Full Colour Photo Options for Memorial Plaques

Adding a Full-Colour Photograph to a Memorial Plaque

We offer several ways to include a full-colour photograph on a memorial. Each method produces a beautiful result, but there are differences in appearance, materials, durability, size and price.

Our staff are always happy to help you choose the most suitable option for the type of memorial you are creating, where it will be placed and how long you would like it to last.

Quick Comparison

Digital Anoprinting

With digital anoprinting, the photograph is printed into the open surface of specially prepared aluminium. The aluminium is then sealed, locking the image inside the hard anodised surface rather than leaving it as a surface print.

This produces a smooth plaque with no raised ink, coating or printed vinyl. The image is highly resistant to wear, scratching, moisture and interference, making digital anoprinting one of our most durable full-colour options.

Digital anoprinting is a particularly good choice for:

• Long-term outdoor memorials

• Memorials in exposed public locations

• Plaques that may need regular cleaning

• Detailed photographs, wording and artwork

• Customers looking for a premium aluminium photo plaque

The natural finish and character of anodised aluminium remain visible, giving the plaque a smart, slightly satin appearance. Colours may appear a little more restrained than on glossy porcelain or ToughPrint plaques.

Best for: a strong, premium-quality aluminium memorial with excellent resistance to wear.

Inset Porcelain Photo Plaques

Porcelain photo plaques are made by applying a ceramic image to fine porcelain and firing it at a very high temperature. The photograph becomes fused into the glazed surface rather than simply being printed on top.

This traditional process creates a glossy, weatherproof image that is highly resistant to sunlight, frost, moisture and scratching. Kiln-fired porcelain plaques are widely used on headstones and grave memorials because of their exceptional resistance to fading.

Porcelain photographs are normally supplied as a separate oval, round, square or rectangular plaque. They can be attached to a memorial or carefully recessed into materials such as:

• Granite

• Slate

• Stone

• Corian

• Wood

Porcelain is extremely durable outdoors, although it is a ceramic material and can be damaged by a severe impact. The ceramic printing process can also result in slight differences between the colours in the original photograph and the finished fired image.

Best for: a traditional, glossy inset photograph with exceptional resistance to weathering and fading.

ToughPrint 

The full-colour image is printed onto aluminium and fully encapsulated using heat, creating a smooth, protective finish.

The photograph, background, wording and decorative artwork can all be incorporated into one design. This makes ToughPrint especially versatile for memorials containing a complete scene, several photographs or large areas of colour.

ToughPrint plaques offer:

• Rich and vibrant colour reproduction

• Excellent resistance to moisture and harsh weather

• Good resistance to abrasion, scratching and graffiti

• Fire, burn and impact resistance

• A reassuring 10-year warranty

• A fully recyclable aluminium base

The finish has been tested for colour fastness and provides exterior performance comparable to more expensive enamelled products.

ToughPrint can be used as a complete memorial plaque or made as a smaller photograph that is recessed into wood, slate, granite or Corian.

Best for: colourful memorial designs, larger photographs and complete plaques combining photographs, backgrounds and wording.

Direct UV Printing

Direct UV printing allows us to print a full-colour photograph straight onto the surface of the memorial material. The ink is cured immediately using ultraviolet light, producing a sharp image with excellent detail.

One of the main advantages is its flexibility. We can print photographs, wording, illustrations and backgrounds directly onto many different materials, including:

• Slate

• Wood

• Anodised aluminium

• Aluminium composite

• Acrylic

• Acrylic laminate

• Corian and other suitable solid surfaces

White ink can be placed beneath the image when required, helping colours remain clear and vibrant on dark or transparent materials.

UV printing is ideal where the customer would like the photograph to appear directly on the memorial rather than on a separate inset plaque. It is also useful for unusual shapes, small lettering, complex artwork and reproducing customer-supplied designs accurately.

However, UV printing remains a surface print. Although it is weather-resistant, its long-term resistance to sunlight, scratching and exposure will depend upon the material, location and conditions. It should not be described as being as permanent as kiln-fired porcelain, digital anoprinting or encapsulated ToughPrint.

For the longest life, we may recommend placing a UV-printed memorial in a reasonably sheltered position and cleaning it gently without abrasive products.

Best for: versatile, detailed printing directly onto the memorial material, particularly in sheltered or moderately exposed locations.

Which Photo Memorial Should I Choose?

Choose ToughPrint when:

You want strong, vibrant colours, a larger photograph or a complete memorial design incorporating photographs, wording and a decorative background.  Also ideal for inlaid photos of 100mm or more. Very restistant to fading.

Choose Digital Anoprinting when:

You would like a premium aluminium plaque with excellent resistance to wear, weather and regular cleaning.

Choose an Inset Porcelain Plaque when:

You prefer the traditional appearance of a glossy ceramic photograph and want exceptional resistance to fading and frost. Photos can be as small as 40mm x 60mm

Choose Direct UV Printing when:

You would like the photograph printed directly onto slate, wood, acrylic, aluminium or another suitable memorial material, particularly when detailed artwork or an unusual shape is required. Cheapest Option.

Photograph Quality

Whichever method you choose, the finished result will depend greatly on the quality of the original photograph. A clear, well-focused image with good lighting will normally produce the best memorial portrait.

Older, faded or damaged photographs can often still be used. We will check the image before production and advise you if restoration, cropping or background removal would improve the result.

Please send us the largest and clearest version of the photograph available. Original digital files are normally better than photographs copied from social media, screenshots or images that have already been heavily compressed.

Need Help Choosing?

Every memorial is different. Tell us where the plaque will be placed, the material you prefer and the approximate size required. Our helpful team can then recommend the most appropriate full-colour photo option and provide a quotation.