SF HEAD, Terry Bauer’s poster, comes in four formats, and two of them are vinyl. For a renter, or anyone who does not want to put a nail in a wall, the choice between vinyl and paper comes down to the wall, not the artwork. Here is what the guides say, and what to ask.
The four formats
His site lists SF HEAD as a 20 × 20 matte poster print, a 12 × 12 see-through vinyl, a 12 × 18 matte poster photo print and a 36 × 36 removable wall vinyl. The artwork is ten cartoon heads in red, blue and yellow.
Two are prints and two are vinyl. See the formats on the SF HEAD page.
What removable means
Guides to removable wallcoverings describe products made to peel off at a later date. They need no paste, and can be repositioned. Removal goes smoothly, they add, when the wall underneath was properly prepped and primed.
Those guides cover wallpaper and decals, the closest category to wall vinyl. They do not describe SF HEAD, so ask about his.
If you rent
One guide says most leases strictly prohibit permanent changes, so check yours first. Peel-and-stick products are usually easier to remove than conventional wallpaper, but guides still warn that on some walls they can lift paint.
Two cautions come up often. Modern scrubbable or stain-resistant paints can interfere with adhesives, and wavy walls can reveal every bump. Test a small piece in a corner before committing a whole wall.
What paper asks of you
A poster on paper needs nothing stuck to the wall, but it needs care. Framing guides say paper should not touch the glass, and that mats and backing should be acid-free, because acidic board stains paper over time. Moisture inside a frame can mark a poster that sits tight against the glass.
One retailer’s guide says most posters are printed on thinner paper than art prints, and that thin paper can warp when the humidity changes. That is a general point about posters, not about his.
Sunlight matters for any paper. Conservation guides recommend UV-filtering glazing for a bright wall, though opinions differ on how far an ordinary poster needs it.
Size and shape
By his site’s figures, three of the four are square: 12 × 12, 20 × 20 and 36 × 36. Only the 12 × 18 is a rectangle. The 36 × 36 is the one that covers a wall, and the 12 × 12 is the smallest.
If you are filling a gap, cut a piece of paper to the size and tape it up first. It costs nothing, and it shows whether the wall can take a 36 × 36 piece before you ask about one.
Questions for the artist
- What is the 12 × 12 see-through vinyl made for, and what does it go on?
- What is the vinyl, and what holds it to the wall?
- How does removal work on painted walls?
- How is each format packed and shipped?
- How should the paper formats be framed?
His site does not answer these, so the answers should come from him in writing.
A simple way to choose
If the lease is strict, or you move often, start with the removable format and a test patch. If you want a frame and a clean edge, choose a print. If the wall is large and the colour is the point, the 36 × 36 is the one to ask about.
Whichever you pick, settle the practical questions before the order: how it goes up, how it comes down, and how it travels.
Ask about SF HEAD
Open the SF HEAD page to see the formats. For a question, use the inquiry page and choose “A print or poster”.