Operating hours, walk-ins, appointments and schedules
Imagefoundry operates as a workshop/boutuque/consultancy, not as a retail outlet. At times everyone is busy or in a meeting, or working on location - so it's impossible to accomodate every walk-in - although we try hard.
Please try to book an appointment ahead of time. Likewise, booking a 12PM appointment and showing up at 2PM, for example, is pretty disruptive. Thank you very much for your understanding and we apologize for any inconvenience.
Please plan ahead. Certain materials - oversized mounting substrates, frame mouldings, inks, some papers and chemicals - has to be ordered in, as we do not stock rare items. Delivery times on some materials can be as long as two weeks - as is the case with Platinum/Palladium printing supplies and papers.
Typical turnaround times and rush orders
On average, a custom reproduction project - ie. scanning original artwork, paper selection, colour corrections and proofing, followed by crafting a final print - takes about 1-1.5 weeks to complete; sometimes longer for complex images that require a lot of deliberations, meetings with the artist and so on. It is possible to rush through a project but in my experience quality is the first thing that goes out of the window when timelines are too compressed.
Custom framing usually takes about a week, and scanning jobs take 1-2 days, depending on how difficult the original is. Most simple printing jobs can be completed in a day.
Online transfers
Yes, you can send us files online. We use Dropbox for all our online transfer needs; you can always get a free account with them that gives you 2 gigabytes of storage. Any service such as Yousendit or Mac.com account is fine too.
If you would like us to set up a dedicated Dropbox folder for you just give us a call. It's very easy to use.
We would also like to recommend Amazon S3 simple storage solutions. While not free it is very affordable, easy to use and 99.999% reliable.
How to send files using Dropbox
Open your browser and go to www.dropbox.com
You don't have to download their software to use the service (which is free). Just click on "Login" link at the top right and then "Create Account".
Once logged in, create a new folder, give it some meaningful name and upload your files into it. When done, click on "Shared Folder Options" and select "Invite others" tab.
Enter our email address - info@imagefoundry.ca - into the appropriate field and click on "Share" button at the lower right.
Once you complete these steps we will have access to your files in this particular folder. You can also share the folder first and upload files after, so you don't have to wait for uploads to complete.
Free Dropbox account allows up to 2 gigabytes of data.
Colour management
Imagefoundry is 100% colour managed shop - every part of our colour workflow is set up with correct colour profiles and colour transforms. As such, all digital artwork coming in for printing must be compliant with industry-standard practices and procedures.
Images submitted without embedded colour profiles are assumed to be in sRGB for RGB colour images, Gamma 2.2 for grayscale images, and US SWOP coated for CMYK images. Incomplete Pantone colour numbers are assumed to be from a solid coated set, ie. 7542 is assumed to be 7542C.
Default colour profile for scanned images is Adobe RGB 1998. Because certain artists materials are capable of producing colours outside of AdobeRGB 1998 gamut, some scans might be provided in ProPhoto or Wide Gamut RGB colour spaces. Default bit depth is 16bit/channel.
Other colour spaces can be used upon request.
Scan sizes
Our fine art scanning system, at maximum resolution, delivers 16bit/channel, RGB images sized at 16,000x26,000 pixels, or approx. 50"x80" at 300dpi. In practical terms this means that original artwork measuring 30"x40" can be scanned at native, uninterpolated resolution of over 500dpi. Resulting scans can be as large as 1.16Gigabytes (8bit RGB).
Reporting and collaboration tools
Imagefoundry uses 37signals' Basecamp project management and collaboration system. We offer full logistical support for complex projects (such as edition printing), including up-to-date progress reports, time/cost tracking, secure messaging system, file exchange, soft proofing and more. This service is offered free of charge to all qualified customers.
Data retention
Typically we store all client files permanently. As in, nothing ever gets deleted, unless you specifically ask us to. This makes re-orders and editions easy and gives you some peace of mind as far as backups go.
Copyright issues
Imagefoundry follows Canadian copyright law very carefully. We would not, under any circumstances, make unathorized copies of copyrighted artwork.
It's a bit more complex than that, though. Certain uses of copyrighted work are perfectly legal, and - not being lawyers - the best we can do is to ask you to sign a waiver acknowledging that you, the client, are fully responsible for following the law. Should you like us to research your particular situation we would be happy to refer you to an expert. Legal fees might apply, depending on the complexity of the issue.
Environment
We are proud to be a green business. What does it mean to be green, in a printmaking shop context?
One - we recycle everything. Very little, if any, of our waste goes into landfill. Two - we re-use up to 75% of packaging materials. The rest gets recycled. Three - we only use water-based inks as well as adhesives made from natural materials. Four - all chemicals used in our photographic processing are safe, food-grade and can be found in consumer products such as Coca-Cola and orange juice. Five - 95% of our lighting needs are provided by long-life CFL and LED lamps. Six - we use high-efficiency heating and cooling systems and tripple-insulated, very low transmission glass in our shop windows and doors. Seven - all our computer and imaging equipment is EPA EnergyStar compliant, including high-efficiency 85+% power supplies and battery backup systems. Eight - we use a solar panel to power our emergency lighting systems and battery backups. Nine - we operate an electric vehicle for pickups and deliveries.
|
