2016 SGIA Recap: Print Everything!
Posted on by Shellie Terry Benson Posted in News & Trends
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2016 SGIA Recap: Print Everything!

Our team at the SGIA Expo met with hundreds of attendees at the Las Vegas Convention Center earlier this month. It was a lively show covering 272,700 square feet (the largest in SGIA history), featuring all of the latest technology and trends in the specialty imaging marketplace. More than 24,000 people registered to attend the event featuring 562 exhibitors on the sold out Expo floor.

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Steve Webster displays the Canon PRO-6000S printer at work with Sunset by Fredrix Matte Canvas.

In the LexJet booth, attendees were introduced to the latest printer technologies from Canon, HP and Epson. The LexJet team provided lots of industry knowledge along with details on popular products and workshops featuring canvas wraps with GOframe, adhesive photo panels and HP PVC-free Durable Smooth Wall Paper.

Visitors to our booth also learned about our winner of the 2016 Product of the Year: LexJet Simple Grip Backlit, which received the top honor in the Media — Adhesive Back (not vinyl) category.

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LexJet Simple Grip Backlit wins Product of the Year!

“What makes Simple Grip so special is that, unlike typical window clings, graphics can be illuminated with artificial light or natural sunlight to create really eye-catching displays,” says Shaun Jaycox, LexJet product specialist. “We’re extremely excited that SGIA has recognized this innovative, industry-changing product.”

Among the other exhibitors, we noticed a major movement that can only be described one way: Print Everything! We were blown away by all the innovative ways people were using inkjet and dye-sublimation printing to customize and decorate everything from t-shirts and upholstery to spools of silks and every possible wall surface.

We witnessed IKEA lampshades transformed, mirrors adorned and backlits come to life with creative use of whatever printable substrates the designers could dream up.

“We saw fabrics being used for everything from soft signage to interior design,” says LexJet business development specialist, Rachel Gamberg. “Home furnishings are definitely on the rise with both latex and dye-sublimation printing technology. All throughout the show floor, we’ve seen a lot of creative applications for retail and décor, including walls, floors, windows, accessories and props.”

Check out the gallery below to see some of the exciting, cutting-edge trends we saw:

If you visited the LexJet booth at SGIA, don’t forget about the show specials on LexJet Sunset Photo Metallic Paper 255g and LexJet Production Display Films as well as game prizes and printer specials. Call your LexJet rep at 800-453-9538 to take advantage of these offers.

Posted on by Shellie Terry Benson Posted in Tips & Tricks
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Video Tip: Install Floor Graphics Using the Hinge Method

Floor graphics are becoming more popular in retail spaces, with new products that make installation as easy as 1, 2, 3: print, peel and stick.

In the video above, we demonstrate an easy hinge method to keep the graphic in place while you apply it to the floor. All you’ll need is your printed graphic, painters tape, a squeegee and a pair of scissors.

To install the graphic, simply:

  • place the graphic where you want it
  • create a hinge in the center of the graphic
  • peel the liner away from the top hinge and trim it off
  • squeegee the exposed adhesive from the center out
  • remove hinge and repeat those steps on the bottom half of the graphic

LexJet offers a variety of products that work with this quick and easy method. They include:

LexJet Print-N-Stick Fabric: Photographic image quality with high ink saturation

LexJet Solvent Print-N-Stick Fabric: Smoother weave with satin sheen for photographic detail

panoRama Walk & Wall: Slip-resistant certified without a laminate

LexJet Simple Indoor FloorAd: Durable solution that can withstand heavy floor traffic

LexJet Extreme AquaVinyl w/PSA: Long-lasting, waterproof with permanent adhesive

Photo Tex PSA Fabric – Aqueous: Won’t rip, wrinkle or shrink

Photo Tex PSA Fabric – Solvent: Great for windows and walls, too

Posted on by Emily Smith Posted in Case Studies & Profiles
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Prints That Win: Retreat

Christine Cook Retreat

Famous photographer Ansel Adams once said, “A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed.”

For Christine Cook, that is exactly what she had in mind while creating her 2016 Sunset Award winner, “Retreat,” pictured at left.

“As I was wandering through various options in my creative exploration, I felt myself going inside deeper and deeper — inside the shell and inside my own ethereal being” she says.

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MONDAY: 25% Off Sunset by Fredrix Satin Canvas SUV + Free Pack of GOframe Stretcher Bars
Posted on by Shellie Terry Benson Posted in Marketing & Sales
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MONDAY: 25% Off Sunset by Fredrix Satin Canvas SUV + Free Pack of GOframe Stretcher Bars

Shop Monday and save 25% on Sunset by Fredrix Satin Canvas SUV and receive a FREE 8-pack of 16-inch GOframe 1500 Pro Stretcher Bars* when you call your LexJet representative at 800-453-9538.

Sunset by Fredrix Satin Canvas SUV delivers fast results with no need for coating on the satin finish that helps colors and details really pop. It’s an ideal one-step solution for large production runs or individual custom fine-art prints.

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Posted on by Shellie Terry Benson Posted in Case Studies & Profiles
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Epson’s S60600 a “Well Thought-Out Machine” for New FASTSIGNS Shop

When Liz Allen’s entrepreneurial spirit kicked in, and she decided to open up a FASTSIGNS franchise in Oviedo, Fla., she had a number of items on her to-do list, but perhaps few as important as purchasing a wide-format printer for the shop. When attending the ISA Sign Expo in Orlando earlier this year, she jumped on a discount offered in a show special, and purchased an Epson SureColor S60600 64-inch solvent printer from LexJet.

The Epson SureColor S60600 at FASTSIGNS Store 2106 in Oviedo, Fla.
The Epson SureColor S60600 at FASTSIGNS Store 2106 in Oviedo, Fla.

“FASTSIGNS did recommend the Epson,” Allen says. “We chose it because of its speed. It was three times faster than the other printer we looked at.”

Allen opened her new FASTSIGNS store in July, and because she’s new to wide-format printing, she hired Mike Howell, a seasoned sign shop printer, to manage production of banners, floor graphics, magnets and more of the shop’s offerings.

“I’ve been in the sign business for 30 years,” Howell says. “I saw the Epson printer when I was at FASTSIGNS corporate office, so I was able to get my hands on the printer. It’s very quick — a lot faster than a lot of the other machines I’ve used.”

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Getting a Consistent Look from Paper to Canvas
Posted on by Shellie Terry Benson Posted in Technology & Products
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Getting a Consistent Look from Paper to Canvas

Professional photographers know the importance of creating a signature look with their photography and editing skills, but another way to create a look that clients remember is through the choice of paper and canvas used for the finished piece.

Portrait photographer Tom Milne, based in Fresno, Calif., started with LexJet Sunset Photo eSatin Paper 300g several years ago, thanks to its excellent reproduction, durability and weight, and ability to handle a good, dynamic range of colors. The eSatin is an ideal choice for single prints and framed portraits.

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