If you photograph weddings, run a portrait studio or sell your own art, there is a good chance you already know McKenna Pro. The lab in Cedar Falls, Iowa has built its name on products for professional photographers, and many artists first learn about metal prints, albums and canvas through a lab like it.

This review looks at what McKenna Pro makes, how its ordering tools work and what to check before you order ChromaLuxe metal prints from the lab. The last part covers a different job that many artists eventually take on, which is selling prints to collectors online, and how Brakebee helps with that. Every fact about McKenna below comes from the lab's own website, checked on October 14, 2026.¹

McKenna describes itself with the line "Exceptional Products for Professional Photographers" and notes that its products are proudly made in Iowa.¹ The lab is based at 3105 Capital Way in Cedar Falls and lists phone support on weekdays during Central Time business hours.¹

The product range leans toward what photographers deliver to their clients. Here is what the lab features on its homepage today.

McKenna makes its metal prints with ChromaLuxe material, using high heat to fuse the image into aluminum.² The lab offers four finishes. Glossy has brilliant whites and high shine, semi-gloss has a similar look with less glare, matte has a satin feel with minimal glare, and metallic uses a clear base that lets the aluminum show through lighter areas of the image.²

Sizes run from 4x4 up to 38x58, and custom sizes are available at an additional charge.² Each McKenna metal print comes with a metal hanger and clear wall bumpers, and display upgrades include an easel back, Stand Out mounts, a Gallery Frame Stand Out mount, a Post Stand Out mount and rod and rings.² McKenna lists a turnaround of one to two days for metal and describes its finishes as UV and scratch resistant.²

If metal is a format you want to sell to collectors, our guide to <a href="https://brakebee.com/articles/metal-prints-for-artists">metal prints for artists</a> covers finishes, file prep and selling metal wall art online.

McKenna offers ordering software built for different kinds of photography businesses. Easy Order is its general ordering tool, and Sports &amp; Events 2.0 is built for sports and event photographers, with drag-and-drop sports templates.¹

The lab also partners with PhotoDay, a studio workflow platform that covers the path from capture to checkout. Through that partnership, studios can automate emails, simplify ordering and offer McKenna products to their clients.¹ For a school, sports or event photographer, that pairing handles a lot of the busywork between the shoot and the delivered print.

Before you order ChromaLuxe metal prints: a checklist

A metal print is a big investment of time and money for you or your client, so it pays to make a few decisions before you place the order. These points follow the options McKenna lists for its ChromaLuxe metal prints, and they are good questions to ask whichever lab you use.

McKenna publishes size-by-size price lists on its product pages and runs promotions from time to time, so the lab's own site is the best place to check current pricing before you order.²

McKenna Pro is built around photographers who deliver finished products to their own clients. Wedding and family photographers get albums, Layflat Press Books and Art Blocks. School, sports and event photographers get ordering software and the PhotoDay partnership. Photographers and artists who want a durable wall piece get a wide range of metal sizes, finishes and mounts.

In each case, the photographer handles the client relationship and places the order. That works well when you already have clients who are paying for a session or a package.

From ordering prints to selling them: meet Brakebee

Many artists reach a point where they want strangers to find and buy their work, and they would rather skip buying prints up front and storing stock. That is the job Brakebee is built for.

With Brakebee print-on-demand, you list your prints on the Brakebee marketplace and in your own shop. When a collector pays, our Phoenix lab prints, packs and ships the order, and it is free to start.³ Brakebee aluminum metal prints come in gloss, satin and matte finishes, they are scratch, water and UV resistant, and hanging hardware comes with every one.⁴ You can read how it all works on our <a href="https://brakebee.com/print-on-demand">print-on-demand page</a>.

The Brakebee marketplace is a curated marketplace that connects verified artists and studios with buyers.³ If you want your own website as well, <a href="https://brakebee.com/custom-sites">Brakebee Custom Sites</a> builds a site around your work with a shop, checkout, prints and a connection to the marketplace.⁵

You place each order, pay for the prints and deliver them to the client. It works well for sessions, albums and packages you sell directly.

Ordering from a pro lab for clients

Collectors find your work and buy it online, and each print is made and shipped after the sale. It works well for selling art to people you have never met.

Selling prints with print-on-demand

You can keep both. Plenty of photographers keep ordering client work from their usual lab and use Brakebee to sell art prints to the public. Our guide to <a href="https://brakebee.com/articles/print-lab-vs-print-on-demand">print lab vs print-on-demand</a> walks through how the two models compare.

Where this fits in the Selling Art Prints series

This is the sixth article in our Selling Art Prints series. If you are starting from the beginning, our overview of <a href="https://brakebee.com/articles/best-print-on-demand-for-artists">print-on-demand for artists</a> compares the main options. The step-by-step guide on <a href="https://brakebee.com/articles/sell-prints-online">how to sell prints online</a> covers listing, pricing and promotion. To compare McKenna with other professional labs, see <a href="https://brakebee.com/articles/best-pro-photo-labs">best pro photo labs for artists</a>.

If you already know your way around a pro lab, you have done the hard part of learning what makes a great print. Put your best pieces in front of collectors with Brakebee print-on-demand.

1. McKenna Pro, homepage: tagline, Made in Iowa, product categories, Layflat Press Books, Art Blocks, Pivot Prints, PhotoDay partnership, Easy Order and Sports &amp; Events 2.0, address and hours. mckennapro.com, accessed Oct 14, 2026.

2. McKenna Pro, Metal Prints product page: ChromaLuxe material, heat fusing, four finishes, size range, custom sizes, included hanger and bumpers, display upgrades, turnaround, UV and scratch resistance, published price list. mckennapro.com, accessed Oct 14, 2026.

3. Brakebee, print-on-demand page: marketplace and own-shop listing, Phoenix lab printing and shipping, free to start, curated marketplace. Confirmed Oct 14, 2026.

4. Brakebee, Metal Prints for Artists article: aluminum metal prints in gloss, satin and matte aluminum, scratch, water and UV resistance, hanging hardware included. Confirmed Oct 14, 2026.

5. Brakebee, Custom Sites page: shop, checkout, prints and marketplace connection. Confirmed Oct 14, 2026.

Facts about McKenna Pro reflect its website on the date accessed and may change.

Metal and canvas art prints laid out on a studio worktable

A fair McKenna Pro review for artists: ChromaLuxe metal prints, albums and ordering software, plus how to sell your prints online with print-on-demand.

McKenna Pro Review: ChromaLuxe Metal, Ordering, and Selling Prints

You may already order from McKenna Pro. Here is an honest look at what the Iowa lab makes and how it works, followed by how Brakebee helps artists sell their prints.

Selling prints is one of the most reliable ways for an artist to earn from a single piece more than once. A well-made print of a painting can hang in many homes, at a price more people can say yes to. If you have ever wondered how to sell prints of your art online, the good news is that the path is clearer than it looks, and most of it comes down to a series of practical decisions you can make one at a time.

This guide walks through ten steps, from choosing which pieces to print all the way to tracking what sells and growing from there. It focuses on print-on-demand, since that is the simplest way for most artists to start selling art prints online without buying inventory first. If you want a quick overview of how Brakebee's version works, our <a href="/print-on-demand">print-on-demand for artists</a> page covers the basics, and this article goes deeper into the whole process.

Step 1: Pick which artworks to offer as prints

Start with the pieces people already respond to. Look at the work that gets the most comments, questions and shares, and the originals that sold quickly or drew interest after they were gone. Those are your strongest candidates, because buyers have already told you they care about them.

Think about how each piece will read on a wall at print size. Bold compositions, strong color and clear subjects tend to hold up well across many sizes, while very fine detail may need a larger print to shine. Work with a lot of texture, such as heavy impasto, can still make a lovely print, though the print shows a flat image of that texture, so describe it honestly in your listing.

It helps to launch with a small, cohesive group of pieces. A handful of related pieces makes your shop feel curated, gives buyers an easy way to pick a pair or a set, and lets you learn what sells before you add more.

Your print can only be as good as the file behind it. For flat work such as drawings, watercolors and small paintings, a flatbed scan usually captures the most accurate color and detail. Larger or textured pieces are often better photographed with even, diffused light from both sides, the camera square to the artwork, and a color reference card in the frame so you can correct color afterward.

Edit gently. Crop to the edge of the art, straighten any tilt, and adjust color so the file matches the original when you view them side by side. Save a full-resolution master file and keep it safe, since every print you sell will come from it.

Check your aspect ratio early. Standard print sizes come in a few common proportions, and a piece that does not match one of them will need either a crop or a border. Deciding this now saves surprises when you set up products later. If you are unsure whether your file is sharp enough for larger sizes, order a sample at the biggest size you plan to sell and look at it closely.

Step 3: Choose how your prints get made and shipped

You have two broad ways to fulfill orders. You can order a batch of prints from a lab, store them and ship each sale yourself, or you can use print-on-demand, where each print is made only after a customer orders it and ships straight to them.

Each print is made after a sale and shipped directly to your buyer, so you can offer every size and finish without holding stock.

Print-on-demand

You buy a batch up front, keep it on hand and pack every order yourself, which suits art fairs, wholesale and hands-on quality checks.

Bulk lab order

For most artists selling online, print-on-demand removes the two biggest headaches of selling prints, which are paying for stock before anyone buys it and spending evenings at the packing table. We compare the two models in detail in <a href="/articles/print-lab-vs-print-on-demand">print lab vs print-on-demand</a>, including when a mix of both makes sense.

Step 4: Choose sizes, finishes and products

Offering a few thoughtful choices helps buyers find the version that fits their space. Give them a small, medium and large option of each piece to start, and add more sizes once you see where demand is.

The finish changes how a piece looks and feels on the wall, so match each artwork to the surfaces that flatter it.

Beyond wall art, many artists add smaller products that let fans buy in at a lower commitment. Notecards, coasters, calendars and keychains featuring your work make easy gifts and can introduce new people to your art.

Buyers need a place to find and purchase your prints. Most artists combine a shop they control with a few marketplaces where shoppers already browse. Your own shop gives you a home base to tell your story and keep your branding consistent, and marketplaces put your work in front of people who are actively looking for art and gifts.

When comparing print-on-demand platforms, look at who sets your retail price, how and when you get paid, which finishes are available and which sales channels you can connect. Our guide to the <a href="/articles/best-print-on-demand-for-artists">best print-on-demand for artists</a> lines up seven options side by side so you can compare them on the points that matter to you.

If you would like a fully branded artist website as your home base, Brakebee also builds <a href="/custom-sites">custom artist sites</a> for $500/year, with a one-time setup quoted before work starts.

Pricing feels personal, but a simple method keeps it grounded. Start with what each print costs you to produce and ship, add any platform or payment fees, then add the profit you want to earn on every sale. That total is your floor, and you should never sell below it.

From there, look at artists whose style, experience and audience are similar to yours, and see where their prints sit. Pricing in the same neighborhood helps buyers feel confident, and your own sales will tell you over time whether to move up.

See how print-on-demand works for artists

After your first few weeks of sales, patterns start to appear. Note which images, sizes and finishes sell most often, which channels bring the most orders, and which listings get views without converting. Double down on what works by adding sizes or finishes to your best sellers, and refresh or retire what does not move.

Growth from here is usually a matter of steady additions. Add a few new pieces at a time, connect another sales channel when you are ready, and keep listening to what your buyers tell you through their orders.

Brakebee's print-on-demand is built for artists selling their own work. You can offer dozens of print sizes in gloss, satin and matte aluminum, gloss or matte photo prints, gallery wrap canvas and giclée, and archival inks are used for artist prints. You can also turn your designs into custom products such as keychains, notecards, printed decor, coasters, calendars and coloring books.

Orders usually turn around in hours to a day, and you are paid after products ship. Along with your Brakebee shop, you can connect marketplaces including Etsy, Shopify, TikTok Shop, Wayfair, Walmart, Amazon, eBay and Faire, with more coming soon. Learn more on the <a href="/print-on-demand">Brakebee print-on-demand</a> page.

You do not have to finish every step perfectly before you begin. Pick a few strong pieces, prepare good files, choose your finishes and get your first prints listed, then let your buyers guide what comes next.

Sources: Custom Sites "$500/year" with one-time setup quoted: brakebee.com/custom-sites, verified Oct 13, 2026. Brakebee print sizes, finishes, custom products, marketplace connectors, payout timing, turnaround, archival inks for artist prints and limited edition runs: Brakebee, confirmed Oct 13, 2026. No competitor or third-party claims are made in this article.

Sell Prints Online guide banner showing an artist browsing an art print storefront

Turn your artwork into prints that sell: pick the right pieces, prepare files, choose sizes and finishes, price with confidence and reach buyers online.

#Selling Prints

McKenna Pro Review: ChromaLuxe Metal, Ordering, and Selling Prints

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