Graphics produced with inkjet printers combine the best of ALL worlds for great image quality, low cost, durability, and flexibility of media used. Unlike cut vinyl lettering, inkjet prints can include text, illustrations, & photos in the design. A huge range of media is available from photo paper, fine art papers, canvas, vinyl, fabrics, Tyvek, polypropylene (PP), polyester (PE), etc. And Inkjet printing is digital & on demand. There is no need to get hundreds or thousands at a time to make the high setup cost worthwhile like offset printing.
How big can I make my prints?
Our maximum print width for a single, contiguous piece is 59" from our HP 5500uv (see www.designjet.HP.com for more info on media available & some video tips). However, it's common to tile pieces together like wallpaper for very large images. The increased size translates into increased viewing distance which helps to make the seams less noticeable.
What resolution should my file be to get a nice print?
Ah... good question. Like any other good question, it deserves a thoughful, unambiguous, & quantitative answer: "It depends". It depends on the dimensions of the finished piece, the end use of the piece, and the intended viewing distance. For fine art, a file that is 360 ppi at the intended dimensions will work just fine. For signage pieces, it then depends on the size. For a print less than about 4' x 4', 300ppi will give great results. Anything larger than 4' x 4', you could get away with about 150ppi (or even less). This is because larger pieces are viewed from further away & thus can use lower resolution.
How do I submit my files for printing?
Files that can be compressed to less than 3 or 4 MB can be emailed to me at Rick@LoneEagleDigital.com. Larger files can be sent to Lone Eagle via a web-based 'FTP' site like www.YouSendIt.com. Or your company may have an FTP site that you can use. Or you can send a CD or DVD. File types accepted include EPS, PDF, TIFF, JPG, and native Photoshop & Illustrator files. Raster files should be flattened. For vector files, convert type to outlines. In general, the simpler the file, the fewer chances of ambiguity. PDF is a great choice for transferring graphics that are print-ready. If in doubt, send the specific fonts you want used along with your files to avoid any font replacement errors. Lone Eagle is a PC-based shop.
How long will my prints last?
All prints produced at Lone Eagle use pigmented inks. For indoor display, these prints will not fade for many decades (they'll probably last longer than you & me). Photos & fine art prints should be framed behind glass (the good stuff is non-reflective). Prints intended for long-term, outdoor display (like banners) or facing harsh environments (like vehicle wraps) should be laminated to protect them from the sun's UV rays, abrasion, rain, dirt, and intentional abuse.
What does lamination do?
Lamination will cover your prints with a clear, tough, protective film to protect them from damage & abuse. Laminates can have glossy, luster, textured, or matte finishes. In addition, they can also give other special properties like dry erase for presentations, non-slip for floor graphics, or grafitti resistance. Typically, the adhesive in laminates contains UV inhibitors that protect the prints from damage from UV rays (think of it as sun screen for your prints).
What are "color targets" & how are they used?
Color targets are pieces that contain a number of colored squares. The squares include pure white, pure black, various shades of neutral gray, & various shades corresponding to skin tones, blue sky, green grass, etc. When photographing something, these targets are photographed first under the ambient lighting conditions. This will then allow a color correction to be applied to all subsequent photos taken under the same conditions in order to get the truest color. This is accomplished by using the "levels" or "curves" command in Photoshop to define what black is, what white is, & what gray is on the target. When this correction is then applied to the photo, it's amazing to watch it "snap" into its proper state.
What is an ICC profile & why is it necessary?
ICC stands for International Color Consortium & is a standard used for communicating color info & converting colors among various devices & color spaces. Cameras, scanners, monitors, & printers all use different technology to capture or display color & may also use different color spaces. By linking these devices together thru profiles (or translators), all of these devices can then ''speak the same language''.
If you demand great color, you should ask your print provider how they handle ICC profiles. If they make their own (like we do at Lone Eagle), then you're in good hands. If they download generic ones from the net, you may be OK for low-end jobs. If they give you a blank look and ask "what's ICC?", then run away.
How do you make a profile & how do you use it?
In a nutshell, standard color targets are scanned or photographed & then compared to the electronic versions of these targets supplied by the manufacturer. This is the first step in producing an "input" profile. Sophisticated software is then used to make a big table of numbers that serves as a translator. For printers, an "output" profile is made by printing one of these standard targets, measuring that print using a spectrophotometer, & using that same software to produce the table or profile. Once a profile is made, RIP (raster image processor) software used to drive large-format inkjet printers can be told which profile to use for a given combination of media, ink, printer, & resolution. If any one of these four components is changed, a new ICC profile should be used. The image below is an example of the file used to make a printer profile. In this case, more than 1400 color patches are used to make a detailed printer profile.
