Acrylic Prints

Acrylic gives colour a bright, glossy finish. The artwork is printed on a 4 mm acrylic panel, so there is no frame and no paper, just the image and a clean edge. It suits lively palettes and small, well-lit spots.

Colour with a glossy finish

Pale blues, pinks, deep reds and violets look vivid on a glossy panel, and fine lines stay sharp. It's a good match for lively, colourful artworks. Detailed, layered compositions are a good fit too.

Squares suit compact designs, while a rectangle gives a scene more room. Look at the colours you already have in the room. A panel that shares one shade with a cushion or a rug will feel connected to it.

Watch the light

A glossy face can show a window or lamp. Look at the wall from where you sit, in daylight and with your evening lights on. Check from both a seated and a standing position, since the reflection moves with you.

Moving the lamp often fixes it, and a wall beside a window tends to show fewer reflections than one facing it. A matt wall behind the panel keeps the surroundings quiet. Dim, even light shows the colours best.

Squares and rectangles

Squares run from 20x20 cm to 60x60 cm, and some artworks come in rectangles up to 70x100 cm. A small square works on a shelf, a desk wall or a narrow gap between two doors. A larger square suits the space above a sofa or bed.

A group of three or four squares looks tidy at an even gap. Keep the sizes matched, or step up one size at a time.

Small spaces and colour

A bright panel can act as the one colourful spot in a quiet room. Pick up a shade from it in a cushion or a vase nearby. That repeats the colour without making the room busy.

In a hallway or on a narrow stretch of wall, a square keeps the proportions comfortable. Hang it where you pass it at an easy distance. Close up, the fine lines are easy to follow.

Other surfaces to compare

For a softer look, see canvas prints. The fabric surface has no shine, so there is little for a lamp to bounce off. Think about the light in the room, because strong daylight can make a glossy face harder to read.

For a metallic base, see brushed aluminium prints. The grain there shows through pale areas, where acrylic stays glossy. Glossy and metallic are different moods, so imagine the wall in each before you choose.

Looking after it

Keep it indoors and dry, away from long periods of direct sun. Dust it with a soft, dry cloth and hold the panel by its edges. Fingerprints show most on a glossy face.

Skip abrasive cleaners and hard rubbing, and wipe in one direction rather than in circles. Check the surface for dust before you wipe, so grit doesn't drag across it. Hang it where you can look at it from the sofa or the doorway.

Pairing it with the room

A glossy panel looks best when the wall around it is calm. Plain paint, a simple shelf or a single plant gives the colours room. Too many nearby objects compete with it.

Pale artworks bring light to a darker corner. Deeper reds and violets give a pale room a focal point. Try the same colour in a small object beside the panel to link the two, such as a vase or a bowl.