Support

The print process can be a tricky thing to get your head around, but with the right advice, and some time spent learning about calibration and colour management, you can edit your images to gallery-level prints that will last a lifetime. Check out our resources below to help you get started or improve your knowledge of file preparation for printing. If you have any questions or need assistance with setting up your files or submitting orders, dont hesitate to call us on 02 9319 0455 or send a detailed message to us via our contact form.

Frequently Asked Questions

What format should I send my files?

Adobe RGB 1998 colour space

Cropped to size @300dpi including border if required,  jpeg or tiff

8 – bit flattened with no layers, extra channels or paths

I can't set up my files according to your specifications, can I still use your services?

Of course, if its something we cant fix in 5 minuites, we will simply charge you a minimal labour fee calculated in 5 minute blocks at $15 each.

Generally we can adjust up to 30 files for 5 minutes (depending on size and requirements)

I need to view/adjust my files. Can I drop into your lab & get help with this?

Yes. Please phone ahead for an appointment. Labour is charged at $15 per 5 minute block.

I have an odd size I can't see on your price list, how do I calculate the price?

Odd sizes are not a problem. Just choose the square inch paper rate from our pricelist and do the following calculation:

WIDTH X HEIGHT X PAPER RATE = $print cost

I have many different sizes, what can I do to streamline my order?

Please visit the support section and view the folder structure document, it will save you time filling in a tedious order form and minimise confusion.

How do I 'ZIP" a folder?

Windows: Right click on folder> Send to> Compress folders

MAC: Control click on folder> Compress

How do I provide payment details?

Please fill out your card details on the secure online order form when ordering your prints

Do you accept direct deposit?

Yes. Please notify us when placing your order so we can send you an invoice before printing.

A transfer receipt via email is required before we can release your order.

After I upload my files what happens next?

If you have set up your files correctly and provided all required information you may not hear from us until your prints arrive or are ready to collect, that’s the best bonus of our automated system.

If we find any discrepancies with your files, or need extra information we will call or email you to confirm how to proceed.

How long will my order take to be completed?

The turnaround depends on which products you have selected. Please view the pricelist for individual turnaround times.

Can i collect my order?

Of course, we are located at 90 Abercrombie St, between Cleveland Rd and Broadway.

All day free parking can be located on Myrtle St or metered parking is in surrounding streets

Can you send prints directly to my client without an invoice?

Yes. We can ship the prints worldwide with only a shipping slip (this will show our details as the sender) and post the invoice to you.

Do you offer a student discount?

Yes although the minimum order fee of $25 still applies. We offer 10% discount on printing and labour charges for all students.

Please show your student ID when dropping off your order or scan a copy for website orders. This is only required once, then we keep your details in our system.

Can you copy my USB straight away?

We can although at peak times this can take some time, we do prefer you copy your files to a device we can keep with your order.

How do I prepare an image for Ready to Hang Canvas?

There are two options.

1. Open your image in photoshop and resize to final front face size then go to Image>Canvas size. Tick “Relative” and enter 4inches of black or white border. This will wrap around the side and back of your canvas.

2. If you would like image to wrap please use photoshop guides to preview image wrap around. Eg: If you would like a 20x30inch final frame size you need to create an image 24x34inches.

How do I prepare an image for an acrylic block or stand?

All acrylic items lose 2-3mm off each side when manufactured.

Eg: 8x10inch (203x254mm) acrylic block will have an actual finished size of 7.8x9.8inches (198x249mm)

Templates are available in the support section of our website.

Apple iMac and Monitor Profiling

We asked Photoshop guru Mark Galer www.markgaler.com the following question.

QUESTION

A lot of our clients are buying iMacs and are unable to bring the screen to the 120 to 140 cd/m2 we recommend. We normally recommend Charcoal Design SHADES to fix the issue. This articlerecommends some other software as well.

Do you have a preferred method to get an iMac profiled to the 120 to 140 cd/m2 we recommend?

ANSWER

That's an interesting topic you raise about the iMac screens. Because these screens are only 8 bits there is a school of thought that they are not really suitable for calibrating down to 120-140 from their native luminance anyway - due to the banding this may cause. The Shades App does warn that this may not be suitable for colour critical work as it can upset monitor profiling and Apple's latest Mountain Lion operating system will prevent users installing any app that is not downloaded through the Mac App store (Shades is not currently available).

My own thoughts would be to not recommend an iMac screen for 'soft proofing' in a 'side-by-side' setup (screen and print viewed at the same time). Most users who purchase a daylight viewing cabinet or set up optimum daylight viewing conditions for viewing prints will probably also be using a better quality monitor as well.

If the screen image and the print are viewed separately (one at a time) most users will not have a problem with Luminance values set higher than 140.

Download ICC Profiles on Mac

Many Mac users find that when they download our ICC profiles, the files show as Text files. To resolve this, Option + Click on the ICC profile on our website and it should download successfully. ICC profile installation instructions can be found in "Working with Pixel Perfect" available from here

What hours are you open?

We are open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm.

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