Where do you photograph or scan my art?
In our Historic San Marco home studio location -- 1 mile south of downtown Jacksonville -- by appointment only. Your one-of-a-kind pieces don't leave our premises.
Do you photograph on location?
Yes, but the pricing is different than shooting in the studio. Please call for details.
The studio lighting conditions are optimized for this type of work resulting in the best quality possible.
Can you work with mixed-media or bulky art?
No problem. 3-D work is our specialty. Our unique process really helps to highlight the unique textures and unique materials that make your art stand out.
How long does it take?
Our standard turn-around time for digital files is 3-5 working days. We can provide same-day rush service if needed.
Giclee print work may take longer due to proofing, computer re-mastering, drying and coating times.
What if I lose or damage my original CD/USB?
We keep a backup copy in a fireproof safe for up to 10 years so we can re-burn a new one for you.
What is a Giclée?
The word "giclée" (ja-CLAY), was derived from the French language word "le gicleur" meaning "nozzle", or more specifically "gicler" meaning "to squirt, spurt, or spray”.
The name was originally applied to fine art prints created on Iris printers in a process invented in the early 1990’s but has since come to mean any high-quality, archival ‘sprayed-ink’ print and is often used in galleries and print shops to denote such prints.
How much should I charge for a Giclée reproduction?
The average retail selling price is anywhere from 25-50% of the price of your original piece (plus framing) for unlimited smaller prints.
Limited edition larger prints or artist-enhanced prints can sell for much more.
What other services do you offer?
We can also duplicate and restore old photos, matt & frame your work and help you create your gallery brochure & portfolio and provide a headshot for your bio.
We also offer mounting, matt cutting, gloss laminating (2-sided hot or 1-sided cold) and framing services.
Can you reproduce a poster board of family photos?
Yes, 'family reunion' photo boards make the BEST family gifts and posters for the relatives.
AND, unlike cheap 'photo copies' our reproduction quality will be as good or better than the original and will last longer!
Why don't the colors look right from my camera?
The typical consumer camera only records 256 colors (ours records 65,536 colors per pixel - 256 times more) some of the colors used in the original artwork are not available colors in your camera so your cameras program will default to the closest color it has available which may not be close to the original.
We use a closed-loop, scientifically measured spectrometer and color-calibrated system with a Deep Color 10-bit monitor and specific LCC and ICC profiles to insure accuracy and consistency. (a much more sophisticated system than most personal home computer setups)
Aren't 4x5 transparencies the standard for publication?
Large transparencies used to be the standard for publications, before high-quality digital existed. There was a time when we produce a 4x5 transparency, as an intermediate step, which was then used on a drum scanner to make CMYK printing negatives or a digital file.
Later, as digital processes evolved, the negatives were replaced with a Direct-To-Plate printing processes. Today we skip the intermediate steps (transparency and scan) and go direct to a high-resolution digital file.
How long have you been doing this type of work?
In the early 80's Dan worked in a commercial reproduction facility while attending college and he has never gotten too far from it since.
Technology has improved the workflow and quality on short runs but the principles of the reproduction process remain the same.
Do you offer student discounts?
Yes, for full-time college students with proof of current enrollment.
What about artwork on thin paper?
Not a problem, we have a 32"x39" vacuum table that holds the artwork flat, without damage, while it is being photographed.
Do you shoot 3-D work?
Yes, but if your work is fragile (or greenware) we ask that you handle your own pieces during the shoot to insure it's safety and to preview the images to be sure we have captured the proper angles.
How large do your high-res files print?
We have had billboards and two- and three-story banners produced from our standard original files. We have also made wallpaper to cover a giant wall.
The maximum size we offer in-house for archival Giclees is 44" wide and up to 60 feet long. If you plan on producing larger-sized, limited-edition prints, we can capture the original in a larger size so it will meet your exact output size requirements.
Can you make slides from digital files?
Yes, but the quality is much better if we start with the originals because second- and third-generation duplicates tend to increase contrast and lose clarity.
If the original is totally unavailable, we can work with whatever you have.
Do your Giclées have strange color casts and shiny areas in the dark areas?
Metamerism is all too common of a problem with inferior print systems. (this is where the more ink you print -dark areas- the shinier the area becomes.)
Our top-quality system ensures your blacks and whites will look the same under any lighting conditions without any color crossover, strange color casts or bronzing.
Why do your prints look better than online prints?
When you order prints online the Internet ordering programs typically 'dumb down' your digital files either in the upload process or in the size restrictions and file upload limitations thus reducing the quality of the original file they are printing from.
Some use 3 or 4 color printers and solvent-based inks (we use 10-color HDR pigment-based inks) on inferior media.
To be 'competitively priced', many online printers reduce their costs by using cheaper substrates and faster printing methods with less 'dots per inch' to reduce ink usage or don't apply adequate protective overcoats.
Our master printmaker meets with the artist during a quality-assurance proofing session and will digitally re-adjust portions of the digital image as needed to insure maximum-quality output.
We print from the original camera or scan files at maximum resolution in a closed-loop system to insure there are no quality leaks --insuring world-class quality.
Why do some Giclées have fogging inside the glass?
Impatience... if a Giclee isn't properly cured prior to framing and gets exposed to a strong UV light after framing, the inks that aren't totally dry will release a gas which collects inside the frame causing fogging inside the glass.
This can be corrected by unframing the art, cleaning the glass and letting the print cure for 48 hours at a minimum temperature of 70 degrees with a maximum humidity of 50%.
If a Giclee is coated prior to proper curing, this same problem can cause milky looking areas under the protective coating. We guarantee all our work and don't rush the process so as to avoid these problems.
Doesn't copying art require polarizing filters?
Polarizing filters will eliminate reflections and make your artwork look very flat and unrealistic and may cause undesirable color-shifting. We will reduce the reflections to not more than you would normally see with the human eye, while still maintaining extremely accurate colors.
We want your artwork to look like it would when viewed in person and feel color accuracy very important in making the best reproductions.
How long will a Fine Art Archival Giclée last?
We use Archival Pigment-based inks (not dye-based) on 100% cotton rag paper along with a special non-yellowing UV coating. Our prints have been independently tested (by WIR) to not show noticeable fading for over 200 years for color images and over 400 years for black and white images when properly stored under UV inhibiting glass or acrylic.