Where are you based now, still in Nantwich?

Can one usually start from the assumption that a good provider should be capable to do the profiling for the transmissive lighting from a standard rgb/cmyk image? I'm quite sure as an "amateur" I'm not capable of doing this on myself.

My Nantwich times are over since ~2 years already. Damn how time flies. Back in Germany since then. Where are you moving with your new job? Back to Stoke area?

-what about dark/black colors of the print? How to avoid them to look pale when lit from the back (I want black to stay black an not become pale/translucent. Similar to a diapositive). Any special print method? - yes, high resolution modes and aggressive solvent ink give better results.

Any product name you can tell me here as an example for this agressive solvent ink? Since all I know about printer ink are the cartridges I buy for my run-of-the-mill office printer. I'd like to at least seem to know what it's all about when actually talking to a provider... ^^

[Doombrain]

I'll be in Shrewsbury ASAP, back to Shropshire. Can't wait.

The German print supplier is normally quality minded. I would find a signage business and see if they have a wide gamut solvent printer like the Epson SC-S80600 or Mimaki JV300 with orange ink.

[chopov]

I know print suppliers in my area which are less quality but more profit oriented... But I recon your informations will help me on to avoid bad surprises. Thank you very much.
Actually never been to Shrewsbury during my Nantwich time. However at least drove by last year on the way to my Wales holidays.

[Doombrain]

It's a great place to live. On the edge of the Welsh border, mountain bike heaven in the UK.

[chopov]

I saw some of your vids on YT. Myself I'm not really into mountainbiking. Been instead 1 1/2 weeks hiking in Snowdonia.

[Doombrain]

Love it there. Pushed my bike up a few times and slammed down Rangers.

[chopov]

I went up snowdon on the tourist autobahn from llanberis along the railway. On the summit stairs it was like at the supermarket checkout the day before christmas. and it was on a weekday in early june. next time i'll go there in january. during a blizzard.

The next day I went for an eight hour hike up and around Rhinog Fawr. What a contrast. Literally didn't meet a single person the entire day. And got feckin lost at the end between Nantcol, dozens of sheep walls, bogs, Gloyw Lyn and Cwm Bychan...

[lvlshot]http://fs5.directupload.net/images/160617/zunecoaj.jpg[/lvlshot]

...btw. one of the photographs envisaged for the lightbox. Whereby we are back on topic.