Handprints

The reflective surface of the screen is extremely delicate. When someone places their hand against the screen the oils on the skin begin to etch the surface. Butter oils and salt on the hand increases the deterioration of the area. Handprints usually don’t affect the picture quality of a white screen. On a silver screen, however, a large number of them may show up in a picture’s light scenes. Having a screen on a maintenance schedule will help prevent new handprints from appearing. See Etching and Shadow Marks.