Glass and acrylic over inkjet paper with optical brighteners

[mark_rogers]

<p>There are some great inkjet papers that are really bright such as Epson’s Exhibition Fiber paper. Unfortunately, the bright papers are using optical brighteners and optical brighteners rely on UV radiation to make them bright. I recently tested 8 different types of glass and acrylic with different levels of UV-filtration on this paper. You can see the results here:<br>

http://blog.framedestination.com/glazing/oba-inkjet-paper-and-framing-glass-choices/</p>

[djthomas]

<p>Interesting Mark, thanks for the article. Regarding a line from your piece, "Guess what happens if you block UV radiation on a paper with optical brighteners? The print will instantly look yellow and faded since the OBAs have no UV radiation to transform." Will the yellow disappear once the glass is removed, or does it maintain that 'faded' quality? If I take a piece of 'unexposed' paper (nothing printed on it) and place it under glass, will I see the same fading quality in time? This also makes me curious about photographs that may be printed on this type of treated paper, but are stored away in a dark environment, but not under glass--will they exhibit the same yellowing characteristics?</p>

[Bill C]

" Will the yellow disappear once the glass is removed, or does it maintain that 'faded' quality?"

 

The print itself is unchanged; it's simply the effect of holding a filter in front of the print or not holding it there.

 

If the glass, the filter, had an obvious color, there'd be no doubt as to what is going on. But since we can't see UV light, we

can't see the filtering effect, at least not directly. But such a filter WILL stop the effects of UV light - in this case the bluish

fluorescence is stopped, and the visual result is a blue-deficient appearance, aka yellowish.

[mark_rogers]

<p>Yes, it is just a temporary filter effect. However, the optical brightener agents are subject to fading over time. As the OBAs fade you will get the yellow effect on a permanent basis so it is useful to keep the print in the dark.</p>

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<blockquote>

<p>However, the optical brightener agents are subject to fading over time.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Enough time into the future to do a reprint where it most likely won't cost as much? </p>

<p>I have under framed non-UV blocking glass 8x10's printed from my $50 Epson NX330 "All In One" on Epson Ultra Premium Glossy with OBA's. They are lit by both household lights (LED's/CFL's) and window light going on two years and they look fine. If they turn yellow and/or fade I just do a reprint off a more advanced and cheaper printer years down the road.</p>

<p>Do frame shops and commercial printers ever consider this way of dealing with print longevity and what do they suggest as a more viable and cheaper way to view prints in the home or in any establishment? </p>

[mark_rogers]

<p>Tim, the fading of the OBA over time will take several years and it just means it will not convert UV-radiation as well. It will just be a possible minor color shift where there is ink, and where there is not, the brightest whites may not be as bright. It may be difficult to notice without doing a side by side comparison. In the case of your own prints, it is a non issue since your digital copies will not be fading. It is generally more of an issue for someone that is paying good money for a fine-art print where they cant just reprint it, but might want to pass it on to their children. For most the issue I am bringing up is not a big deal since most are not concerned about archival framing. I did have a customer that accidentally bought UV-filter acrylic and was disappointed at the effect it had on his print which is what caused me to investigate this issue.<br>

<br />Frame shops are often held liable for the print degrading over time so they will tend towards archival framing which means UV filter glass or acrylic. In the case of framing something like a newspaper article which is guaranteed to fade in a short amount of time they will suggest photographing the news paper article and framing the copy while keeping the original in the dark.</p>

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<p>Wasn't aware frame shops could be held liable for anything framed for archival purposes that wind up fading or degrading overtime. The only reason I could figure anyone would use UV filtering glass or acrylic is if they displayed a framed perishable item be it a print or cherished item in the front window exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of time. Most galleries concerned over preservation don't display this way so I'm guessing this is for home use.</p>

<p>I've seen custom signage companies display wall size digital color inkjet print enlargements of photos on plastic cloth displayed behind a businesses glass window as advertising exposed directly to daylight all day, year round and they don't appear to be degrading. I assume they print with very stable inks and apply UV blocking coating either as part of the plastic substrate or after printing.</p>

<p>I'm trying to figure out in what situation is the use of such types of archival protection of inkjet prints necessary since most pictures outside of advertising aren't viewed in an environment exposed to direct sunlight so UV filtering glass isn't even considered.</p>

<p>But thanks for posting this little known tidbit about how different glass and OBA paper affect the appearance of prints.</p>

[mark_rogers]

<p>Tim, UV radiation can be present in indoor lighting as well, but not to the degree it is in sunlight. Overall light intensity is very important also. Mark McCormick-Goodhart of Aardenburg Imaging & Archives had told me that a picture behind UV glass in one location can fade faster than a picture behind regular glass in another location due to light intensity differences. <br>

In the case of advertising prints and out door signage, that is almost never going to be dye or pigment based inkjet prints. Instead it will actually be printed on a UV printer which uses UV radiation to cure the ink. In that cases, UV-radiation is good for the print. </p>

[digitaldog]

<p>OBA's should be <strong>avoided</strong> like the plague IF you are concerned about them fading, their effect on the image color based on the illuminant and the real costs to you to reprint and re-frame.<br>

This isn't a new issue:<br>

http://www.ppmag.com/reviews/200702_rodneycm.pdf</p>