When Chris Dunker of Dunker Imaging Services, Inc. in Logan, UT first learned that LexJet was planning to introduce Sunset Photo Metallic paper, he immediately knew it was a product he wanted to try. He was preparing to produce a series of prints of classic cars and motorcycles for an art-gallery exhibition and thought Sunset Photo Metallic might provide the ideal surface for showcasing the highly polished, meticulously photographed vehicles as works of art.

Dunker, who is known for his artistry in photographing industrial architecture and machinery, was already using a somewhat unorthodox method of finishing and displaying limited-edition prints. After outputting his images on a smooth, matte watercolor paper on his Epson Stylus Pro 9800, he would then mount the prints to sheets of aluminum, using a cold-roll laminator and an acid-free mounting adhesive. Then, he would take the mounted prints to a friend’s auto-body shop and have them sprayed with a high-gloss, polyurethane coating.
Although the matte art paper produced prints with a subdued color gamut, the polyurethane dramatically increased the color saturation and contrast. The coating really made the colors snap and gave each print a distinctive look. Dunker wondered if the Sunset Photo Metallic paper would help him achieve the same type of look without the need to apply the polyurethane coating.