Suggestion Printing

GPF Studio Suggestion on printing

Photo Papers

We offer a variety of paper finishes to suit your application, all prints are printed as-is unless otherwise specified. Choose from matte, satin, glossy or metallic paper, we can handle print up to 60” wide (not all paper types available in all sizes).

Photo papers are the most affordable media for Giclée printing and offer some of the best colour depth and saturation, but they are not used as often as canvas and watercolour papers.

Part of what makes Giclée printing special is the ability to print on art media, so most people take advantage of that fact by choosing canvas and fine art paper.

When a glossier, more traditional photographic look is desired, or a less expensive option is needed, photo papers are the choice. In this group, the Poster Paper is the most economical choice. It's a medium weight gloss finish paper that simulates the look and feel of poster prints 170 gsm. Because of the gloss finish, it does have a great colour depth. It is available up to 44" wide. The Professional Satin photo paper is a heavy 260 gsm weight produces excellent colour and is our favourite for a Giclée photo paper. It also comes up to 64" wide for oversized prints.

Watercolour Papers

Watercolour papers produce a softer colour than glossy media. All the fine art watercolour papers we offer are specially treated to allow the ink to stay more on the surface and therefore generate better colour, and the best image quality. The Crane Museo Max fine art paper produces vivid colours with subtle shadow details and lasts for generations max width 50”.

The Somerset Velvet Fine Art paper and ultra-smooth fine art paper has always been the first paper choice among serious artists and printmakers and excellent choices for a high-quality watercolour print. Max width 44”.

Canvas

We print on the Premier Art canvas 19 mil. This canvas will satisfy even the most demanding professional by providing the finest image quality. Made from the highest quality 100% cotton duck fabric, this unique heavyweight, quality canvas utilizes a tight weave that is ideal for photographic and fine art reproductions. With a high-resolution coating that is workable enough to withstand stretching, and it displays a subtle texture for a true artistic look and feels.

The Artist Canvas can have a gloss, semi-gloss, or matte finish. It is printed at 2880 dpi with an ultra-chrome ink and has a water-based acrylic coating. The Artist Canvas is printed with a 9 colour ink set and is our suggestion for the finest quality canvas Giclée prints.

How to Order

Step 1: Prepare the image you like to print.
If you are submitting a digital file for printing, be sure you know where it's located on your system so you can send it during the order process. If you don't require any image cropping in the final print, you should make sure that your image scales to the print size you desire. If the image you want to use is not in a digital format, a photo print, slide, or negative, then the first item you'll need to add to your order is the scanning service.

Step 2: Choose a material for your Giclée print
Choose the Art & Photo Reproduction category, the Giclée Reproduction, and choose Canvas, Watercolor Paper, or Photo Paper. If you haven't already decided, and you need help to make your choice just email us and we will be glad to help you. Once you have decided on the material you want, you will need to indicate if you are sending a file, or providing an original, photo, or film to be scanned. You can choose Upload and click the Upload button that appears to send your file, which is recommended.

Step 3: Enter the dimensions and quantity
Here you need to specify the printed image width and height you want for your job. You must also indicate the finished trimmed width and height. For paper prints, you can make the trimmed size the same as the image size if you want your image to extend to the edge of the paper. If you want to have a margin of paper left around the printed photo then make the finished trimmed size larger to allow for the margin you want. If you are ordering a canvas print, the finished trimmed size is a standard 1.5" allow for stretching margin. Next enter the number of copies you want to be printed.

Step 4: Other services
If you are ordering limited edition prints in a numbered series, and wish to have certificates of authenticity with your order, complete the additional information required for the certificate. Even you can create your own if you find you need them for these types of prints. If you are ordering canvas prints, you also have the option to choose from several canvas stretching options. A 3/4”, 1”, 1-1/2”, 2” and 2-1/2”. Choose the service you want, if any.

Step 5: Proof and file sizing
Next, you can request proof. A printed 8” x 10” proof on the actual material that your final print will be on, is $10, but an electronic PDF or JPG proof is free. A PDF proof is good for checking the cropping and final sizing of your print, but if you're concerned about the print quality of the file you have chosen, a physical proof that shows a section of the image at full size is the best way to see for yourself how the final product will look. If we feel the image will print poorly, we will always contact you to discuss your options before printing, but since our expectations and yours may not match, and since a custom printing cannot be returned, the proof is your best way to verify what the final print will look like in advance.

The final step before adding your print to the shopping cart is to tell us what you want us to do if your image doesn't fit the size you told us to print it. The options are to have us size your file to fit the dimensions you provided and crop any excess, or to contact you for instructions. If you're sure that your image sizes correctly to your dimensions, it doesn't matter which option you choose because neither one will be necessary. But, if you're not sure, you should either choose to have us contact you, or tell us to crop the image to fit. We'll do our best to crop your image in a way that makes sense, but you should also be sure to request a PDF proof so you can see the results of the cropping.

Step 6: Check out
Once you've complete all the previous steps, click the Add to Cart button to add this print to your shopping cart. On the shopping cart screen, you can see all the items you've added to your order, delete any that you don't want, and have another chance to upload your file if you chose Upload Later from the order form. You can also choose to add another item to your order. Your account information is secure and confidential, and creating an account will not result in unwanted e-mails from us, or anyone else.

Once you have placed all the items in your cart you want, and are logged in to your account, click the Order Now button. You will be asked to specify either a normal turnaround time for your order or provide a specific due date. If you do specify a due date, you will also be given the option to authorize a rush charge for your order. Please allow 5-7 days if we are scanning a photo or film. Once the proof is accepted, orders take 3 – 5 days for printing.

If you need your order completed faster than this, you should authorize rush charges to ensure you get your order on time. Rush charges are 50% off your order total, up to a maximum of $60. If we don't have to bump other jobs to meet your deadline, you won't be charged the rush fee, but if you don't authorize the charges, we'll do what we can to complete your order on time, but won't go so far as to bump other jobs. If you specify a due date that is not a rush, we will adjust the shipping method, if necessary, to ensure your order arrives by the date you specified. In this case, extra shipping charges may apply.

Next, you will be asked to select the shipping method, and finally the payment type. You should know that your credit card is not being charged when you submit the form. We are collecting the information for your order, but you will not be charged until we have verified your order to make sure there were no mistakes made. That way, if there are aspects of your order that change, we can adjust the order and the shipping cost, if necessary before you are charged. Once you click the Order button, you will receive an order summary via e-mail for your records, and we will receive your order and the process can begin.

As always, if you have any questions or need assistance, please contact us and we'll be happy to help you with the process.