Rudinec & Associates is a “photographic services” company, but that doesn’t even begin to describe the company’s capabilities. Case in point is a project Rudinec is currently finishing up for The Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio, which opens its new museum displays to the public on Thursday, Sept. 12.

The museum recently purchased an historic church building adjacent to the main museum, added a connecting skywalk, remodeled the old church and converted the classrooms to galleries to display the museum’s folk art and maritime collections.

Rudinec was charged with connecting the collections – which include historic carousel horses, duck decoys, model ships and other ephemera – with graphics that complement, inform and create additional interest. Rudinec does this for museums across the country, providing not only printed graphics, but creative direction, photography and other related services.

In this case, Rudinec mainly used LexJet Print-N-Stick Fabric for the various wall murals and informational panels. Rudinec also used LexJet Clear PreLume HD backed with LexJet Elite Coex Backer (5 Mil) for the subtle duck habitat scenery behind the decoys.

“The duck decoy display case has bars in the back and panels of LexJet Clear fit better for that application. We used Print-N-Stick for the side and bottom panels. We were able to balance the images perfectly between the two materials; the media profiles were remarkably close,” explains Sarah Hoefert, Visual Imaging Specialist for Rudinec. “We used our Epson 9900, and the printing went great. Print-N-Stick really pops; the saturation and image quality is really crisp. For application, it helps to have two people when you have a larger piece or if you’re in a tight spot, but a smaller piece can be applied with just one person.”

Hoefert applied multiple panels throughout the rest of the museum’s expanded display areas, six murals for the carousel horse display and one 7′ x 8′ panel for the maritime display area, which Hoefert describes as a “ghost image” of the USS Constitution.

“We photographed a painting of the USS Constitution and created a line drawing of it. The mural turned out very sharp, and it looks like it’s a shadow of the model on the wall behind it,” explains Hoefert.

In the carousel horse gallery, Hoefert applied two 3′ x 5′ panels of Print-N-Stick Fabric above and to the side of the fireplace mantle, which are recessed about 18 inches. “Though the textured plaster surface was fairly uneven, the material had no problem adhering, and shows no sign of releasing,” says Hoefert.

Walls surrounding the carousel horse gallery were built around it to cut down on the amount of sunlight streaming through the numerous windows, mainly to protect the original paintings housed in the display from too much direct light.

Hoefert applied four large panels of Print-N-Stick to these walls that are designed to be seen from the street through the windows. “We photographed the carousel horses that are in the gallery, printed the murals and applied them to the walls. When the lights are on at night, they almost glow in the windows,” adds Hoefert.