What is Chromaluxe?
Chromaluxe is a premium brand of high definition coated aluminium panels, designed to be used with the process of dye-sublimation to recreate stunning art and photography.
The process of dye-sublimation starts with the printing of a mirrored digital image onto dye-sublimation transfer paper, using large-format inkjet printers. The dye-based inks are then transferred onto the specially coated surface of the Chromaluxe panel, using high pressure and temperature. The result is a stunning vibrant and durable image, unrivalled by other printing methods and given that the coated aluminium panels are just 1.14mm thick, they give a new meaning to minimalism.
The durability of the printed panels comes from the fact that there is no live ink sitting on the surface of the panel for it to be scratched of rubbed. Instead, the ink infuses with the coating during the transfer process where the solid state of the ink is turned into a gas, bonding with the polymers of the coating on the panel before turning back into a solid as the panel cools. The remarkable process provides a combination of durability and archival properties.
Why use Chromaluxe?
Chromaluxe is a product that really needs to be seen to be believed and can provide stunning results for a wealth of different genres of both art and photography. With an unrivalled colour intensity and vibrancy, it can be the ideal solution for contemporary art. Chromaluxe is not limited to colour-rich imagery as the depths of black are also unrivalled giving black & white images a degree of contrast that is just not available with other production methods.
Our Chromaluxe prints are available to a size of 40×30” (101 x 76cm) and in two different finishes – high gloss and matt, and given that the panels are aluminium and therefore do not rust, are also suitable to be hung outside.
Unlike some of our competitions, we import Chromaluxe in large 8×4’ sheets to be cut on our in-house Biessse CNC machine which gives us the ability to offer more than just the square and rectangle panels of those competitors. We are able to shape, drill and layer Chromaluxe to create three-dimensional pieces to take art to a new level and will be delighted to collaborate with you to make your design ideas a reality.
Multi-panel concepts
The only size limitation we have is determined by the platen of the heat press. At 40 x 30” (101 x 76cm) we are unable to sublimate a panel larger than this. However, one way around this is to use multiple panels displayed with a small gap to create a show-stopping feature piece which can be limitless in size. The multiple panels can be produced as simple squares and rectangles or we are able to cut the Chromaluxe into a variety of different shapes, making a feature of the individual pieces to create an overall piece of art. As long as no piece is larger than the platen size, anything is possible!
It is possible for us to mount all of the pieces onto a back substrate to create a single piece to hang rather than the complexity of trying to hang all of the individual pieces onsite.
Hanging & Framing
There are number of ways in which Chromaluxe panels can be hung or displayed:
Hanging:
The simplest form is to continue the minimalist format of the panel and use a subframe to display the artwork. This is typically made from aluminium or MDF, bonded to the back of the panel and will house the hanging mechanism to attach to the wall. This subframe will be smaller than the overall panel rendering it invisible from view. It also has the added benefit of elevating the panel off the hanging wall, typically from 10-25mm depending on the chosen subframe, giving the panel a stunning floating effect.
Framing:
Another option is to frame the panel. Whilst this could be as simple as putting the panel straight into the frame, where the edges of the Chromaluxe panel are covered by the frame, we recommend making a feature of the minimalist nature of the 1.14mm panel by floating it in a tray frame.
Tray frames are traditionally used to display stretched canvases, but these can also be adapted to frame Chromaluxe panels in a contemporary way which mimics the minimalist nature of the panel. Typically, we would build a subframe which will be bonded to the back of the panel to a depth that will bring the face on the panel just under the height of the frame moulding. This subframe will be hidden from view, but will then be secured inside the tray frame with a gap around the panel of around 10mm, allowing the panel to float within the frame. Tray frame mouldings are available in a variety of colours and finishes from real wood veneers to brushed metals so that they complement the style of the artwork.
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Diagram of a Chromaluxe panel in a tray frame Photo of aluminium sub frame Photo of tray frame with Chomaluxe panel (rendered?) |
Case Studies
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