What is your philosophy?
Our goal is to make your artwork (or digital image) look the best it can while still maintaining accuracy and honesty in reproduction.
This is best accomplished with a personal consultation and proofing session, (not mail-order). Often art will look very different under different lights or viewing conditions. Sometimes it is good to take a test print to the gallery with your original and compare how the lighting affects both.
Our ArtScans are able to reproduce the subtle textures contained in the original artwork including the background color, depth and unique textures of mixed-media pieces.
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.
Do I need to remove my art from it's frame or glass?
No, because we are using high-end superior photographic equipment (not just a scanner) to capture the image, shooting through glass is not a problem for us.
Artwork in a frame that is able to hang is even easier.
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 do I get if I order digital files only?
With our standard service we provide Large and Small file sizes a reusable USB Flash Drive. The USB Drive will contain our Hi-Res Large Jpeg, aprox: 16 x24"@300 dpi jpeg file for general in-house printing of postcards, flyers, etc. and a Small Jpeg, aprox. 1500 pixel image for e-mail, websites & computer presentations.
With our Mega or Super-Sized publication service (min $70 order) we provide a USB Flash Drive that contains: a Mega Tiff (or Jpeg) aprox.32 x48"@300 dpi or a Super-Sized Tiff aprox. 64 x96"@300 dpi. as an open-architecture 16-bit printer's Tiff for professional publication and limited-edition reproductions.
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 is a Giclée different from ink-jet or a photo print?
Today’s best Giclée printers use 10-12 different archival pigment-based ink colors to insure color accuracy and longevity.
Our top-of-the-line archival Giclées have been coated with a UV protectant that not only protects the image from damaging: ultra-violet exposure, moisture, humidity, atmospheric contaminants, abrasion and fingerprints, but has been independently tested to not fade (based on the type of storage conditions) for 200 to 400 years.
Photo prints will begin to discolor in 20 years and most ink-jet printers (use 3 or 4 colors) and discolor or fade within 5 years.
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.
What's the difference between your PhotoPrint vs Giclée?
Our PhotoPrint is a print on standard satin photo paper or archival matte celulose bond, perfect for inclusion in your portfolio or proofing or photo print sales.
It is not enhanced or UV coated and has been tested to not fade for up to 75 years.
Whereas, our Archival Giclee printed on 100% cotton art paper or blended canvas has been UV coated and when stored under UV inhibiting acrylic has been tested by an independent lab to not fade for 200-400 years.
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)
Can you provide slides or transparencies?
Yes, 35mm slides mounted in archival holders (not paper) are often used for personal records.
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.
Can you convert slides to digital?
Yes, the pricing for our digital scans depends on the quantity and quality required.
Our scanner is pro-quality and will do a much better job than any consumer desktop scanner. Please call for details.
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.
What about work on a colored or textured paper?
Colored paper or highly textured paper is not a problem, the reproduction will be made to look just like the original including background coloring and paper textures.
The same is true of collages, we want them to reproduce with the greatest amount of depth, detail and texture so they look true to the original.
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 photograph art I own but didn't make?
Yes, for personal & insurance archival records but please remember that the original artist maintains the original copyright and you may have to get permission from the copyright owner to print copies.
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.
Can I print my own prints on my home printer?
Yes, but they won't last as long nor will the color and quality be as consistent. Our portfolio prints are electronically 'certified' for accuracy and longevity with our highly-sophisticated software and color spectrometer.
Our Giclees go through some additional processes insuring archival 200-400+ year quality. Home prints never sell for as much as commercially produced and certified archival Giclee's. Home printers typically use 3 or 4-color Dye-based inks which are not archival and although they may make nice prints at first, their output consistency eventually diminishes.
We have the best equipment and software for the job and our master print maker insures it is done right! We can give you consistent, color accuracy with each print and reprint order.
You wouldn't want to risk your reputation and integrity as an artist by producing inferior-quality reproductions that don't provide lasting value.
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.
My art looks different on the computer? Why?
It may also look different on different computers and under different lighting conditions.
Most backlit viewing systems (monitors, screens, TV's, etc.) use the additive theory of light (all colors equal white and no light equals black) while printed and painted media is using the reflective principles of light (all colors equal black and no color equals the background media color). So even if everything were equal (which it's not) there will always be differences between the two.
Computers and digital projectors have a tendency to add contrast and color saturation. The issue is also compounded by different white balances/ K-color of the monitor, screen, projector bulb or viewing lights and the fact that these color temperatures are constantly changing over time.
When you add to these issues the reflectance factors and fluorescent characteristics of the artists materials, which may be seen dramatically different by a camera or scanner than by the human eye or that different people perceive color differently, you can have a real mess.
Currently electronic devices (computers, printers, cameras, scanners, etc.) are unable to reproduce the full spectrum of light that the human eye can see. (i.e. color gamut)
Computer monitors display fewer colors than we can print on a Giclee. This is why we like to have the artist involved in each step of the process so when an adjustment needs to be made we can be sure it truly reflects the artists original intentions. We have exacting color controls in place and are able to reproduce your artwork as accurately as humanly possible.
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.
Do you coat your Giclées?
Yes, we apply multiple coats of non-yellowing acrylic resin (some printers use a light, but toxic, aerosol solvent spray which is easily scratched).
This process protects the print from UV exposure, moisture, humidity, atmospheric contaminants, abrasion and fingerprints. Our printing process has been independently certified for permanence by Wilhelm Imaging Research.