Artisan Craftsman Books on Sunset Photo Canvas Paper

Artisan Craftsman Books

As the name implies, Artisan Craftsman Books specializes in hand-crafted fine-art photo books. Owner Larry Crandall is also a veteran photographer of 30-plus years who knows how photography can be maximized in a photo book.

Wedding Book by Artisan Craftsman Books
Larry Crandall of Artisan Craftsman Books used Sunset Photo Canvas Paper for the page spreads inside the book and a portion of the cover. He used a protective spray on the cover and placed the book inside a clamshell case to showcase it and provide additional protection.

As a fine-art photo book maker, Crandall typically uses matte paper, and most often LexJet Premium Archival Matte Paper, for the photo pages within the book. “We specialize in matte, giclee-printed books; we don’t do photographic or press-printed books,” adds Crandall.

With the introduction of Sunset Photo Canvas Paper 230g, Crandall may have found a new staple for his photo books, not as a replacement, but as an excellent textured option. He tried the new paper for the first time on a wedding photography book that was also printed on Premium Archival Matte.

Wedding Book Cover“I’m not laminating the Sunset Photo Canvas in order to let the texture show through. Instead, I spray it with a protective spray and I think it’s durable enough. It’s pretty neat looking; it has a matte, fine-art finish and I really like it,” says Crandall.

The pages are printed on an Epson 7890 as a full-page spread. Crandall uses the auto-cut feature on the printer to make it easy to stack up the sheets in order, then trims the edges and scores the middle of the spread so that the pages are ready for binding. This particular wedding book is about 50 pages, or 25 full-page spreads, all printed on Sunset Photo Canvas Paper.

Artisan Craftsman Books Wedding Album
A close-up showing both the detail and texture achieved with Sunset Photo Canvas Paper.

“I was concerned that the texture might take away from the detail, where it runs over someone’s eye or other facial feature. That’s not the case. It still prints beautifully,” says Crandall. “You get a little better continuous tone from Premium Archival Matte in certain areas. What I like is the texture itself, which has a nice feel. A large part of these books is the touch and feel, which doesn’t apply as much when you hang it on a wall.”

First of The 5: Deep Discounts on Select LexJet Photo Papers

For one month only – starting today through September 4 – get deep discounts and staggering savings on select LexJet photo papers… up to 40% (and even more on some roll sizes).

First of The Five Photo Paper DiscountsHere are some quick examples…

And that’s not all… there are deep discounts on every size of:

Remember, these prices are only good through September 4, so call a LexJet printing expert today at 800-453-9538 to get your deep discounts on photo papers. This offer is available via phone and at lexjet.com.

Then, check back on September 5 to find out the next outrageous offer of The 5

September 5: ?

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November 5: ?

December 5: ?

Layers of Imaging Opportunities at Image-Tec

Fine Art Canvas
Image-Tec has full canvas production capabilities in-house. This canvas fine art reproduction printed on Sunset by Fredrix Matte Canvas is in process.

Tom Grassi likens his business – Image-Tec, based in Methuen, Mass. – to Photoshop. It’s an apt analogy: Photoshop is arguably the iconic representative of the digital age of photography and imaging, and Photoshop is almost infinitely organic in the various ways you can get from point A to point B through its tools, filters and layers.

Commercial photography at Image-Tec
Commercial photography continues to be an important part of Image-Tec’s business.

“This business has layers and layers to it, and you can keep digging and keying off those layers, and marketing off those layers to build a huge customer base,” says Grassi. “It’s like Photoshop… How far do you want to dig and how many layers do you want to build?”

Though the majority – a thin majority – of Image-Tec’s work is fine art reproduction, the business is diverse and nimble enough to find those proverbial layers, bringing clients along to take advantage of the opportunities presented when you dig a little deeper.

“I tell artists during demos we put on here at the studio that the possibilities of taking your art and doing something with it are endless, and go far beyond the typical reproduction on canvas or fine art paper. Once the digital age came in, you could do just about anything with the digital file,” says Grassi. “But to find out what the client really needs you have to stop selling people and listen to them. From that, you can find other products that might do well in the market with their work.”

Artist Note Cards
Artists love the note cards Image-Tec prints for them on LexJet Premium Archival Matte Paper.

It may be that Grassi sees more of those layers of opportunity since the advent of digital imaging and reproduction, and the liberation it brought.

Image-Tec was founded in 1982 as a commercial photo studio with an in-house lab and Grassi recalls: “We were limited in what we could do for artists. We were shooting film and making some color prints; basically, we were producing transparencies to go to offset, which was extremely expensive versus now where you can print on demand.”

Grassi says that on-demand is a point of emphasis at Image-Tec where the main goal is to get the artwork scanned and recorded and then work with the artist to market the images.

Image Tec's drive in photography studio.
Image Tec’s drive in photography studio.

“There’s no need for us to sell them inventory in a print-on-demand environment. They can spend a couple of hundred bucks, get a bunch of paintings scanned, print some note cards, see what images sell and email us the order,” explains Grassi. “If customers are going to spend money with you, why not make the process as easy as possible? You don’t have to commit to a thousand dollars worth of prints; just bring the scans in, we’ll get them scanned – that’s the first step – and then from there you call us and we print them on-demand. People appreciate that because we tell them to do baby steps, especially in marketing their artwork because you don’t know what will sell.”

The original impetus for the founding of Image-Tec was control. Grassi went to the Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, Calif., to study photography, then returned to the Boston area to ply his trade as a photographer where the processing side was a thorn in his side.

Product photography for Pet Edge at Image-Tec.
Product photography for Pet Edge at Image-Tec.

“I was going down to Boston to process film and thought it was nuts because I was losing all this time and paying all this money to get it done. I knew how to print color so I got a loan, put a lab in and ended up generating a ton of money and saving a ton of time,” says Grassi.

That philosophy has stuck over the years. As Grassi puts it: “If we don’t do it here, we don’t do it. For me to send something out, have it come back wrong, and then go back and forth, I’ve lost money trying to make 20 percent on something I don’t handle. I much prefer to give the client the name and number of someone who can do something we don’t do here.”

There’s very little, however, that Image-Tec can’t do when it comes to photographic and fine art reproduction, including artwork capture with the BetterLight system. Capture, in fact, is an important part of the business, since about half of what Grassi does is commercial photography.

Fine Art Reproduction by Image-TecThe two sides of the business – capture and output – balance each other and reveal more layers of opportunity. Plus, the combination helped ease the transition from chemical to digital in the late ’90s as both sides of the business made the transition together and shined the light on new niche markets, like fine art reproduction.

“Back in 1999 we moved to a new facility and went digital with a BetterLight scan back to shoot catalog photography. By going digital we could save a lot of money in film, Polaroids and processing and be able to hand designers digital files, which sped everything up. However, everyone was reluctant to do that because digital photography wasn’t that great in the late ’90s, but the BetterLight was a very high-res scan back,” says Grassi. “We offered both chemical and inkjet during the transition and as inkjet took over we found we were using less of the chemical process. Plus, buying a high-end Epson scanner allowed us to pull from the thousands and thousands of 4×5 and 8×10 negatives so we can just scan one and make an inkjet print.”

Grassi estimates that the split between print production and capture now is about 60/40 in favor of printing. For commercial photography there’s a drive-in studio for photographing cars and other large pieces, and the subject matter runs the gamut from food to manufacturing.

Stretching canvas at Image-Tec.
Stretching canvas at Image-Tec.

“It’s a whole workflow. Over the past three weeks, for example, we’ve been taking in over 100 paintings per week for digital capture. Along with that are all the print orders. Some weeks we’re producing a ton of prints while other weeks we’re bringing in a lot of work to capture,” says Grassi. “All we use the BetterLight for is capturing art. The DSLRs are so great now that I use them for commercial photography. We bought a Horseman, a view camera you can mount your DSLR on, so you can correct perspectives, swings, and tilts and do selective focus a lot easier without buying a bunch of different lenses. It’s kind of a throwback to the old-school 4×5 process.”

For output, Image-Tec runs a Canon iPF8300 and an Epson Stylus Pro 9900 and has a full frame and finishing shop, including a Tensador canvas stretching machine. One of the keys to the output, says Grassi, is in the BetterLight scan back’s ability to create a file size that’s the same size as the artwork.

“File size is what drives this whole process, so we can tell a customer they’ll end up with a 40×60 canvas that will look just as nice as the original because it’s the same file size,” says Grassi. “We’ve perfected some specialized lighting techniques for different paintings that get us closer to the original. You still run into colors that tend to want to give you a hard time, but you just stick with it and run proofs. We’ll run strips in selected areas, match them up and get them as close as possible. We also spray the proofs because you might see some color shift when you spray something.”

Product Photography at Image-Tec
One of the many layers in the Image-Tec business mix is product photography of all kinds at the company’s studio.

Grassi’s favorite inkjet print materials for reproduction include the new Sunset by Fredrix Matte Canvas, LexJet Premium Archival Matte Paper, Sunset Textured Fine Art and Sunset Hot Press Rag. Grassi says Sunset by Fredrix Matte Canvas helped solve issues in finishing since the ink stays on consistently when it’s stretched.

Grassi describes LexJet Premium Archival Matte Paper as a workhorse for about 60 percent of what clients want to do with their artwork, including note card and bookmark prints that are popular with artists as alternative products.

The choice between reproductions on Sunset Textured Fine Art and Sunset Hot Press Rag will depend on the type of medium on which the original was created. “When we scan a watercolor on a watercolor paper we pick up the texture as well, so we print it on the smooth Hot Press Rag paper because you don’t want to add more texture to what has already been picked up by the scan,” explains Grassi.

It’s great to have every step in the process nailed down to ensure a quality capture or print every time, but Grassi says it’s all for naught if the customer isn’t comfortable or feels like the process itself is a black box they’re not privy to understanding.

“When we do a demo or have an artist come in as a new customer we spend 45 minutes with them. We show them the process, show our personality and have fun with what we’re doing. There’s a lot of technical stuff that goes on and if you can shed some light on it, they appreciate it,” says Grassi. “They go through the process, and then after they leave with their work we follow up to find if they loved it or if there are any problems we can correct. We make sure they’re 100 percent happy with a follow-up. How we can judge if we were successful is through consistent re-orders.”

This approach builds invaluable word of mouth, but Grassi is also active through the use of Google ad words and social media marketing. The most effective marketing piece so far in the social media/Google age, says Grassi, is a video he posted on the Image-Tec website that gives an overview of the print process.

Louisiana Photo Studio Finds Large Format Inkjet Printing Success

Landscape photography and inkjet printing

Bonita Waesche, owner of Bonita Photography in Mandeville, La., specializes in Louisiana landscapes. An award-winning pro photographer well known in Louisiana circles for both portraiture and landscape work, her challenge was producing the images for new commercial customers – like hotels, hospitals and decorators – looking for professional photographic décor.

Commerical inkjet printing for decor with landscape photography“I realized after analyzing the cost of getting the larger prints made for me, and the extra turnaround time, that the margins were getting kind of scary. There’s only so much the market will bear, so I had been toying with buying a large format printer and with these projects coming up I decided to get a Canon printer from LexJet,” says Waesche.

Waesche acquired a Canon iPF6300 to ensure quality and cost control, as well as the ability to print on-demand quickly. With big hotel décor projects in the works right now, Waesche says she’s quite pleased with the dynamic range of the printer and the fidelity she’s getting from the LexJet canvas and paper she’s using with it.

Surreal photography for commercial applications“LexJet’s staff assured me that I would get a great printer, and I did. I’ve only had it up and running for a couple of weeks and will be using LexJet Sunset Reserve Bright Matte Canvas and LexJet Premium Archival Matte Paper,” says Waesche. “There’s so much out there that it’s difficult to find a good product for your printer and I’m very picky about things. LexJet helped me find the perfect materials for my new printer that work well and look great.”

Waesche was nice enough to send us a summary of her experience buying the new printer, which is re-printed below. Thanks to Waesche for the nice comments and willingness to share.

We’ll follow up and post a profile of the New Orleans hotel projects when they’re complete…

Greetings LexJet Management,

I am a new customer. My photographer friend, Frank Wilson, referred me to your company. I spoke to Bryce in sales initially. He was extremely knowledgeable, helpful and patient as I tried to explain to him what I needed, so I purchased your Sunset roll canvas, which is an outstanding product. When I stretch my photographs over the stretcher bars, the ink stays on the corners and doesn’t lift or crack as the image is wrapped.

I have been considering a large format printer for over 18 months and after acquiring several large commercial hotel jobs, I could justify the cost. Again, I called on Bryce to help me choose a new printer. Since I am a Canon shooter, I have a very good impression of Canon products and their printers seemed to be considerably less expensive. I mulled it over, very anxious about making the financial commitment.

Meanwhile, Mary Ann Finkel called and left a voice mail asking if she could help me and answer any questions I might have. I did some research and contacted her. I was afraid to jump from a 13 inch printer to the beastly size of the 24 inch printer.

She reassured me about Canon quality and LexJet paper and she offered to help after the sale with technical questions concerning roll paper feeding, menus, etc., in case I couldn’t handle the next level of printer.

I had issues with delivery since I live in an elevated home with this printer having to be carried up three flights of stairs to my office. She contacted the shipping company and got back promptly with answers. We decided to have it delivered to my husband’s office and transported when we could get lifting help. This is the most outstanding customer service I have ever received. Based on past experience, I can guarantee you that I would have been told, “Sorry, there is nothing we can do for you.” Customer service is so important to the buyer. Spending all day on the phone from one queue to another, language barriers, and apathy are all reasons I have left various brands/vendors.

Mary Ann Finkel has given you another loyal customer. When I couldn’t remember which canvas I had ordered initially, Mary Ann looked it up and sent more rolls to me right away with the question, “They will be there Thursday; is that okay for you?” Yes, Mary Ann, your attitude and effectiveness are awesome!

Please know what a gem you have in this employee. In this crazy recession with employer cutbacks, understand that she is very good for your business.

Thank you so much,

Bonita Waesche

P.S. I love the Canon printer and my LexJet matte paper has the look and feel of professional caliber that I need for the commercial work.

Talk of the Town: Printing for the Traverse City Film Festival and Much More

Graphics for the Traverse City Film FestivalGlobetrotting photographer and Renaissance man John Williams claims that Traverse City, Mich., is the “center of the known universe.” Be that as it may, Williams may very well have a point… to a point. Traverse City is one of the few bright spots of growth in Michigan, and the State Theatre that Williams bought and remodeled as a community-based, not-for-profit, volunteer-run movie theater is consistently among the top grossing theaters in North America.

“We’ve already had over 500,000 patrons come through the doors since we opened in November 2007. The movie studios have taken notice, but they just can’t figure out how Traverse City on the back side of nowhere has this unbelievable theater doing unbelievable ticket business,” says Williams.

Perhaps it’s related to the incredibly successful Traverse City Film Festival that Williams helped launch in July of 2005. It also helps to have connections, like Williams’ long-time friend, film maker Michael Moore.

“For about a decade previous to starting the film festival, I had wanted to get one together and Michael is an obvious connection. He said, ‘Let’s do it in July,’ which was only eight weeks away, and we put it together. With his connections in Hollywood and my connections in town, we got it going and hung our hat on the motto, Just Great Movies. Now we’re one of the largest festivals in the U.S. in terms of paid attendance; we had over 110,000 people attend last year,” explains Williams.

Now the film festival board is filled with Hollywood luminaries and the film festival draws some of the brightest talent to showcase their work on what is at one time “the backside of nowhere” and the “center of the known universe.” This year, the film festival will be held July 26-31.

Williams also prints all the posters and signage for the event on his ancient Epson 10000. He’s had the printer since he first delved into inkjet and ditched the chemical process eight years or so ago. He has since added a Canon iPF8300 to the mix, but uses that for the bulk of his fine art and photography printing.

Producing inkjet prints for a film festival
John Williams, with the help of college volunteers lining up to help with the Traverse City Film Festival, prints all the calendars, posters, signs and playbills on LexJet TOUGHcoat Water-Resistant Polypropylene.

“I print a lot of the LexJet Sunset Photo Gloss Paper on the new Canon printer, and that stuff is magic on the printer. The gamut, range, saturation and sharpness on that paper are amazing. I also do a lot of fine art reproduction here and use the Sunset Textured Fine Art Paper or LexJet Premium Archival Matte Paper for most of those prints,” says Williams.

Though the Epson 10000 has plowed through more than 8 kilometers of paper over the years, and Williams has to plug it into an older Windows system since there are no compatible drivers for his latest operating system, it fits the bill for the rolls and rolls of LexJet TOUGHcoat Water-Resistant Polypropylene he prints for the event.

“It’s pretty simple; I just take care of my stuff,” says Williams about the printer’s longevity. “It’s been a real workhorse and shows no sign of quitting. For the film festival, we go through about 1,100 feet of the Water-Resistant Polypropylene just making the posters.”

To help with the artwork and workflow, Williams employs a bevy of college interns who vie for the opportunity to work on the film festival. “Some of them are graphic artists who funnel the art to me that gets printed here at the studio. They do all the trimming and mounting on foam board for the signs that aren’t going into windows,” adds Williams. “We buy cases of 40×60 foam board and keep laying them out on the board using spray mount, trim and apply them. We have a good system where you start at one end of the board, hold the material up high, and slowly put it down like a bed sheet. Doing it this way we never get bubbles in the material.”