Q: How do I size my own images up?
A: You don’t need to — we’ll proportionally size it up for you for FREE.

(Q: Can I give you a picture from my digital camera?)
A: Yes — we accept any jpeg, TIF, or RAW images from any brand of digital camera. Usually they make great canvases or big prints from a jpeg around 300k in size or bigger.

(Q: What other ways can I get the image to you?)
A: A digital file, or a 35mm negative, or a 35mm slide, or a photo print (up to A3). We scan all the latter ones to a digital file and enlarge them using some very sophisticated technology that does it and keeps the image sharp.

(Q: Can you do other creative things to my pictures?)
A: Yes; basically anything can be superimposed, the colours changed and we even fix up faded pics and put nice old fashioned sepia tones on them with titles if required.

(Q: How much do the extras cost?)
A: It really depends on the condition and size of the original image. We’d be happy to provide a quote for you.

(Q: How do I sharpen an image?)
A: If you have Photoshop, you can do the following: Your image should be sized to 300dpi at the size you’re going to print it. Zoom the image to 100% so that you can see every pixel in an area of your image. Convert your image to Lab colour from the Image/Mode menu. Select only the Lightness channel on the Channels tab. Select Filter/Sharpen/Unsharpen Mask. Adjust the sharpness parameters without over-sharpening. Typical values are 100-150%, 1-2 pixel radius, and a 0 level threshold. Convert the image back to RGB mode. Don’t oversharpen.

(Q: I create my own digital files. How large should I make them?)
A: Create you image with about 300dpi at final output size and it will be more than sufficient to maintain sharpness and detail. If you have an existing file, and you can’t recreate your image at a high resolution, DO NOT simply resize and resample it with a photo editing program to achieve high resolution. For best results, you must create your image at a high dpi in the first place by choosing the “FINE’ setting or ‘maximum resolution’ on the camera preferences.

(Q: What is digital image resolution?)
A: Digital image resolution is the size of your image, measured in pixels (“picture elements’). A high-resolution image (such as 1600 x 1200 pixels) will result in a better printed photo than a low resolution image (such as 320 x 240 pixels), all other things being equal. If the resolution is too low for the size of the print chosen, the photograph will look fuzzy and indistinct. We recommend that you always use the high resolution setting on your camera to ensure the best prints.

About the Prints

Q: What are Acceptable Digital Files?
A: Preferably, send your digital file as a TIF file: RGB encoded (3 channels, 8 bits per channel) with LZW compression. This uses a lossless compression (unlike JPG compression) so there is no image degradation.

For crisp output, your original file should contain a minimum of 220 pixels per inch at final output size. Files with 100-200 dots per inch at final output may be acceptable, but will not have the sharpness and detail of larger files. A lower dpi leads to soft edges and loss of detail which may be acceptable for some images particularly on canvas.

Q: How do you print the canvas?
A: We print your picture on the latest in high resolution large format printers. We use Bright White Matt 100% Cotton Canvas. This material has a high degree of water resistance after 24 hours with Pigment inks. It has good UV fade resistance.

Q: Do you fix scratches and marks on my original?
A: Yes we can. First we have to make it into a digital file by scanning the film, photo or artwork - then we can remove scratches and blemishes.

Q: How do you care for your canvas (clean them)?
A: Just treat your canvas like any fine art piece. Simply run a duster over them once a month and that should take any dust off the front and top. If you have a mark from a moth or similar you can use a soft white cloth and water only to rub very gently over the area affected. This does remove light marks that have not embedded in the canvas fabric.

Please note: We give no warranties on this should you rub too hard and the pigment comes off or cracks.

Digital Files

If you have taken a digital photo, the highest resolution file you have will produce the highest quality enlargement.

The average 3.2 or 4 Megapixel camera will produce a file at its “super fine’ setting of around 900k to 1Mb. This will reproduce a fine canvas around a metre wide for you when it is sized up.

Having said that we can take a small 300k file up to poster size as the artist canvas we use is very forgiving and you will get a lovely painterly effect. If you are taking photos for the purpose of large format printing, turn off any sharpening tools within the camera, and shoot using the best format possible (RAW format images are best).

You can also send us the flash memory card and we will transfer the images from there for you.

Please leave files as a jpeg (.jpg) in RGB, do not convert to CMYK before sending to us.

Print or Photo

If you only have the photo, try and look for the negative again.

All jokes aside, a photograph is not as good as the original slide or negative which is considered first generation. However we can produce amazing results from even poor photographs by restoring colour, increasing contrast and sharpness and removing defects. Adding an artistic effect and printing on canvas will hide a multitude of sins in the original and produce a unique artwork.

Retouching and Colouring Options

If you’d like us to retouch your old photo we can bring it back to life and print it to canvas for your enjoyment of old memories.

We can print colour pictures in full colour, true black and white, sepia tone, or selective colour for a hand-tinted look.

Whether your picture was shot on film or captured digitally, your colour picture has many creative possibilities.

Artists

Q: How should I prepare my digital files?
A: Digital File : The most important element of printing is the digital file. Without quality input, no printer can produce quality output — garbage in, garbage out. Make sure your digital file is prepared properly and contains no unwanted jpeg ‘artefacts’ before sending it to us.

Digital Colour Space: Compose your colour files in the Adobe 1998 RGB workspace.

File Types: Save your files as TIFs with LZW compression or flattened Photoshop PSDs. LZW is a lossless compression that does not degrade the image quality. To the contrary, JPG compression is a lossy compression. Avoid repeatedly opening and resaving JPG files as this may destroy colour fidelity and image sharpness.

If you are taking photos for the purpose of large format printing, turn off any sharpening tools within the camera, and shoot using the best format possible (RAW format images are best).

File Sizes: Simply enlarging an image file with a graphics program, such as Photoshop, does nothing to enhance output quality. If your image has very fine detail and is to be printed on canvas, creating it at 300dpi will be more than sufficient to maintain the sharpness. The file should be initially created with the final output size as the determining factor for the file size.

Q: What kind of images do we need?
A: 35mm slides or negatives, photographs, original artwork or simply send us your digital camera files.

If you shot the image on 35mm film, your original negative or slide will get you a higher quality reproduction than a photo print. We scan at 4800dpi optical with no interpolation; none of the detail on the film will be lost.

Surface scratches and dust are digitally removed and the image is enhanced for print.