Brushed aluminium is the material that makes the most of our monochrome and high-contrast work. The ink is printed directly onto the metal with a white base layer reserved for the highlights of the image. That means the metal itself shows through in the brightest areas of the print.
The effect is not a "metallic look". It is the actual metal, seen through the unprinted portions of the image, reflecting the light in the room. In a landscape with cloud, the cloud glows. In a monochrome with any highlight, the highlight catches the light as the viewer moves past the print. Canvas and archival paper cannot do this.
The build. An "aluminium box"
A brushed aluminium composite panel (Dibond-style), direct-printed with UV-cured pigment ink and a white base layer for the highlights. The print is sealed with a satin laminate that is non-glare. A concealed aluminium sub-frame is bonded to the back, so the print floats off the wall and casts a soft shadow. This finished presentation is what the UK trade calls an "aluminium box".
When brushed aluminium is right
Brushed aluminium is the right choice when you want the image to be the object. To stand apart from the wall, to carry across a room, to hold its own against strong ambient light. It is particularly suited to:
- Monochrome landscape work where the highlights matter.
- Architectural and abstract images with geometric structure.
- Rooms with strong sidelight, where the satin laminate reads as effectively non-glare.
- Larger formats. 80cm and up is where aluminium starts to pull away from canvas and archival paper.
Less right for soft, painterly images, or for prints where the viewer will stand very close. For those, canvas or archival paper.
Sizes and pricing
VAT-inclusive. Custom sizes up to 150cm on the longest edge are available on request. Use the enquiry form on any product page.
Limited editions
Selected images are offered as limited editions of 25 on brushed aluminium, numbered and certified. Limited editions are not available on canvas or archival paper.
