Water-Resistant Satin ClothTag:

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Promotions & Rebates
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Save 20 Percent on the New LexJet Print-N-Stick Fabric™

Jonathan Gomez, Point of Sale Creation & Distribution Manager for Chattanooga Coca-Cola Bottling Company, says LexJet Print-N-Stick Fabric has been an ideal inkjet material for point-of-sale printing; it's easy to print and install and reproduces those crucial corporate colors brilliantly.
Jonathan Gomez, Point of Sale Creation & Distribution Manager for Chattanooga Coca-Cola Bottling Company, says LexJet Print-N-Stick Fabric has been an ideal inkjet material for point-of-sale printing; it’s easy to print and install and reproduces those crucial corporate colors brilliantly.

From now until July 31 save 20 percent on your first order of LexJet’s new Print-N-Stick Fabric™ inkjet media for aqueous printers.

The new product combines the quality imaging surface of Water-Resistant Satin Cloth with an adhesive that makes it easy to apply, reposition, remove and re-use graphics without leaving any residue behind.

Print-N-Stick Fabric was designed to make it easy in production as well: it won’t rip, wrinkle or stretch during production or installation and can be cut into shapes without fraying or tearing.

The adhesive backed fabric provides rich, sharp images with a brilliant 110⁰ white point for printing all kinds of applications, including wall murals and cut-outs, decals, window graphics, signage and more.

For more information, and to take advantage of this offer before it ends on July 31, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Technology & Products
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LexJet Introduces New Repositionable and Removable Adhesive-Backed Fabric

Print-N-Stick Fabric from LexJetLexJet’s new Print-N-Stick Fabric™ brings true photographic-quality printing to an inkjet fabric material that’s also backed with a repositionable and removable adhesive.

The new product is a combination of LexJet’s popular Water-Resistant Satin Cloth and a proprietary adhesive system that allows users to easily apply, reposition, remove and re-use graphics on virtually any flat surface without leaving any residue behind.

“Printing has been a cinch. I fed it right into the printer and didn’t have to make any changes to the suction to feed it in,” says Jack Ansley, owner of John H. Ansley Studio, Devon, Pa. “It has a very nice white surface, which produced rich blacks and great image quality for a project I recently printed applied to a concrete wall. I was amazed at how easy it is to apply and reposition without any bubbling.”

Print-N-Stick ApplicationAnsley adds that he’s applied one panel of the multi-panel project, pictured here, which is scheduled to be completed over the next couple of weeks.

The water-resistant fabric is also easy to finish; it won’t rip, wrinkle or stretch during production or installation and can be cut into any shape without fraying or tearing. Compatible with aqueous and latex inks, LexJet Print-N-Stick Fabric has a 110⁰ white point and allows higher ink saturation for deeper, sharper colors than most inkjet fabrics.

LexJet Print-N-Stick Fabric is ideal for wall murals and cut-out wall graphics, point-of-purchase displays, decals, window graphics, signs and more. It is available and shipping from LexJet’s Nationwide Distribution Network in 24″, 36″, 42″ and 60″ wide x 100′ roll lengths (LexJet also offers a 24″ x 20′ test roll).

For more information and to order, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Case Studies & Profiles
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Sargent Johnson Exhibit: Tapestries of Talent

Inkjet printed photo tapestries
Duane M. Conliffe interpretted the art of Sargent Johnson with photo tapestries printed on LexJet Water-Resistant Cloth.

What do you get when you combine the talent of modern photographic artist Duane M. Conliffe and the genius of multi-media artist Sargent Johnson? The Public Works of Sargent Johnson, a unique interpretation of Johnson’s ground-breaking work interpreted by Conliffe, which just concluded its exhibition on Dec. 15 at Africa House Gallery in Lynchburg, Va.

Conliffe has long found inspiration from Johnson’s work, who is widely seen as the first African American artist of note on the West Coast. Conliffe’s exhibition focused on a turning point in Johnson’s career, 1936-1949, when Johnson began to receive support for public commissions through government funders like the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC). Johnson’s large-scale works were often incorporated into the architecture of the buildings that house them.

So Conliffe set about documenting Sargent’s public works of art, including a section of Johnson’s two-part artwork called Sea Forms. Sea Forms graces the front and back of the San Francisco Maritime Museum. Conliffe photographed the slate carving that surrounds the main entrance of the building as the featured piece of the exhibit.

Decorated antique dressing room screen
This was the centerpiece of The Public Works of Sargent Johnson, printed on Photo Tex, applied to acetate and then applied to an antique dressing screen with small magnets.

Conliffe printed the section photo on Photo Tex Repositionable Fabric from LexJet with his EPSON Stylus Pro 9800 and the Ultrachrome K3 ink set. Conliffe then applied the prints onto a thin, clear acetate. The image panels were then applied to the backside of an antique dressing screen with small neodymium magnets.

“The translucency of the Photo Tex means the artwork changes throughout the day, according to the light levels at the time. This is a very compelling feature of this material when it’s backlit,” says Conliffe. “The acetate was the perfect substrate to apply the Photo Tex for just the right effect. However, I ran into some problems with bubbles when I was applying it, so I went to the LexJet site and found a video about how to put the Photo Tex down, so I used a squeegee, which made it a lot easier. It all worked out exactly like I had envisioned it; I’m very pleased with this piece.”

Inkjet printed art tapestriesThe exhibit also features six photo tapestries printed on LexJet Water-Resistant Satin Cloth. The four portrait-oriented pieces are 44″ x 72″ (image area is 40″ x 60″) while the landscape or horizontal pieces were printed at 70″ x 44″ and 60″ x 40″.

The tapestries were hung using SNAPRAILS from Popco USA, which Conliffe was able to find thanks to his LexJet customer specialist, who found the right product to finish off the tapestries.

The Public Works of Sargent Johnson in Lynchburg was the third large-format photography exhibit of Conliffe’s interpretations. The first was commissioned by the Richmond Art Center in Richmond, Calif., with a grant from The San Francisco Foundation. The second exhibition was held at the Canessa Gallery, which resides across the street from the Transamerica Pyramid building in San Francisco.

Inkjet prints of botanical photography
Duane M. Conliffe's botanical work was also featured at the exhibit.

“I originally printed the tapestries on the Water-Resistant Satin Cloth; it’s very lightweight, very portable and wouldn’t cost me a fortune to get it to the East Coast,” says Conliffe. “These were originally done in a very compressed time frame. I traveled around the Bay Area to capture the images, and then processed and printed them. Each part of the process was quite intensive.”

Brenda Waller, MD, of the Institute for Integrative Medicine & Comprehensive Rehabilitation (IIMCR) in Lynchburg, is a long-time collector of Conliffe’s art and arranged an introduction to Ann van de Graaf, owner of the Africa House Gallery. Waller would end producing the exhibit at the Africa Gallery House.

Inkjet printed tapestries
Brenda Waller, MD, and Duane M. Conliffe at the Africa Gallery House exhibit of Conliffe's interpretation of Sargent Johnson's work: The Public Works of Sargent Johnson.

“I also sent [van de Graaf] some of my botanical and Ferrari images so I could show some of the other things I do at the exhibit; as people moved through the gallery they would also see my work, which worked out well,” says Conliffe. “People walked into the reception and were stunned by the dressing room screen on Photo Tex. They told me they had never seen anything like it before. It’s definitely a step up for me. I also love the Water-Resistant Satin Cloth and that I can print on it as large as I can with such great visual impact, yet it’s so light and easy to move around. LexJet has great products, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.”

To find out more, check out the videos embedded below: An introduction to artist Duane Conliffe and an overview of The Public Works of Sargent Johnson in Lynchburg…

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Case Studies & Profiles
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The Ties that Bind Analog and Digital Imaging at Colortek of Boston

Fine art and photographic reproduction

Reports about the demise of traditional film processes are greatly exaggerated, at least at Colortek of Boston, which has a healthy mix of digital and analog processes to serve a growing and dynamic client base.

Printing and reproducing fine art with inkjet printing
The image on the left was reproduced on Sunset Photo Metallic Paper. Colortek of Boston uses this paper for specific clients looking for the pearlescent pop that best represents their work.

Like most photo labs, Colortek of Boston transitioned to digital imaging and inkjet printing in the early ’90s. And like other labs, this watershed industry migration to digital and how each company handled the transition would determine long-term success or failure.

It was during this crucial time that Colortek of Boston decided to embrace the future without forgetting the past. The decision served the company well since local universities and their photography programs continued teaching the art of film for capture and processing.

“They still teach film and film processing at all the universities in the Boston area. Even MIT teaches a film class. It’s a unique art process that won’t go away, and it’s magical,” explains Jackie Anderson, Colortek of Boston’s owner. “Students need to go somewhere to process their film, so we offer student discounts and processing for 35mm, 2 1/4, 4×5 and 8×10 formats. We end up with good relationships with the students who then go out in the field and work at different places.”

Reproducing digital artwork on canvas
Colortek of Boston's owner, Jackie Anderson, designed this piece of digital art that combines photography with Photoshop printed on Sunset Select Matte Canvas.

The relationship between Colortek of Boston and the local universities acts as a feeder program of sorts. Former students often become loyal clients. Moreover, since Colortek is part of a shrinking group of companies with full processing capabilities, a dedicated legion of film enthusiasts from all over employ Colortek’s film processing services.

Even with this loyal band of film aficionados, inkjet printing reigns supreme at Colortek of Boston. Film processing usually ends up being inkjet-printed after it’s scanned and digitized. Plus, inkjet printing opened doors to other types of accounts, like museums, architects, lawyers and other more commercial accounts who need large reproductions of their work for displays and presentations.

Photo lab and fine art reproductionThis client base supplements the foundation of artists and photographers seeking consistent, quality output. “I’m beginning to see a lot more mixed media people because digital has become part of the process where I do a base print and they work on the print afterwards. For example, I have a client who gives me a file that I print it on Sunset Fibre Rag, then she draws on and manipulates the print and frames it,” says Anderson. “We have a loyal customer base; the people who are printing with me are coming back because they get what they see. We keep a close watch on our color calibration to make sure they’re doing what we see on-screen. A lot of people don’t have large printers at their home, business or studio, and they know they can get a quality print at the size they need.”

Colortek of Boston focuses almost exclusively on printing, preferring to farm out mounting and framing to local vendors. In order to satisfy an increasingly diverse client base Colortek of Boston relies on LexJet for a diversity of materials as well as expertise in finding and selecting inkjet materials for the project at hand.

Canvas photographic reproduction“I just started using Sunset Fibre Rag and that’s become my favorite paper because it feels like the old fibre prints and it provides more shadow detail than a cotton rag paper,” explains Anderson. “We started our inkjet printing with Sunset Photo eSatin, and that’s our staple paper, but now I can offer canvas, metallic paper, banner materials and even wall graphics with Photo Tex. Someone came to me recently looking for freestanding banners for their coffee shop so I called Rob Finkel at LexJet for some direction. He recommended LexJet Water-Resistant Satin Cloth and they’re very happy with the end product.”

Anderson adds that having LexJet’s resources available means never having to say no. “Whenever someone comes to us with a project, we figure out how to get it done. We’re trying to offer unique products to meet the needs of anyone who comes to us for images.”

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in News & Trends, Tips & Tricks
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HP Z6100 Firmware Update Provides Vacuum Control for Slipping Substrates

Firmware updates for HP large format inkjet printersSome media types like to slip slide away as you print. Fabrics are particularly guilty of this slipping offense. To help with those troublesome textiles, and any other media printed on the HP Designjet Z6100, HP has a firmware update that fixes this issue.

The update allows you to modify the amount of vacuum applied to various media, and for both thick and thin materials, you can adjust the loading vacuum level. So, for fabrics like LexJet Water-Resistant Satin Cloth and the Poly Select line of fabrics, the extra control makes it easier to keep them in line.

Click here for more instructions and to download Firmware Version 9.0.0.4.

And, as always, if you need any additional help with the firmware update or have any questions about LexJet’s fabric line, HP’s Designjet printers, and any other inkjet printable media, call a LexJet account specialist at 800-453-9538.

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Case Studies & Profiles, Technology & Products
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Imaging USA Recap: Backlit Gallery Wraps from Redipix

Backlit inkjet printed gallery wraps for display

Fresh from the Imaging USA show earlier this week in New Orleans our intrepid LexJet crew – Michael Clementi, Ryan King and Alex Ried – brought back inspiration and ideas that we’ll share over the next week or so.

Backlit gallery wraps for photography
Gallery Wrap Dazzle by Redpix is backlit with LEDs for a unique, eye-catching display that can be dimmed and brightened remotely.

The LexJet crew reported that Sunset Stretcher Kits were the most popular product they demonstrated at Imaging USA. The DIY kits make it easy to create your own museum and gallery wraps in minutes, and you can read more about them here.

Another interesting twist on the gallery wrap concept was presented by Redipix at Imaging USA. Redipix has created a backlit gallery wrap using LexJet Water-Resistant Satin Cloth that can be used for all types of display and lighting situations.

The box, built out of heavy-duty foam board, is backed with hundreds of LEDs placed in a pattern which maximizes light coverage behind the print. Moreover, the product – called Gallery Wrap Dazzle – comes with a remote dimmer so that the light can be controlled for various lighting situations.

Backlit printed gallery wraps for display
Here's what Gallery Wrap Dazzle looks like with the lights off.

“The LEDs can get brighter than you would normally want, except in sunlight, and it can be turned way down if need be. They’re particularly good where you don’t have good light, but they work anywhere. It’s amazing how the picture changes with the light and changes the contrast, so you can control the contrast,” says David Elmore, owner of Redipix. “We started using Water-Resistant Satin Cloth a couple of years ago and saw how people were using them in galleries and outdoors and other applications, and I noticed how great it looks in a window with the light behind it.”

The print can be easily removed and replaced with another one, so the Gallery Wrap Dazzle is re-usable, and the original print can be re-sold or re-purposed in whatever way you’d like, as a banner or hanging display, for instance.

“One of the photographers we met at the show wants to use it for weddings and display a picture of the bride and groom. It really glows so everyone can see it, leading to additional business from people who saw the display at the wedding,” says Elmore.

Printed shadow box for photography
This shadow box product from Redipix lights up the family photo on the inside.

At Imaging USA Redpix also introduced a new LED-lit shadow box and previewed a photo album that resides inside a gallery wrap, in addition to its primary foam board gallery wrap product that can be decorated with canvas or Water-Resistant Satin Cloth.

The shadow box has a hole in the middle of the main print, with another print recessed and lit with LEDs. Typically the main print is “word art” with a photo inside, the word art describing the picture inside. The photo album gallery wrap hangs on the wall so that the album can be prominently displayed and taken off the wall and opened for viewing.

For more information about Redipix, go to www.redipix.com.