When the design team at Field Museum in Chicago wanted to create an exhibit with the few James Audubon’s artifacts they had on-hand, they decided to give it a big treatment with floor-to-ceiling murals of reproductions of Audubon’s illustrations.

One of the quickest ways to diversify your services as a print shop operator is to add a wide-format solvent printer. With a machine, such as one of the Epson SureColor S-Series printers, you can expand your horizons into everything from long-term outdoor graphics to customized interior décor. Check out how these printers can make an immediate difference in your shop:

These days, it seems like every wide-format print shop is trying to elbow into the décor market. That shouldn’t discourage you from finding your niche in this ever-expanding segment. We’ve compiled four key tips to help you find your place … and then stand out from the crowd.

Fall in love all over again with a brand-new printer from our partners at Canon, Epson and HP, who are stepping up with tons of sweet rebates, special offers and pricing deals. The offers listed below are valid through Feb. 28, 2017, unless otherwise noted.

Banner printing is a staple in many print shops, and vinyl was the go-to for years. However, fabric is a top trend lately that customers demand these days. While fabric used for banners has some advantages, vinyl is still the top option in many circumstances. We put together this quick hit list on when to choose which media for the best event banner results: Printer capabilities. If you have an aqueous printer, vinyl is generally your best bet. Fabric works well on latex or dye-sub printers. However, LexJet does offer LexJet Poly Select Heavy, for example, which works on aqueous or latex printers. It’s a good option when you want the drape of a fabric, but a heavier option that won’t curl like vinyl. It’s also available in Poly Select Light and Poly Select Medium that are multi-tasking products that can be used for backlit signs and trade show displays. Environment. Asking your customer where the banner will be displayed and what the ambiance is are the two most important questions...

You can give your floor graphics the appearance of coming right out of the ground with this step-by-step video that walks you through manipulating your graphic using Photoshop. To create anamorphic art with a 3D illusion, you’ll need to download the LexJet Anamorphic PSD Template. You’ll use this along with your original graphic file to make the magic happen. The video above shows you how to: Size your graphic Work with your graphic in the template file Maintain image resolution Morph the image to the proper perspective Create a path for contour cutting Save your ready-to-print file Use a one-step, self-adhesive product like panoRama Walk & Wall for an easy-to-install, slip-resistant floor graphic that will really stop people in their tracks.

Photographer Tim Shaffer has been behind the lens at many a wedding. In fact, he shot his first nuptial event when he was 17, before embarking on a career as a newspaper photographer. Later, in 1991, he opened his professional studio, and hasn’t looked back. Today, he and his wife, Dana, run The Classic Image photography studio in Fort Plain, NY, where they specialize in weddings, senior portraits, family photos and more.

Photographer Ben Tanzer may have left a theater degree behind, but he certainly kept his flair for the dramatic. In his “Identity Series,” he transforms himself into iconic characters, for self-portraits like “The Boxer,” a grungy interpretation with 1920’s style that recently won the Sunset Print Award at the Plymouth Center for the Arts Fine Art of Photography. The conceptualized image is a clear shout out to Cindy Sherman-esque photo and editing work. “I’ve always been drawn to Cindy Sherman — she was one of my first crushes ever, as a photographer,” Tanzer says. “The Boxer was my first piece for the Identity Series … I just became really interested in what it means to be human … and how we define ourselves by what it is that we do.” For the competition print, Tanzer did some Photoshop work with overlays and brushes to create the gritty look, but says, “I don’t do a lot of what I call ‘liposuction editing.’ Just dodging and burning to emphasize certain areas.” It’s a technique...

LexJet’s headquarters in Sarasota, Fla., welcomed 2015 National Sunset Print Award Winner, Kari Douma, to our offices and home town as part of her first place prize for her image, “Aged Gracefully.”

Nine years ago, Kentucky photographer Jennifer Palumbo’s first print competition was the stuff that would make most people put down the camera forever. But not Palumbo. “It lit a fire under me,” she says. Her first competition photo was graded down from a 72 to a 68 for not meeting the competition’s “standards.” “I said: You just watch.” Four years later she earned her Masters of Photography degree from the Professional Photographers of America and began winning competitions. This year, she brought home the Sunset Print Award for her cheery image, “Dipsy Daisy,” pictured above. A former elementary school teacher, Palumbo took up photography after her son was born 16 years ago. “We decided that after we had children, I was going to stay home,” she says. “But in six months, I was bored, so I picked up a camera and started taking pictures.” The hobby turned into a flourishing business, and the family opened a portrait studio, Baby Boo Photography, in their 1,700 square-foot...