Picture This - Cooking Collage for Dining Room

jfm0830 · March 2016

I have long wanted to put up a collage of some of my favorite food photos, but I didn't want framed pictures. I wanted something that looked like just the picture. A company called Fracture has a product that served my needs perfectly. Fracture allows you to upload your images and they have a process where the image is printed on the back of a thin sheet of glass, like the first photographs in the early days of photography. Then a slightly smaller thin sheet of black matting is adhered to the back of the photo. The effect is very striking. The thin glass and "invisible" matting make it look like the images are simply floating just off the wall.

The photos come in various rectangular and square sizes. The square sizes are intended to accommodate the square format used on Instagram. The sizes were 5x5", 11x11" and 23x23" and using a 1" margin between smaller photos, they matched the next size up. 2@5x5 + 1" =11", 2@11x11 + 1" = 23". I used it to be able to create a modular collage where pieces could be rearranged to create different affects. My intent over time is to swap in some new future images.

I located the collage on a large blank wall in my Living Room You can see this wall and the collage whether you enter via the Kitchen door or Living Room door. It usually helps set the mood for people coming over to share a meal.

Image: http://www.grillinsmokin.net/wh_images_ex/ehf066/IMG_8125-10-05-2015-Full-3648x2736-Photo-800x600.jpg

The view from my Living Room door when entering my house.

Image: http://www.grillinsmokin.net/wh_images_ex/ehf066/IMG_8112-10-05-2015-Full-3648x2736-Photo-800x600.jpg

The view from my Kitchen door when entering the house.

Image: http://www.grillinsmokin.net/wh_images_ex/ehf066/IMG_8115-10-05-2015-Full-3648x2736-Photo-800x600.jpg

I am very happy with how the collage turned out, it looks better than I hoped for.

Jim

SciAggie · March 2016

Very nice.

Dyal_SC · March 2016

Nice wall o' food you got there!

Eggscuses · March 2016

Get a big fork and knife and hang on the sides.

jfm0830 · March 2016

Thanks for looking and commenting guys. I did't mention it but all but a couple of those photos were items made on my Egg. Everything was cooked outdoors.

Eggscuses said:

Get a big fork and knife and hang on the sides.

Funny you should say that. One of my guests came into the Kitchen holding the burger picture from the lower right side and said he chipped his tooth trying to eat my burger.

Jim

Sundown · March 2016

How are the images attached to the wall?

pgprescott · March 2016

Pretty neat.

Focker · March 2016

Nicely done.

ibanda · March 2016

Sundown said:

How are the images attached to the wall?

And did you attach it as one piece? Or did you have to hang 40+ pieces, if so that is an amazing job of keeping that all straight.

northGAcock · March 2016

I have been looking for something similar for outdoor use. I don't want an enclosed exterior frame......but something that can handle the rain and humidity.

jfm0830 · March 2016

Thanks for the additional comments. Some additional pictures and answers below.

Sundown said:

How are the images attached to the wall?

The black mounting material behind the picture has a keyhole in it that receives a round head screw that is drilled into the wall. See below. You can also order these with a kickstand type mount for placing on a counter top or shelves.

ibanda said:

And did you attach it as one piece? Or did you have to hang 40+ pieces, if so that is an amazing job of keeping that all straight.

I had to hang 40+ pictures, but I had help. I did a full sized mock-up in my Architectural CAD software that I used to finalize the arrangement of the various sized photos. I was also able to bring in the actual photos I was going to use and print them out at life size and scaled down versions. I was able to turn the photos layer off and use the file as a template. I was able to display the screw holes on a separate layer. I plotted this version of the file out at life size and taped it up on the wall in the exact location where the collage was going. I used this template to drill the holes for the round head screws. See below. I also made a shim that I placed under the screw heads to stop the screws at a consistent and proper depth.

Image: http://www.grillinsmokin.net/wh_images_ex/ehf066/IMG_8100-10-03-2015-Full-3648x2736-Photo-800x600.jpg

Image: http://www.grillinsmokin.net/wh_images_ex/ehf066/IMG_8100-10-03-2015-Full-3648x2736%20-%20Version%202-Photo-800x600.jpg

northGAcock said:

I have been looking for something similar for outdoor use. I don't want an enclosed exterior frame......but something that can handle the rain and humidity.

I don't believe these are suitable for outdoor use.

Jim

pgprescott · March 2016

Fancy!

Legume · March 2016

Quite a spread there, I think you should number them so people can order more easily.

caliking · March 2016

Very impressive! Can I borrow you for a bit? Moved into our house 7 years ago, and still haven't hung all of our pictures up.

Have you thought of placing a larger pic of your eggdom (bottom row) in the center?

northGAcock · March 2016

jfm0830 said:

Thanks for the additional comments. Some additional pictures and answers below.

Sundown said:

How are the images attached to the wall?

The black mounting material behind the picture has a keyhole in it that receives a round head screw that is drilled into the wall. See below. You can also order these with a kickstand type mount for placing on a counter top or shelves.

ibanda said:

And did you attach it as one piece? Or did you have to hang 40+ pieces, if so that is an amazing job of keeping that all straight.

I had to hang 40+ pictures, but I had help. I did a full sized mock-up in my Architectural CAD software that I used to finalize the arrangement of the various sized photos. I was also able to bring in the actual photos I was going to use and print them out at life size and scaled down versions. I was able to turn the photos layer off and use the file as a template. I was able to display the screw holes on a separate layer. I plotted this version of the file out at life size and taped it up on the wall in the exact location where the collage was going. I used this template to drill the holes for the round head screws. See below. I also made a shim that I placed under the screw heads to stop the screws at a consistent and proper depth.

northGAcock said:

I have been looking for something similar for outdoor use. I don't want an enclosed exterior frame......but something that can handle the rain and humidity.

I don't believe these are suitable for outdoor use.

Jim

Agree.....but looking for something just the same. Neat concept.

theyolksonyou · March 2016

Wow! That whole project is impressive. I could use you around the house as well.

YEMTrey · March 2016

Looks like the wall behind the counter at my local chinese restaurant.

Nice plan and execution.

jfm0830 · March 2016

Thanks guys.

@northGAcock I wasn't trying to discourage you, just saying this particular product is not made for that. Whatever you end up doing will probably need to use some special glass to protect the images from UV light.

@caliking This may sound like sacrilege, but the Egg, while important, is not the key element here. The end product is the food. I debated whether or not to even include a picture of the Eggs. I decided that the only grill I could have made all of these on was an Egg (or other Kamado), so it rated a picture.

Jim

WeberWho · March 2016

I'd much rather look at someone else's cooks than their kids school pictures hanging on the wall. Maybe that's just me

northGAcock · March 2016

jfm0830 said:

Thanks guys.

@northGAcock I wasn't trying to discourage you, just saying this particular product is not made for that. Whatever you end up doing will probably need to use some special glass to protect the images from UV light.

Wasn't taken as discouragement......sometimes others read and identify solutions. We are good.

Picture This - Cooking Collage for Dining Room

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