A3 and A4 - General Consensus for Selling with Borders

[Ruffmeister]

Good afternoon,

Apologies if this has been asked before.

I'm looking to set up a shop to sell prints online. I notice from a lot of others that do this, that they sell the print with a border around it. Often 1 inch on A4 and 2 inches on A3.

Is this the general consensus? Is there a standard border size for both when selling? I don't often see many selling prints full frame say at craft fairs etc.

Sorry if it sounds a silly question. I've done several prints for myself but have my own way / idea of mounting them.

Thanks,

 

[Harlequin565]

Some useful info from a recent thread here:

Selling Prints: Borders or No Borders ??

Dilemma here. When printing something that you want to sell, do you either: a) Go from a certain 'A' size and add a border on top of it, so then the total width of the paper will be larger b) Don't enlarge the 'A size, and make the image smaller to make it fit within a certain A size I'm...

www.talkphotography.co.uk

Can't really add much more than is already there.

 

[Ruffmeister]

Some useful info from a recent thread here:

Selling Prints: Borders or No Borders ??

Dilemma here. When printing something that you want to sell, do you either: a) Go from a certain 'A' size and add a border on top of it, so then the total width of the paper will be larger b) Don't enlarge the 'A size, and make the image smaller to make it fit within a certain A size I'm...

www.talkphotography.co.uk

Can't really add much more than is already there.

I knew there would be something somewhere. I did try the search function... clearly not very well ha ha. Thanks ever so much! Will take a look...

 

[Box Brownie]

@Ruffmeister

Hi Dan

That other thread hopefully covers "it".

But something you said above caught my eye ~ " I've done several prints for myself but have my own way / idea of mounting them " If you are mounting in mat & backboard, there is a convention method (T-hinging), not only that allow the print to 'breathe' but also should it ever need remounting by the customer for any reason, it can be done with minimal damage to the print itself. Of course a borderless print flush edge bonded to something like Foamex is clearly there for life

 

[Ruffmeister]

Thank you.

I've printed with a border in the past where a mount then goes over the whole print. Often there is some overlap but it works ok and goes edge to edge.

I wanted to know more if there was a standard when selling prints. It seems most people do prints with a border and at set sizes. A3 or A4 for example.

 

[Box Brownie]

Thank you.

I've printed with a border in the past where a mount then goes over the whole print. Often there is some overlap but it works ok and goes edge to edge.

I wanted to know more if there was a standard when selling prints. It seems most people do prints with a border and at set sizes. A3 or A4 for example.

As I think I mentioned in the other thread.....................I find it odd when folk talk of printing A4 or A3, simply because they are not natural aspect ratios for "photographic printing" ~ yes, you can print on those size papers @ natural(?) ratio prints and that will leave a border though not a regular one all round.

I don't print (for sale) at home but I am aware that the paper makers supply A4 & A3 sizes.....................but if selling prints you are selling the "print" not the paper size It will always be horses for courses and should I ever print for sale at home (I have an A4 printer and do have some A4 photo papers for test and whiteboard hanging) I would be offering the print size that fits in the A4 with a border but nowhere would I see the need to specify the paper size???

 

[Ruffmeister]

As I think I mentioned in the other thread.....................I find it odd when folk talk of printing A4 or A3, simply because they are not natural aspect ratios for "photographic printing" ~ yes, you can print on those size papers @ natural(?) ratio prints and that will leave a border though not a regular one all round.

I don't print (for sale) at home but I am aware that the paper makers supply A4 & A3 sizes.....................but if selling prints you are selling the "print" not the paper size It will always be horses for courses and should I ever print for sale at home (I have an A4 printer and do have some A4 photo papers for test and whiteboard hanging) I would be offering the print size that fits in the A4 with a border but nowhere would I see the need to specify the paper size???

I did see that regarding it not being a ratio in terms of photo size. I have done A4 and A3 for people before at their request and the crop hasn't taken anything away from the image itself.

It's definitely interesting to get an idea and gauge opinion.

 

[Nod]

At 8.3 x 11.7 inches, A4 allows an 8x10 print with a small border. A3 is 11.7 x 16.6 and A3+ 12.9 (sometimes said to be 13) x 19. Since most home printers accept the A series of papers and envelopes for them are easily available, it can make sense to print a "natural" ratio print on these sizes and allow the customer to trim as necessary.
I tend to rotate my wall prints fairly often so use full A4 prints edge to edge in clip frames for convenience.