Acrylic Prints have unique optical properties because of the underlying physics of visible light traveling through the acrylic layer.



A property of visible light (or white light) is that the light waves are slightly bent as the light passes from one medium (air) to another medium (in the above example; water). This bending of the light is called light refraction.



Light refraction has two impacts on the observed image:



1) Because of the bent light, the observed object appears slightly magnified, which gives the image added clarity. Light refraction is the underlying principle of optical lens technology you would find in a camera or a microscope.



2) The bent light will also experience a slight shift in the visible light spectrum, which adds vibrancy to the observed colors (explained below the prism image).

A simplified example of what is happening with the Acrylic Print can be see above. 

Incident light (the ambient light all around us) is slightly bent as it enterers the acrylic layer. 

The altered and shortened light path continues to travel until the opaque barrier on the backside reflects the light back up and out the acrylic layer.

The light is bent once again and travels to the eye of the observer.

Because the light is traveling a miniscule shorter distance, the image has a miniscule amount of magnification.  This is why the pencils in the water appear slightly larger.

This slight magnification provides an enhanced clarity to the image, which is subconciously perceptible to the human eye. 

It essence, the acrylic layer is behaving like a lens.

This example also points out the importance of the opaque barrier. If light is allowed to 'leak' out through the back of the print, the clarity impact is lost because the light is not reflected back to the eye.

A profile view of the Acrylic Print points out how the construction of the Acrylic Print both traps light within the acrylic layer and reflects light back to the observer.

Another consequence of bending the light is a slight shift of the visible color spectrum.

Every time the light is bent, the ultraviolet (UV) portion of the light spectrum becomes slightly more dominant and the infrared (IR) portion of the light spectrum becomes less dominant.

IR light has a longer wavelength than UV light and UV light has more energy.  When white light is bent, the UV portion of the light spectrum is more impacted.

Human eyes are especially sensitive to the UV portion of the white light spectrum and colors under a UV-dominant spectrum appear to be especially vibrant.

This is exactly why diamonds have a sense of luster. The light is bent multiple times within the diamond and the the spectrum shift becomes even more exaggerated and pronounced each time it is bent.

The net result of the these two principles of light is an Acrylic Print image that has both exceptional clarity and luminance.

It is really striking to see firsthand.

Wow. It has rained nearly every day for the past two months.

We had a very heavy and wet snowstorm in early May and it has been raining almost every day in June.

But this is farm country and this is the growing season, so nobody is complaining.

The end of June signals the end of the first half of the year. Last year was a good year and so far this year is ahead of last year. The business mix has changed over the years and we have been fortunate to be well positioned to leverage the change.

Red Wing Digital has been a significant time and money investment up until this point. There are still a few issues that need to be worked out, but the product inventory is now in place and the details regarding product design have been finalized. The orders have been increasing at a nice and realistic rate. Packaging and shipping issues are being addressed now and we are always looking for more production space.

This is our 10th year of business and we have been tracking business patterns since the very beginning. Invariable the second half is quite a bit busier than the first half, for a number of reasons.

The bottom line is that we owe everything to our loyal customers. Thanks again.

July in Minnesota means the first hay cutting of the season. In a normal year, most farms will have two cuttings and then leave some winter ground cover for the critters. The first cutting will have the most yield, but it isn't until the second cutting that the break-even point is reached.

For a farmer, the first hay cutting is an opportunity to reflect on the business (year-to-date), and also project the business going forward for the rest of the year. Stretching this metaphor to a near-absurdist level, it isn't that much different in the art industry.

Business is up and the industry is cautiously optimistic. The nature of the business has changed and the types of projects have also changed. Anticipating what those changes will be and responding to those changes are some of the biggest challenges a small business owner will face.

We will continue to evolve, but we will also continue to provide the things we enjoy most about being in this business.

A new web based product is under development and should be available before the end of the year (the evolving thing). There are also discussions taking place regarding an original art exhibit in the November/December timeframe (the enjoyment thing).

And of course, thank you for your patronage. Art is good.

Red Wing Framing Gallery scientists have been quietly and diligently working very hard since the beginning of 2009 on a number of new products. With the advent of 'digital everywhere' technologies, customers have been insisting on using their own images to decorate their environments in a fashion that mirror both their lifestyle and taste. Our challenge is to meet this expectation with innovative and unique products.

Two products are nearing introduction. The first product is a 'Gallery Panel' and is targeted to the contemporary customer who wants a unique and fresh way to present. The Gallery Panel is elegant with old-school details, but also has a very bold and progressive presentation. Very ebony and ivory (?).

The second product is a bit further behind in introduction. It is code-named the 'Image Sandwich' or I-S for short. The I-S will be a transmissive image that will allow light from behind and lay flat on a wall. The early prototypes are promising, but there may be some practical size limitations that need to be determined. I-S Version 2.0 will also be a PDA. :)

The European marketplace tends to be more aggressive in pushing image technology. The irony is that some of the best ideas come from organizations in Europe that have been in the image business since the middle ages. We are not above learning from our European brethren, but it is very important to be both unique and creative.

Product announcements as they warrant and teasers are always free and unsolicited.

And please disregard any misinformation.

Introducing the Red Wing Framing Gallery Panel Print.

It's a Panel! It's a Print!

It's a Panel Print!

It begins with any digital photo and ends with a full-print bleed, UV-protected, 1/4" thick hardboard panel print that is pool-table flat and rugged!

The Panel Print has a linen laminate finish and a 1" reverse frame mount. The mount lays flat on the wall and the print is an elevated surface that creates a modern 'drop-shadow' effect on the wall.

It can be printed at any size or aspect ratio (great for panorama photographs) and it has been especially popular with photographers who appreciate this very contemporary look. It also works great for commercial projects that are restricted from using glass or need to cover large wall surfaces, yet still need to project elegance and creativity.

Call the shop today at 1-651-385-0500 and create your own art from your own images!

Now, back to the regularly scheduled programming.