Organizing photos into stunning pieces of art can be liberating. It saves you the time you would have spent looking for that one photo you love the most, allowing you to focus your energy on things that matter the most.
It is even more exciting if you can turn your organized images into outstanding wall art or a narrative with which other people can easily connect, as people tend to remember more information wrapped up in a story.
Luckily, there are various graphic organizers (stickable photo tiles) that can help you communicate your visual ideas better. Storyboards and Mixtiles are popular events or image organizers that you’ll find worth trying at the end of this review.
As the name suggests, Storyboards helps you organize a series of events into a story. At the same time, Mixtiles is an excellent option for anyone looking to add custom art or personal photos to the wall.
But how do Storyboards compare against Mixtiles? Let us find out in the review below.
Storyboards vs Mixtiles: What Are They?
Storyboards
Storyboards are one of the most affordable photo tile options available on the internet today. Storyboards show progression over time, storytelling, and explaining processes.
They represent the step-by-step progress of modern-day stories, and the information is presented linearly to tell a story.
The storyboard technique was created by Walt Disney and Howard Hughes and has been in operation since 1930. The two individually worked to produce animated films: Three Little Pigs and Hell’s Angels, respectively, but later birthed modern-day storyboards.
Originally, storyboards were made of sequential story cards pinned to a board. Later, facilitators and collaborators revised it to have stories in fragments, then perfected it in bits instead of redoing it on a large-scale drawing.
Storyboards are made of fine quality and high-density PVC foam that ensures they are strong and durable.
They also use high-quality UV printing techniques to bring your photos to life on tiles. The tiles are weather and water-resistant, making them an excellent choice indoors and outdoors.
Storyboards are beautiful. They are lightweight and weigh only three ounces each. You’ll love storyboards because they allow you to experiment with different storylines to evoke more substantial interests and reactions.
The Storyboards platform enables you to create photo tiles by simply uploading, clicking, and sticking them on the wall.
Mixtiles
If you are one of the people who constantly browse through Pinterest and Instagram for design inspirations, you might have come across Mixtiles. But if you’ve never heard about Mixtiles, you are here for a good ride.
The Mixtiles online platform lets you create wall art with custom-framed photo tiles. The tool was founded in 2016 by Eytan Levit and David Katz, and each year, millions of people have continued to choose Mixtiles to preserve their memories.
You’ll love Mixtiles if you want to add custom art or photos to your wall. You don’t need screws or nails to mount your Mixtiles as it comes with a tremendous peel-and-stick Styrofoam strip. Its print quality is excellent, and the setup is easy.
Mixtiles are 8×8 (the only size available) and are backed up by reusable adhesive and lightweight foam that allows you to mount any photo size on your wall.
If you feel the photo did not fit as expected, you can easily remove your image without damaging walls and readjust as you wish.
The quality of Mixtiles can be broken down into four main categories: print, foam, adhesive, and frames.
Generally, Mixtiles’ print quality is excellent, with vibrant colors, crisp images, and smooth print. The foam quality is superb. For the 8×8-sized tiles, the foam is reasonably thick, durable, and lightweight.
The foam becomes denser for larger format prints. All in all, they maintain great heftiness and durability. Mixtiles uses an essential adhesive with an easy-to-remove cover. Once the cover is removed, you can easily place your tile on the wall to make it stick.
The adhesive is lightweight and can be removed without damaging your walls. At the point of printing, you can choose multiple frame options based on your needs. Smaller prints go well with edgeless designs, while larger prints look good on clean, modern white frames.
While you can comfortably hang Mixtiles independently, they are best suited for a gallery wall arrangement. The frames are plastic, and you’ll have fun playing around with different style options before settling on either bold or classic styles.
Storyboards vs Mixtiles: Getting started
Storyboards
Before installing storyboards to your wall, you need a few things to make it a success. Of course, you need photo portraits/storyboards, a level, a tape measure, command strips, and a friend or family to help you. Although, in most cases, you’ll be OK on your own.
Choose the right location
The first step to creating that story on your wall is choosing the right location to hang your storyboards. Get a spot that receives natural light, so your Storyboards tiles look vibrant and bring out the colors in your mix of photos.
Be intentional in setting the mood for every room you wish to mount storyboards. For your bedroom, choose storyboards with a mix of colors that portray calmness and a relaxing feel. Go for something soothing, although you can also throw in some playful snaps.
Choose more formal or posed shots within your storyboard photo tile for your family and living room. Focus on portraying once-in-lifetime occasions and events. Make sure that the place you hang your storyboards is clean to ensure that your portraits stick firmly.
Your kitchen, hallways, or staircases can accommodate your favorite tiles to add fun and interest in often neglected areas.
Choose your layout
The second step after identifying your preferred spot is to choose the layout for displaying your storyboards. You can choose a grid layout, staggered, or get creative and try something different and unique.
Be mindful of how you’ll mix the colors, backgrounds, and the type of occasion you’ll be fronting. Once you get that perfect layout for your storyboards, use a tape measure to mark the position of each photo tile on the wall.
If you use a grid layout, ensure that the marks are evenly spaced. Take a step back to check whether the layout looks as you wish and make adjustments as often as possible until you get it right.
Start hanging your tiles
At this point, you would have your storyboards ready to go up. If you were working alone, start with center tiles as you work your way out. If you are lucky to have someone to help, start with the outermost tiles and work towards the center.
Take a look at your work
Once you have all the photo tiles in place, take a step back and have a second look at your creation. Make any adjustments until you are happy with the results.
The best thing about storyboards is that you can move them or rearrange them based on the growing size of your family or changing preferences.
Setting up your storyboards is simple and takes a few minutes. With a few supplies and inspiration, you can quickly tell a story about your personality on any wall. They are a great way to celebrate your personal and family style.
So whether you are looking for a way to display your elegant shots, display a milestone, or add a vibrant mix to your old photos, storyboards can bring any space to life. Remember, you can also use them at your workplace, waiting areas, conference rooms, or even classrooms.
Mixtiles
Mixtiles makes creating your personalized gallery wall effortless and rewarding. Once you order your photo tiles from Mixtile’s official website or app, hanging them at your favorite spot is blissful.
Find a suitable area
You might be accustomed to photo galleries in living rooms or family rooms that are spacious enough to display images.
However, there are other areas where you can conveniently display Mixtiles in your house. Places like hallways, offices, staircases, or bedrooms are perfect for hanging Mixtiles.
You can also place them in the kitchen or dining area, depending on the photos you have. Your guests love looking at family photos that are neatly arranged, so ensure that you place them at strategic points.
Clean your walls
Before hanging Mixtiles, ensure that you wipe your wall for better adhesion. Avoid using a wet cloth as it may prevent some adhesive sections of your Mixtiles from working.
Removing adhesive
Peel off the adhesive cover like you would peel a sticker. The adhesive mounting cover spans almost the entire length of your frame and is the same color on white Mixtiles.
So, be keen not to overlook it. Make sure you don’t wear off the adhesives on Mixtiles prematurely by waiting until you are ready to remove the backings.
Spacing your tiles
Use a ruler or tape measure to keep your tiles’ spacing uniform. Take time to explore different spacing until you find one that will work for your style.
Since you can remove and replace tiles as you wish, don’t stress over breaking out a tape measure if you can keep things simple.
Try out different layouts
Try different layouts on the floor to get a sneak preview of your final product. See how additional images will look next to each other. Move it elsewhere if you realize that a specific tile doesn’t fit in a particular position.
The best thing about Mixtiles is that they have a universal size, so you don’t have to stress what tile will stand out based on individual dimensions. When choosing a pattern, go for a simple grid layout that will instantly attract attention.
Grid patterns create a neat, orderly, and asymmetrical presentation for a satisfying focal point without draining your efforts. Create a grid pattern based on the number of tiles you have. For instance, a three-by-three pattern will work best if you have nine tiles.
You can also try irregular layouts and patterns to add personality to your gallery. Be bold and think outside the box, as there is no wrong way to arrange photo tiles. You also have the option to place Mixtiles into small groupings as opposed to one big one.
Apply pressure
Press your Mixtiles evenly to ensure that it firmly sticks to the wall. In case you need to take a tile down, lift it off the wall from the bottom up and re-affix it as you wish.
Storyboards vs Mixtiles: Features
Storyboards
Good storyboards convey information in a way you can understand. Whether you want to brighten up your living room, cozy up your bedroom, or make a statement with wall art on staircases, storyboards are good at their job. Let’s look at the fundamental elements.
Click and stick
Storyboards’ tiles are made to stick to any surface without damaging paint directly. The stickable photo tiles offer a fun way to stick on the wall, and I recommend that you get them in bulk to create different patterns and styles.
The storyboards come with four repositionable adhesives that you can attach and detach up to five times without an issue.
Size and style
The storyboard photo tiles are square and often measure eight inches by eight inches. They are made of PVC foam, which makes them lightweight and durable.
Mixtiles
Frame and Photo surface
Mixtiles are made of plastic frame and foam boards onto which photos are printed. Mixtiles give your photos a matte finish, something you’ll love. And since there is no glass on a Mixtile, the natural lighting shining on it will not blind you.
Mixtiles are an optional black or white color. You can choose to have a white-matte look border around your photo or print a full image with a frame but no matte border. An edgeless design is right if your prints are small, while larger prints go well with a clean and modern white frame.
Adhesive
Mixtiles’ basic adhesive is a piece of foam with adhesive on it covered by a removable cover. Once you remove the cover, press your photo tile to the wall to make it stick.
The lightweight adhesive can be comfortably removed without damaging your wall, making Mixtiles a great choice.
Setting up Mixtiles
One factor that will make you love Mixtiles is their simple setup. You don’t need nails, hammers, or screws to add this beautiful installation to your living space. Remove the adhesive cover at the back of your piece, then place it on the wall, no matter the size of your photo tile.
Quality of prints
Mixtiles provides high-resolution prints as long as your images have a resolution of at least 499 by 499.
You can upload the photos you wish to be printed through Facebook, Instagram, or a simple upload. The best thing is that you’ll be notified if the quality of your image is below the expected resolution.
You’ll receive your quality prints in an organized, secure, and protected presentation, making it a perfect gift idea for your loved ones.
Mixtiles styleÂ
Mixtiles have different styles: Bold, Classic, Clean, Ever, and Edge. These styles allow you to adjust your photo tile’s filters and frames to suit your dĂ©cor. The Bold style features a black frame with no mat, while the Classic style is a black frame with a mat.
The Clean style’s frame is white with no mat, and the Ever style is a white frame with a mat. If you are not into frames, you can choose the Edge style, which gives you a canvas painting feeling.
Storyboards vs Mixtiles: Pricing
Storyboards
Storyboards come at a relatively higher cost compared to Mixtiles. A tile will cost you $13. However, they offer a better deal where you get five free boards if you order a set of eight. If you live in the US, you’ll only enjoy free shipping for storyboards.
Mixtiles
Mixtiles are one of the most popular stickable photo tiles for a good reason. A single tile costs about $11, but if you order in bulk, the cost will go down. For instance, you can get 12 Mixtiles for $99 or 16 Mixtiles for $125. Additionally, they come with free shipping.
Check out their sites for the latest on Pricing.
Storyboards vs Mixtiles: Differences and Similarities
Differences
While both Storyboards and Mixtiles offer means to provide customer feedback, Mixtiles does better in delivering effective customer support. A handful of customers have complained about Storyboards’ delayed responses in online reviews.
Some customers also complained about Storyboards delivering fewer items than what they ordered. On the other hand, Mixtiles offers 24/7 live customer support, and they respond to customer concerns within minutes.
Mixtiles offers free worldwide shipping regardless of the size of your order and they deliver your order within ten days of placing it. Delivery time is based on your country, and Mixtiles always gives an estimated delivery date before you check out your order.
Storyboards offers free shipping in the United States only. The free shipping happens within 24 hours, and what’s more interesting is that you can pay in four installments if paying with Klarna. Storyboards posts an estimated delivery date every day on its website.
Similarities
Both Storyboards and Mixtiles stickable photo tiles allow you to print photos from your phone. Using the Storyboards and Mixtiles apps, you can select the images you love from your phone gallery and print them.
It is easy to set up storyboards and Mixtiles. You don’t need nails, hammers, or screws to set them up on your wall. The two come with ready adhesives where you are only required to pull off the adhesive cover and place your art at your preferred spot.
Storyboards and Mixtiles offer stylish photo frames that can stick on any surface. The frames stick directly to your wall, and you can reposition them several times without damaging them. The two photo tiles are lightweight and durable.
Each storyboard and Mixtile photo tile measures eight inches by eight inches. The storyboards are made of heavy-duty PVC foam, which makes them durable. The two tiles are lightweight and have a reusable adhesive for easy mounting and repositioning.
Storyboards vs Mixtiles: Pros and Cons
Storyboards Pros
- An effective tool for capturing and sharing ideas, events, and milestones with others
- An easy and fun way to create custom photo tiles to hang on the wall or gift someone
- Are available in different sizes and styles, so you can mix and match them to create a unique display that reflects your personality
- Are of excellent quality, look amazing, and stick firmly to the wall
- Easy and fast to set up
Storyboards Cons
- Several users have complained about Storyboards’ print quality
- They might not last long, like canvas prints. However, they are great products and will look great on your wall.
Mixtiles Pros
- You can add an unlimited number of photos to Mixtiles at once.
- Mixtiles require no nails or screws during their installation. You only need to peel and stick Mixtile’s Styrofoam strips.
- They are repositionable and do not cause damage to your wall.
- Mixtiles features responsive customer support.
Mixtiles Cons
- Its foam core isn’t a premium product. From afar, the product looks great. But a closer look will make you realize that photo prints on foam cores feel flimsy and might not last.
Verdict: Storyboards vs Mixtiles – Which is Better?
From the above review, it’s no doubt that Storyboards and Mixtiles have robust features and characteristics to help you represent your family’s best moments and milestones in a manner that reflects your personality.
Since we can only have one winner, Mixtiles takes the day. Mixtiles has received thousands of positive reviews on different platforms and is undoubtedly trusted to deliver quality. You can reuse your Mixtiles as often as possible without damaging your wall.
Mixtiles also has outstanding customer service every time and strives to responds to every concern they receive. It is easy to reach the Mixtiles team of customer service representatives fluent in English, German, Spanish, and French.
