FAQ

how long does it take to print my prints?

Usually 2-3 days if we’re not especially busy - sometimes a bit longer for larger orders or if they shop is busy. We also offer rush services if you need things right away.

What if I need it sooner?

We can always rush the print but the timing is critical. Once everything is ready and we’ve agreed on the printing options, our Rush Fee Schedule is 25% extra for two days, 50% extra for next day, and 100% extra for same day printing (if it’s even possible!). We very rarely deviate from this schedule. Please upload early.

is there a minimum order amount or can I order just one small print?

We have a $50 minimum order amount. Proofs, if needed are done before a sizable print order is done. Often, if say an edition of 50 is ordered, we print the first print and ask the client to review it, before printing the rest. The scenario is often determined on a case by case basis.

Will you print a proof first?

Our policy on proofs is on a case-by-case basis.  We generally don't do them if the print job is small, we just go ahead and print and then reprint if problems arise.

The essential reason for proofs to be made, is to fine-tune our printing.  After a file is submitted and ready for printing, we may make a proof to spot tonal or color issues, or just problems with the file itself.  This is usually done on low quality paper at an 8.5x11" size.  If you need to see what it will look like on the paper you’ve chosen, we may print their file on the paper selected, again at 8.5x11" to see how it prints, or just go ahead with our first try.

You might be looking to just make one print now and others of the same file later.  We charge full price for the first print, but then can reduce the price of identical prints from the same file as time goes on as they are considered "copies"

i have a small file - how large can i blow it up?

This is a question we're asked very often.  

It's difficult to answer - the short answer is that you can blow it up however much you want!  Think of it this way - those Apple "shot on an iPhone" billboards you've seen are blown up to 100 feet wide.  The reason they look good is because you're standing so far back from them.  

What people tend to do when confronted with large photographs is to stand far back so they can see the whole view.  It is true that the more you blow up your image, the more it "breaks down" and becomes pixelated, but the viewers stand further back, which negates the breakdown.

That said, we print at 200dpi at the lowest and as a general rule of thumb, we can double the size of the photo (or print at 100dpi) with "no" big loss in quality.  That can be used as a general guideline.

do you print editions?

Yes, we do.  If a client is interested in using Brooklyn Archival to print all of the prints in an edition, we will discuss a reduced cost and plan for the printing.

But won't the prints look different if we print them at different times?

Luckily, no!  The amazing thing about these Giclee printers is that they are calibrated to print the same print on the same paper, exactly the same every time, no matter when you print.  

Do you give discounts?

Yes, our discounts are based on the quantity of the order.  They are built into our cost estimation structure.  Please refer to our Cost Calculator page to see how much of a discount you receive when printing different quantities.

I have a painting I want to print/ I have negatives I want to print/ I have a print I want to make a copy of.  can you print this somehow?

Yes.  The first stage is to digitize the painting, negative or print.  We can make a digital file from essentially any artwork you have. Our fees start at $35 per piece, but will increase depending on the size. You would need to drop off the artwork at our studio and return to pick it up on another day.

are your printers archival?

Yes, the printers we use are completely archival, as well as all the papers and inks that we use.  Which means, under safe conditions, the prints will last for over approximately 200 years!

how durable are the prints? 

They're not.  But let me explain.

Every new technology has its upsides and downsides.  The amount of repetitive and predictable control we have over the print using the Giclee process far exceeds our former abilities in the darkroom.  But the price of this is a far less physically durable print.

Back in the days of the color darkroom, you could grab a large print with one hand and walk across the room, and unfurl it on a table without too much worry that it would be scratched.  By the nature of inkjet or Giclee printing, this isn't the case anymore.  Some prints are "fairly" durable and some will scratch if you look at them funny.  The matte prints can scratch fairly easily and all inkjet paper dents without much effort.  Generally Giclee prints should be handled as little as possible.

There are coatings you can put over the images which combat damage but I've always found them problematic.

Prints are best to be framed if the client seeks longevity and perfection.  If a client is not too concerned with perfection of surface, they needn't worry.  Generally the prints, especially the lustre papers can withstand a good deal of handling without much noticeable damage.

What we have always done is package the prints properly and securely with glassine paper and send them directly to the framer.  We always guarantee that the print will arrive perfectly at the framer and will re-print on the house if the shipper or framer damage the print.  We will not re-print for free if the client damages the print.