Colour Your World

Duratrans display at Steward Observatory

2012-01-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

If you happen to be walking the halls at the Steward Observatory on the University of Arizona's campus, then you may run across these stunning back lit prints. The astro-photography was done by Adam Block at the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter. It took many hours to gather enough light through the telescope to create the pictures of the scene here of the various gallaxies and atronomical imagery. In addition to the time spent to capture the image, there were several hours in post production processing and applying an artistic rendering of each image. The added colors are representative of the wavelengths of light emitted by each object. Not only does it add visual interest to the image, it is also a coding of sorts of the scientific data.

Artisan Colour then printed these images on a material called Duratrans. This is a photographic back lit film that is meant to be displayed with light shining behind the print in a light box. It is a perfect match for this type of imagery. It gives the viewer the impression as if they are really looking through the telescope themselves. Because we use an Oce LightJet 5000 to print these images, the true photographic process retains all of the small and fine detail that was so painstakenly captured.

Our thanks to Adam Block for choosing us to work with him on the project.

Artisan Colour unwraps shiny new website

2011-12-22T14:05:00.002-07:00

Just like a shiny new bike under the Christmas tree we gave ourselves a present this year, and revamped our website. The new look also features some of our newest services, like 360º photography and our strategic partnership with iPad app - Catalog Spree.

Tips for using a photo scanning service

2011-12-02T11:39:00.001-07:00

Your Digital Life hands out some great advise on best practices for sending out images to be scanned. The type of scanning we do here at Artisan is a little different than the service bureau's they are describing. Since we focus on large format printing, and high resolution digital editing, most of our scans are smaller in volume of originals, but large in file resolution. That is why #2 resonates so well with us. There are some great recommendations for those who are unfamiliar with how to prepare their scanning order to drop off or ship to their lab.

Tips for Using a Photo Scanning Service

1) If you have the same images on both prints and negatives, and incremental cost does not blow your budget, choose to have the negatives scanned instead of the prints. The negatives have more image information that can be captured and are likely less faded, if at all. The resulting image file from scanning negatives will be larger and more versatile than those from paper photo scanning.

2) Understand and choose the scanning options that match your specific requirements. For example, if subsequent printing of enlargements is likely, opt for higher scan dpi options or ensure the standard scan dpi is sufficient for your needs.

3) Save money, and possibly increase turnaround time, by doing some of the work of organizing and preparing your collection yourself. Understand the packing guidelines of the photo scanning service and adhere to the suggestions. Keep schemes simple, and to the extent possible, remove slides from trays, prints from albums, and keep negatives in protective sleeves. This may save on extra fees and shipping costs.

4) Pack your photos in a box, not mailers or soft pouches. Rigid boxes, when combined with plastic utility bags and packing material (paper, not peanuts), provide the best protection for your treasured photo collection while in transit. Use reputable shippers with real-time tracking and track your packages to the photo scanning service, often they will confirm receipts via email.

5) If concerned about shipping, divide your collection into three or four separate shipments. While it’s extremely unlikely a single package will go missing from a reputable shipper in transit, the chances more than one package will be lost are virtually zero.

Rick Ferens at ArtFest of Scottsdale

2011-11-18T10:41:00.001-07:00

Seattle area photographer, Rick Ferens (aka 5500 Degree Studio) will be migrating south for the ArtFest of Scottsdale going on this weekend. The weather may be cold in other parts of the country, but here in Arizona, this is art fair season. Perfect weather to get out and buy some beautiful photography.

Of course, if you can't make it this weekend you can still find Rick's work on his website, or through his gallery on Photoshelter.

You are invited to visit Rick Ferens and 5500 Degree Studio in their photography booth at the ArtFest of Scottsdale, one of Scottsdale's signature arts festivals. Stroll through the artist booths and food court on the stunning grounds of the plaza while live music and other events take place. Rain or shine, this showcase is not to be missed! We're in booth 160.

Photoshop Deblur Tool in Development

2011-10-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

At the recent Adobe MAX 2011 conference, Jue Wang, one of the magicians behind the scenes at Photoshop gave a sneak peak at a new tool they are currently developing. This new tool may eliminate blurry pictures forever. As you will see in this video, the crowd was pretty amazed by the demo. The new deblurring feature can restore detail, even in text, and is simply mind blowing. They made no promises of when it would release in the Photoshop package. Keep a look out for it in the future.

Here are some close up shots of an image run through the deblurring filter. The tool does its best work on fixing camera shake, and not motion blur or out of range focus. (Not yet, anyway.)

They are still in the process of perfecting it. So, Jue has set up a site where he is collecting images to use as practice. You can submit your images here.

Found [Via]

Artisan Colour Opens Pennsylvania Office

2011-09-07T09:51:00.000-07:00

Artisan Colour, Inc. announces the opening of an East Coast office in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Artisan Colour was founded in April 1998 with a mission to provide our color separation clients with industry-leading quality pre-press services. Our state of the art production facility in Scottsdale, Arizona has been expanded twice in the last 10 years to include a Digital Photographic Studio and Large Format Display Graphic Division. Now, with the addition of an East Coast office our expert staff is poised to fulfill clients needs nationwide.

The East Coast office will be managed by Fred Chaboya, who has over twenty-five years of experience in the pre-press industry. Artisan's East Coast office will better connect clients with the Scottsdale, Arizona based company. "We are dedicated to providing exceptional service to our East Coast clients, and the opening of our new office confirms that commitment. Our goal at Artisan Colour has always been about providing customized solutions for discerning brands. With the addition of our East Coast office we will provide a strong touch-point between our clients to our production team in Scottsdale."

For more information, contact:

Fred Chaboya
Artisan Colour, Inc.
1271 Fawnwood Drive
Lancaster, PA 17601
480-861-2813
Fred@artisancolour.com

Gary Burden's Exhibit at Joshua Tree National Park

2011-08-18T09:57:00.000-07:00

Joshua Tree National Park has been the backdrop for many album covers over the years. Think past U2's 1987 release. Joshua Tree was also the setting for the self titled first release of the Eagles. which was shot at the cholla gardens on the eastern edge of the park. The orchestrators behind that iconic Eagles cover were artist Gary Burden and photographer Henry Diltz -- the men widely credited with inventing the concept of album cover art. Gary was the go-to album designer for rock artists in the 1970s, and collaborated with Henry for many of his projects. A collection of Burden's album cover art debuted at the Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center on August 10th as part of the park's 75th Birthday Celebration.

The exhibit features images of the music groups America and the Eagles taken during the early 1970s in the park. The exhibit features more than 30 prints, curated by Gary Burden in partnership with Joshua Tree National Park and the printing help of Artisan Colour. Some of the prints, like the Eagles album cover, were printed on at a grand 4'x4' size.

Here are some of Gary's thoughts on why the park is so special and remains a source of inspiration to him.

I loved going into nature and found the desert to be a place of refuge. A place of great power and mystery. A place where there is, in fact, an abundance of life and beauty. A safe place. A place where you are tested and when you pass the test and survive you can rejoice and feel truly alive.  

Later I brought other people here to Joshua Tree and shared what I knew and felt. The right ones got it and cherished it. They came back on their own to enjoy what the desert offers, again and again.  

We are very fortunate to live in an area that has and protects our desert and makes it available to everyone. There is much to learn. Much beauty. Great peace and tranquility that will always improve our lot here on earth.  Thanks to the keepers of the special wild places, our National Park Service.

The exhibit is free to the public, and will be on display for the rest of 2011. The visitor center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

It was a pleasure to work with Gary Burden and 75th Anniversary Coordinator and Park Ranger "Extraordinaire", George Land.

Make a statement with wall decals

2011-08-04T13:17:00.000-07:00

Wall decals made out of self adhesive vinyl are an easy way to make a big graphic statement with minimal cost and impact to your wall's integrity. Unlike traditional wall art where you would need to drill holes in your wall to install, this look does not require power tools. If you ever want to redecorate, they can easily be removed with out damage to your wall.

The folks at Better Homes and Gardens put together some great ways to use wall decals in your home decor. If you know how to work in Illustrator, creating your own design to cut out with our digital router is a snap. For example, say you would love to have an antique wrought iron headboard, but don't want to shell out the bucks - create one out of black vinyl.

Or bring the outside in with this tree design. This design can make a great family tree. You can add photographs of family members, like they have here, or just their names to continue the simple graphic line look. You could add to it through out the years with new additions to the family. This would also look great in a nursery where you could add elements that match the theme of the room, like animals or a tire swing hanging from the branches.

Before you tackle this home project be sure you are ready for installation. Clean your walls, and if you have recently painted make sure you allow your paint to dry 72 hours before applying the vinyl.
"Decals are easy to apply, but be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions. Use a level and tape measure as you apply the decal to ensure straight, accurate positioning. Smooth the decal onto the wall. Use the burnishing tool to adhere it to the wall and to remove any bubbles." "Very slowly, peel off the plastic backing. To speed the application and avoid wrinkles, cut the decal into segments, then use low-tack painter's tape to hang sections on the wall."

Photoshop Elements joins Mac App Store

2011-07-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

Today Adobe released a version of their popular photo editing software Photoshop Elements, with Photoshop Elements Editor 9 now available for download from the Mac App Store. It includes some of the most popular editing features of the full version of the software, along with special effects, and tutorials. One fantastic feature can take the best facial expressions from multiple shots and combine them in to one single perfect group shot.

Adobe is offering download for $79.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 Editor Debuts in Mac App Store

Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced the immediate availability of Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) Elements 9* Editor in the Mac App Store, providing Mac users with powerful yet easy-to-use photo-editing tools for creating extraordinary photos. Based on the industry-standard Adobe Photoshop software, Photoshop Elements 9 Editor helps users take their photos from ordinary to phenomenal in seconds.

"The powerful capabilities in Photoshop Elements 9 Editor complement iPhoto perfectly, for users who want to take their photos to the next level with advanced compositing and stunning effects," said Winston Hendrickson, vice president of Digital Imaging Products, Adobe. "Photoshop helped pioneer creativity on the Mac, so it's appropriate that this special edition of Photoshop Elements is Adobe's entry into the Mac App Store."

Adobe CS5 Printing Guide

2011-06-23T14:49:00.000-07:00

A common question asked by customers prepping their files for printing in our Display Graphics division, is "Should I send you the files in RGB or CMYK?". When we respond RGB, many people are confused since several of our machines print with CMYK inks. The answer to this question, along with best file practices and in-depth technical information for all of Adobe's CS5 Creative Suite has been complied in this reference guide. To help both sides of the counter speak the same language, and ensure the file printed is exactly how it was intended to look.

Thanks, John for posting!

If you are printing to an inkjet printer or other RGB-based device, you will likely achieve the best results by printing from an RGB image. Despite the fact that these devices use inks named cyan, magenta, yellow and black (often with additional colors such as orange, green, light cyan, light magenta, etc.), they are set up to maximize the wider gamut available in RGB images by converting incoming RGB information to appropriate values for the color gamut of the printing device. The colorants in inkjet inks actually allow a wider range of colors than offset inks: Printing from an image in the smaller CMYK color space limits the output. For detailed guidance, consult the user guide and online resources available from the manufacturer of the device.

Photoshop tutorial - Color modes & Bit depth

2011-06-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

This Photoshop tutorial explains some of the basics what we work with here at Artisan every day - color. The video covers the principals behind RGB and CMYK color modes and bit map depth. Some great tips for newbies or refresher course for pros.

Turn your child's art in to a masterpiece

2011-06-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

Children’s art is so great. There is something so charming about the freedom of expression, that people later in life have to train themselves to relearn. Most proud parents will tack up their favorite pieces on the refrigerator or bulletin board. Why not make it a lasting piece of art for your home? Simply scan the original and format the file to be able to blow up to a poster size. To add another dimension to the work you can print it on metallic paper, or print on to a canvas finished with gallery wrap to give it an authentic museum quality look. Not only can this make a great Mother’s or Father’s Day gift, but it will also preserve that special moment of their lives that seems to pass so quickly. Once you hang the finished piece it will look like you have your own Matisse in residence.

ArtisanHD streamlines print ordering

2011-05-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

We just launched ArtisanHD, and are pretty excited about it! We are always looking for ways to improve our customer's experience when ordering prints through Artisan Colour. At ArtisanHD we have put together our most popular products and services that can easily be ordered and assembled.

There are many choices for printing and finishing. Photo printing on any of our Fuji Crystal Archive surfaces, Kodak Metallic, or FujiFlex media is available; as well as printing direct to rigid boards like Gatorboard and even 1/4" Plexiglas accompanied with stainless steel stand offs for installation. We are also offering gallery wrapped canvas, wallpaper and wall cling printing. To finish off the look of your print we have several mounting and frame options.

The web based upload and ordering system is interactive. There is automatic visual representation of how well your file will print at the desired size, what sizes work best for that file, and if it cropping will be necessary for the finished print size. If any of the sizes on the drop down list do not work, there is a tool to designate and order custom sizes.

There is a complete automated check out system that allows you to even ship your print to an alternate address as a gift. Local customers can even use ArtisanHD to order through through us. During checkout there is an option for Local Pickup that removes shipping charges.

Helping people preserve events and memories through printing is a passion of ours. It is now easier than ever to create and produce high quality wall art that will be cherished for years to come.

Blank wall solutions

2011-05-18T08:47:00.000-07:00

Some simple ideas for how to dress up your blank walls.

A great solution for an entire wall is use one single piece of art. This look can also help make a smaller room actually appear bigger. The image seen here is a simple monotone graphic on a single gallery wrapped canvas hung to cover most of the wall from floor to ceiling.

A fun way to add interest to a wall is by using typography and do different size letters as an arrangement. This can look great as a grouping behind a couch or even as a headboard for your bed. You can spell out a word, or just choose different sizes and colors. Our digital router can cut shapes out of many materials with various depths for a layered effect. You can use the color of the raw material or paint them to complement your room. If you set up your own files, you can even pick out specific font styles that fit your taste.

Like the look of wallpaper, but don't want to commit to a pasting it to the wall? Try displaying a couple of strip as you would a banner. Anchor the top and bottom to small rods and use ribbon to hang in place. A less permanent solution that can be easily changed without the hassle of stripping. This look can also be done using fabric.

Our digital printing and routing allows flexibility to be able to produce one offs and not be committed to a large run. Creating a signature design that is unique to your home.

Images from ReadyMade.

Christine Taft show at Studio ADT

2011-04-28T11:37:00.000-07:00

Awakening to the Light

Award winning photographer Christine Taft of The Perceptive Lens will be hosting a one woman show and reception this Saturday, April 30th at Studio ADT for a special Mother's Day event. The reception will be held from 2 - 5 pm. Christine will be showcasing her new coffee table photography book as well as her framed photographs. Her work will be on display at Studio ADT until June 18th.

Introducing her newly released photography book and showcasing many of her award winning and landscape photographs.

Please bring your mother and friends to join us in an afternoon of celebration with light refreshments & networking.

Looking forward to seeing you at this event!

Location: Studio ADT
1775 West University Dr., Suite 122
Tempe, AZ 85281

Catalog Spree offers a new way to shop through iPad

2011-04-20T13:56:00.001-07:00

Padopolis has developed a iPad app called Catalog Spree. The free download offers consumers a brand new way to shop multiple catalogs in one source, much like you would when visiting a brick and mortor mall. The app lets you view product information and order direct from each company's website. Making the shopping experience smooth and seamless.

Artisan Colour has formed a strategic partnership and business relationship with Padopolis. We are very excited to bring catalog clients new opportunities in mobile commerce.

Padopolis Wants to Move the Billion-Dollar Retail Catalog Business to the iPad - Tricia Duryee for eMoney

Instead of clogging up your mail and piling up uncontrollably on your coffee table, Padopolis wants to deliver the same content you’d find in a catalog in electronic form–starting with an iPad application.

Catalog Spree, which launched yesterday on the iPad, aggregates a number of catalogs in one place, similarly to a mall, where consumers can go to find multiple stores.

So far, the app includes catalogs from Dwell Studio, Serena & Lily, Tea Collection, Nordstrom, Filson and Artful Home. More will be added regularly.

On the surface, the application may sound like a bunch of pretty pictures, but Padopolis’ co-founder and CEO Joaquín Ruiz makes a big case for the idea, which investors were willing to bet on.

After 10 months of boot-strapping, the Menlo Park, Calif.-based company has raised $1.3 million in seed funding from El Dorado Ventures, Blackberry Partners Fund and Andrew Jenks, an angel investor. The company, which officially launched in November, didn’t know it was on to something until Christmas.

Ruiz said they started having discussions with retailers, who reported that anywhere from 2 percent to 10 percent of holiday purchases occurred on the device in the months leading up to Christmas. That’s up from zero the year before since the iPad didn’t exist.

Ruiz said the catalog industry makes a great target because unlike other print publications, such as newspapers and magazines, it’s on the rise.

Roughly 20 billion catalogs were mailed last year in the U.S., jumping from 18 billion two years ago. Those catalogs translate to more than $100 billion in annual revenues, he said, representing the single-largest revenue generator for retailers.

But despite their effectiveness, there’s two downsides: distribution costs–including paper and postage–and, of course, consumers who don’t want the clutter (Ruiz swears 65 percent of people who discontinue catalogs still want to shop from that store, they just don’t want the paper).

That’s where the iPad can make the difference on both sides of the equation.

“There are three ways to interact with the customer: brick and mortar, there’s the Internet and there’s the catalog,” he said. “An Internet-only shopper spends an average of $120 a year. If you buy in the store, you spend an average of $180. If you’re a catalog shopper, your average spend is $240. But if you shop on all three, it’s more than $1,000. There’s a fourth channel. Mobile is going to become a significant part of that fourth channel.”

When you first enter the app, you are greeted by “Sally Spree,” a cartoon-ish blond-haired woman in high heels with a big smile who is galloping across the screen, carrying four shopping bags. The image portrays how fun and easy the shopping experience can be (instead of fighting crowds at the mall in any kind of shoes–much less pumps).

Once inside the app, there are miniature pictures of several catalogs, much like iBooks, where Apple sells the latest bestsellers from a digital bookshelf.

A user touches a catalog to enter, where they will see a nearly identical layout of the real catalog with pictures and descriptions. The difference, however, is its interactivity. Users can tap on an item to receive more information or to buy it. They can search to discover new catalogs and subscribe to feeds or be alerted to promotions. A favorite item can be posted to your Facebook feed.

On the back end, the catalog is linked into the retailer’s e-commerce site, so it’s intelligent enough to know if an item is in stock. Likewise, if a friend clicks on an item from your Facebook page, it won’t take you to a broken link or an iPad app, but to the company’s regular Internet site.

The application is free to consumers to download and to browse. Padopolis plans to take a percentage of revenue from each sale it helps generates on behalf of the retailer.

For now, the company seems to be ahead of the curve.

A search in the iPad store reveals a competitor called Catalogs.com that has products from Home Depot, Petco, Speigel and others, but it has only received two stars. Its biggest competition likely is the retailers themselves that have the resources to create their own standalone applications. As of launch, a search reveals that none of its partners have taken that route.

How to build a light box

2011-04-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

Light boxes are most commonly used in retail displays. With good reason, they catch your eye and make the image look fantastic when lit up from behind. This look doesn't have to be just for your local store. Why not build one for your home? You can use your own picture, and create some soft mood lighting to boot.

The people at ReadyMade show you how to easily build your own 2'x2' light box. Our suggestion is to use nails that are easy to remove so you can swap out the print whenever you would like. Using Duratrans backlit media and printing direct to Plexiglas would also work great for this project.

Domestic Displays: The Light Box

Assemble the box by nailing in three finish nails to hold each corner of the box together. (The two shorter planks will sit inside the two longer ones.) To make sure the box is square, measure from corner to corner at a diagonal across the box. If both measurements are the same, you’re set; if not, adjust as necessary, then drill three screws into each corner. (Mad respect to my ninth-grade geometry teacher, Mrs. Blaney!)

Take a breather. If it looks like Photo 1, reward yourself with a refreshing beverage.

Nail four trim pieces inside the box, flush with the edge—two longer ones first, and parallel to each other, then two shorter pieces between them (Photo 2).

For a materials list and to see the rest of the steps, check out the ReadyMade link.

Window graphics

2011-03-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

While retail signs and posters hung in windows can be highly effective, they can also block light and obscure merchandise displays placed near the window or entrances. See-through window graphics are a great alternative. They maintain a strong graphic impact from the outside, and from the inside are practically invisible.

Perforated window film has a grid of tiny holes that are imperceptible when viewed from distances. This type of film is also commonly used in car wraps for back and side windows.

The film also helps reduce glare, heat, and UV light. For retail displays these amazing P.O.P. billboards prevent window clutter and are easily interchangeable for a new look or seasonal promotion. At night, when backlit these signs light up for a potentially stunning effect and around the clock exposure.

This project printed for The Taka Group and their Banana Republic eye wear promotion to be displayed at optical stores windows. As seen from outside and inside our shop window.

DSLR Pinhole Photography

2011-03-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

This could be a fun weekend project. This video from the Matt Richardson at MAKE shows you how to go 'old school' with all the benefits of new technology, and convert your DSLR in to a pinhole camera. Besides not needing to spend hours in the darkroom trying to figure out your exposure, there are some amazing options that you could never do with a traditional oatmeal box pinhole camera; effects like creating multi-exposure HDR images and shooting pinhole video.

Color IQ Test

2011-03-10T12:37:00.000-07:00

We've been having fun with this quiz around the shop. Maybe we are just color fanatics, but it is interesting to see how you score. This color quiz was put together by X-Rite Photo, the makers of color management and calibration software and equipment. The lower the number, the better your score, and the better you can perceive color. How well you can see color?

Color IQ Test

Take this fun and simple on-line color IQ test and learn how you see color. You’ll get more accurate results if you have a calibrated and profiled monitor. Share the color IQ test with your friends and colleagues!

Triptychs and multi-paneled displays

2011-03-03T12:49:00.000-07:00

Multi-paneled displays and print clusters are a creative way to present your art, and cover a larger wall area.

The most common form of multi-paneled displays are triptychs - three panels that are hung in succession. Using one image broken up in to three pieces creates a unique effect. This look works well with pieces that are free floating and not matted and framed. The images being flush to the edge help unify the panels as one installation and your eye will fill in the negative space between each panel. Canvas gallery wraps, direct to board, and flush mounted prints work well for this type of presentation. The image seen here is designed to emulate the view out of a rocket ship window for a space themed kid's bedroom.

Of course, there is no rule that says there should always be three panels. A row of five images or square grid of four or even nine can make a dramatic impression.

Print clusters are another take on multi-paneled displays. This is where you use different sized images arranged together in a cluster grouping. For this type of display different images can be used that have a continuity or theme; like black and white prints, family photos, or a grouping of images that will accent the room. One way to add extra interest in this type of display is to hang the prints at different depths and overlapping each other. The added depth makes the pieces start to take on a sculptural feel.

Make a multi-paneled display the focal point of your room.

Using digital capture to reproduce original art

2011-02-11T08:58:00.000-07:00

When film ruled the photographic world a 4x5 transparency was the best option for an artist looking to reproduce their artwork. The 21st Century equivalent is a high end digital back that can produce a file with the same resolution previously only found in large format sheet film. With technology ever changing and improving, soon the capabilities of the newest digital backs will surpass what film could capture in one exposure. When stitching multiple frames together, like the project seen here, digital files have already reached that level.

Digital Output magazine chronicled the partnership of Kyoto Cultural Association (KCA) with Canon and their use of digital capture to reproduce a 17th Century piece Viewing Cherry Blossoms at Ueno Park by Hishikawa Moronbu. The each panel of the six panel piece was captured segmented into several units, with each part exposed three times in RAW. They estimated it took 15 to 20 minutes per panel to photograph. The final images were then stitched together using proprietary software.

Before they printed their final piece several proofs were produced and held up to the original for matching. Much like our process here when reproducing original art, the color matching relied on the expertise of their staff - "Despite all of the technology available, this final stage still relied on the human eye". The reproduction was printed on Washi paper specifically designed for the project and then finished with gold leaf to replicate the original as close as possible. The duplicate was produced to be displayed at the Freer Gallery in the Smithsonian Institution in and effort to expose a wider audience to Japanese art.

We use a similar process when we reproducing original art. Many of our customers are looking to replicate an hand crafted painting in a giclee canvas print. We can also take the same digital capture of their artwork and apply it to new applications like printing to fabric, metallic photo paper, or printing directly to tile.

Out of the box installation

2011-01-28T11:08:00.001-07:00

Scott Price of Innerhand Shaping completed a professional design and installation of 7 large format pieces for San Diego Sports Medicine. Their main lobby and gym at the new facility were enhanced with images of local San Diego landmarks and athletes by local photographers. The images where a mix of a direct to print on Sintra and high quality FujiFlex paper face mounted to acrylic. The large images were 6ft x 4ft and spectacular with their resolution, color and presentation. They truly transformed an empty large space into a fascinating, inviting and unique one with positive energy! The focal piece is the image of San Diego beachfront with breaking waves. The FujiFlex paper give amazing depth and aliveness to the image, and the effects of the plexiglas mounting add a watery shine that makes you feel as if you are actually there. It is amazing how well these images can represent your business and convey what you are trying to say.

We also worked with Scott to create an oval shaped image for a unique presentation. The image was printed direct on to Sintra and cut to shape with our digital router. The oval outline shape on the group of cyclists training together gives the image motion, and a truly thinking outside the box presentation. The ability to create and deliver images of different sizes, shapes and materials gives Innerhand Shaping the professional tools to deliver on artistic vision.

Innerhand Shaping does commercial and home art design and installation, using personal, local, stock or Scott's own abstract digital images. Also check out Innerhand's abstract fine art web gallery.

How to price your prints for sale

2011-01-21T08:22:00.000-07:00

Pricing your art can be tricky at best. Many of our customers struggle to find their place in the market, and not price themselves out of business before they even get started. Until you are an well known photographer with celebrity clientele, like Peter Lik, commanding and actually selling your work for a hefty price may be hard to achieve. That doesn't mean you have to sell your work at rock bottom Costco prices either. So, where do you fall in between?

The Photoshelter blog has some advise for you. In their article - The Price of Prints: Part 2: How to Avoid Pricing Yourself Out of Business - they interviewed professional photographer Dean Oros who lists what to consider when pricing your prints.

1. Always, our cost of doing business.
2. Proof or a polished image.
3. Media: type of paper, canvas, greeting card etc.
4. Type of photo session / event that was the cause of the image to be produced in the first place. Or, for example, is it a stock image we created at our expense where we offer generic prints, or a limited edition fine art print.
5. We often do not include high-res digital files (for consumer clients). Unless they're well-versed in color profiles, etc., most consumers will take those digital files to a local consumer lab to have inexpensive prints made which they in turn will share with their friends and family. Your image will never look as you intended by doing this. Handling the printing yourself will ensure you have control over the print process, and will ensure your client receives the best quality for the type of print they've ordered.

As printers, we couldn't agree with #5 enough. When selecting a print company it is important to make sure they keep up with calibrating their equipment and quality assure output for consistent color. Setting the right price for your prints also means that you can proudly put your name on that print. Maintaining control of your work from start to finish will reinforce that confidence.

What can you do with 37.5 megapixels?

2011-01-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

German camera company, Leica, worked with Advico Y&R to demonstrate what can be accomplished with a 37.5 megapixel camera. These shots were taken by photographer Christian Bobst with a Leica S2 model. The posters, shown here in their actual location, provide razor sharp close ups of the walls and fences on which they are placed. Creative advertising presentation as well as the perfect illustration of how higher resolution cameras can substantially increase the results in large format displays.

SALT photographs by John Wagner

2011-01-06T10:01:00.000-07:00

This Friday, January 7th, is the inaugural First Friday of 2011. One of our favorite photographers, John Wagner, will have a show of his work at the After Hours Gallery entitled SALT. All the photos were taken at the Bonneville Salt Flats during Speed Week in 2010. Congrats on the show, John!

Desiree Edkins opening at ART UBS PHX

2010-12-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

Artist Desiree Edkins is part of a group exhibition opening this week at the UBS Financial Services Scottsdale location, entitled ART UBS PHX. The Opening Reception will be held this Thursday the 30th from 6-9 PM. It is a great chance to meet the artists and talk to them about their work.

We were pleased to work with Desiree for the show. We printed some pretty large pieces for her, so it promises to be an impressive presentation. As always, her work is evocative, ethereal, surreal, and simply amazing. Best of luck on the show!

UBS Scottsdale is pleased to present ART UBS PHX, 45 photographs by DESIREE EDKINS, MICHAEL LUNDGREN, PATRICK MADIGAN, AARON ROTHMAN, BETSY SCHNEIDER and MIKE WILLIAMS. Part permanent and rotating collection, ART UBS PHX is the first group exhibition to be shown in this space.

Please join us for the OPENING RECEPTION:

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30TH, 2010, 6:00-9:00PM.

UBS SCOTTSDALE
4800 North Scottsdale Road (North of Camelback), 4th Floor

Located in the PORTALES building (North of the Scottsdale Fashion Square) above THE ROARING FORK restaurant.

There will be a dedicated trolley running back and forth from the Scottsdale Old Town Art_Walk to the PORTALES BUILDING/UBS ART PHX exhibition. Catering provided by THE ROARING FORK, as well as wines hosted by local Arizona vineyards. Parking available at both locations.

Can you recognize the brand by their colors?

2010-12-15T14:09:00.000-07:00

Proving how important brand colors are to company recognition, Graham Smith of ImJustCreative has website dedicated to this principal - Unevolved Brands. It also turns out to be a fun game. See if you can match up the company by viewing just the colors of their logo. Found [Via]

"A progressive study on brand & logo simplification by Graham Smith - ImJustCreative." Graham strips some of the most recognizable brands in the world (and web) down to their simplest form leaving us with a new perspective on color's place in identity design. Some takeaways from this study: color and the positioning of elements makes all the difference when it comes to creating effective visual branding; a unique color scheme will help ingrain a brand.

Pantone's color of 2011

2010-12-10T11:38:00.000-07:00

Pantone wants us to think pink in 2011. They released their signature color for nest year - PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle.

Color palettes are available to use in your design on their website.

A Color for All Seasons - Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for every day – with nothing “everyday” about it.

While the 2010 color of the year, PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise, served as an escape for many, Honeysuckle emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. A dynamic reddish pink, Honeysuckle is encouraging and uplifting. It elevates our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life.

Patrick Rummans show at the Holter Gallery

2010-12-03T08:43:00.000-07:00

Artist Patrick Rummans displays his combined love of birds and photography in the stunning Bird on a Wire show at the Holter Gallery in Helena, Montana. Patrick has had a life long connection with birds. He started out as a hunter, moved on to taxidermy, which in turn lead him to specialized animatronics. When Patrick picked up photography, it was the perfect marriage of his passion for the subject matter and compassion for conservation. Through his camera he could forever preserve the bird's beauty without harming the animal. His love for the subject is clear in his images.

We were honored to print and do the finishing for his show pieces. We hear the show is being well received. Patrick's success is well deserved, and it couldn't have happen to a nicer guy. Congrats!

Patrick's gorgeous images will be on display at the Holter Gallery until the end of December.

Whether birds are your passion – as they are for Patrick Rummans – or you lose yourself to the world of photography, you will want to visit this dazzling exhibition. His images range from precise images of familiar field birds to the abstracted feathers of an argus pheasant, from light-footed cranes to sinuous flamingoes. Each image will mesmerize you with its natural beauty and technical skill.

Photographer Patrick Rummans was raised in Lewistown, Montana. As a hunter, he spent a lot of time pursuing birds. The hunting led to taxidermy and eventually to his being one of the top bird taxidermists in the world. All during that time he kept, bred and raised a myriad of species in enormous aviaries that surrounded his home.

As he and his business grew older, his perspective changed and he hunted less. He became involved with doing feather work for animatronics in the movie and television industry and it became his main line of work. In 2005 he worked on a movie project that took him to Australia for six months and it was there that photography became his new obsession.

“I realized then that I had hunted,” he says, “because I wanted to get closer to birds and understand them on every level. Taxidermy was my way of creating art with birds, and preserving that beauty forever. Photography allowed me to do all of that without causing any harm.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T14:55:00.000-07:00

"Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
- Melody Beattie

Happy Thanksgiving from Artisan Colour!

Seven simple rules to integrate your signage into your store environment

2010-11-19T13:23:00.000-07:00

With Black Friday upon us many people are poised to do some serious power shopping. The increased traffic is a perfect opportunity for retailers to use in-store signs to their advantage.

Signware manufacture, Rose Displays, wrote some great tips on things to consider about your store environment before installing your next campaign. Some of them may sound like common sense, like #1 'Know your space', but each store can hold their own unique set of challenges. They offer some suggestions about areas in your store that can be utilized for signage, like ceilings and floors, that can keep the shoppers engaged at all levels. As well as things you may not have considered, like making sure you large graphic is not placed in front of a door or air conditioning vent where it will blow over. At the end of the article they also provide a check list to help in planning.

Environments and Understanding Your Space

Planning a great signware program starts with understanding the particular demands of your store’s environment — everything from its location, to its size and shape. Use this environment guide and checklist to plan ahead, and ensure your signage works with, and not against, your space.

Rule #1: Know your space.

The first step in the process is to consider the layout and general environment of your store. For instance, are you dealing with warehouse-like space that will require large, oversized graphics, or is your store an intimate boutique where signage will be much
smaller? If you are working with a chain of stores, are all of the stores similar in size or do they vary? If some stores are much larger than others, you may need to consider more graphics for those stores, and they may need to be larger and/or in bolder colors to increase their visibility.

Behind the scenes look at Pantone

2010-11-12T08:50:00.000-07:00

Color consistency is key; in design, when building brand recognition, in conveying your message, for graphic output...the list goes on and on. The Pantone system is the recognized industry standard of color matching. Having that language of color translated and organized has be come an invaluable resource to a number of businesses, including shops like ourselves who deal in accurate color representation every day.

This video gives a behind the scenes look at the Pantone process. The video was made by Base in conjunction with the release of The Plus Series, the next generation of the classic Pantone Matching System. The Plus series added 566 new colors to their matching system, a total of 5,024 in their library.

360° Color: A Peek Inside Pantone from Base on Vimeo.

Turn your photo in to wind, light, or water

2010-11-05T10:18:00.000-07:00

Upload your photo and help make the world a better place. The Ecomagination Photo Project by GE turns your tagged photos into real donations for three worthy charities. By submitting your photo you can help build fresh water wells, solar powered lanterns, and small-scale wind turbines for communities in need.

Simply upload a photo related to any of the three categories through the Flickr GE Ecomagination Photo Project site and tag with “Wind,” “Water,” or “Light.”

In turn, GE will donate:

4.5kW hours of wind energy for every wind photo
175 hours of solar power for every light photo
480 gallons of drinking water for every water photo

GE has partnered with d.light, Practical Action, and charity:water.

Turn your photos of wind, water and light into real donations for communities in need. Submit your photo and let’s picture a better world.

Creating High Dynamic Range Photography with Nik HDR Efex Pro

2010-10-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

High Dynamic Range (HDR) images are dramatic and eye catching. Creating these breathtaking results just became a little bit easier with the release of Nik HDR Efex Pro.

The software's tools include several single-click presets for realistic or artistic finishes, as well as the ability to do global exposure and contrast image adjustments. The HDR Method option uses a four tone-mapping algorithm that can apply a variety of HDR styles. Selective image refining and enhancements like curves, levels, and vignettes can also be done with a single mouse click with out the need for layer masks or selections.

Normally to achieve the HDR look a series of exposures would be necessary to capture the detail in the highlights, mid-tones, and shadows, then those shots are blended in to one image that contains the best aspects of each exposure. While you are still able to produce images from that type of work flow, an exciting feature of this software can construct a HDR look from a single exposure. Meaning a whole new world of possibilities just opened up for your image library. The image seen to the right here was created using a single exposure shot.

For a photographer's review on using this software check out R.L. Charpentier's blog. Rich makes an excellent observation that applies to large format printing - Watch out for chromatic aberrations in your processed image. Nik does offer suggestions on how to resolve the issue on their FAQ page. Best practice, as always before printing your image large, zoom in and make sure you don't see any anomalies on screen. If you see it on screen it will definitely show up on a the print.

Have fun creating some cool HDR effects with your images!

How ink is made

2010-10-14T08:41:00.000-07:00

We spend a great deal of time crafting the color of our client's images before they go to press for catalogs and magazine print ads. The process of printing that type of media is done with a four color press, which can present new color challenges. We will often work directly with the printers to ensure that the color remains consistent before the before the run is released.

Since printers also need to maintain consistent results it is imperative that the basis of their process be accurate - the ink. This video by The Printing Ink Company illustrates how ink is created, quality controlled, and color is manipulated. If you ever wondered what it takes to get the color you picked out on screen to represent in your printed material, this video will help you understand all the elements that come in to play to get the final result.

Designing and effective sign

2010-10-08T10:52:00.000-07:00

We love printing big graphics for customers here at Artisan Colour. We also want to make sure that the graphics we produce are effective. If the letters used for the text are too small, created with a font that is not readable, or a color that is hard to differentiate from the background, then the sign is not going to have the desired impact. This article by Signs & Digital Graphics Magazine offers some helpful tips and things to watch out for when designing your sign so that it is able to be seen and easily read from long distances. The formula for how large your graphic letters should be to be read at a certain distance is particularly helpful.

Designing Award-Winning Signs: View from the Road - by Matt Charboneau

Designing monument signs is a balancing act of blending parameters, colors, objectives and graphics into a monolithic mass of aluminum and electricity whose only function is to be noticed, to inform and to bring in revenues for the one who paid for it.

In discussing the effectiveness of a sign, we must address three factors that dominate the design process: visibility, legibility and readability.

Optimum legibility: Letter style, size, color, spacing

If your sign is 35' tall and you need it to be legible and readable at 300 feet, what formula do you use to calculate letter height? Calculating this is fairly complex and involves the use of a left handed abacus, however an easy shortcut is to simply add a zero to the letter height (in inches) and convert the number to feet.

Example: Start with your letter height of 6", then add a zero to it and change the measurement from inches to feet. That means a 6" tall letter would have an optimum legible distance of 60'. Letter 4"tall are best read at 40' and 12" tall letters are best viewed at 120', and so on.

26 Blocks show moves to Cityscape

2010-09-30T15:23:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, October 1st, the monthly First Friday Artwalk will be held in downtown Phoenix. The 26 Blocks project, that we were privledged to print, has found a new home in the CityScape lobby as part of the show's 2010 tour. The opening night festivities will be held from 6-10 pm in the Main Tower Lobby. If you could not make the other showings of the 26 Blocks project this is a great opportunity to experience first hand the collaborative efforts of 26 local Phoenix photographers and writers, highlighting 26 city blocks of downtown Phoenix, and their resulting images and stories.

For more about the 26 Blocks project visit their website. CityScape is located on the SW corner of Washington an 1st Street. For directions to where the 26 Blocks show will be displayed take a look at this map. See you there!

Our resident Photoshop guru

2010-09-23T10:52:00.009-07:00

At the 2010 Photoshop World Conference and Expo our own Paul Bartell was the recipient of one of their Guru awards for Excellence in Photo Retouching. Paul took the photo on the left of street photographer Louis Mendes outside of B&H Photo in New York. He swapped out the background with another image he had taken in the city, and added brown mono tone color treatment to give it some added interest. The final image is on the right. Everyone here at Artisan knew Paul did excellent work, we are happy that he was also recognized for his work on the national level. Congratulations Paul!

Big brand colors on the web

2010-09-16T13:36:00.003-07:00

COLOURlovers recently compared the predominate colors chosen for brand identification out of the top 100 most popular websites. Blue and red with their various shades and hues top the list. Sometimes the color is chosen after many hours of market research, and other times the arbitrary can turn out to be poignant. I didn't know before reading this article that Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, chose the now iconic blue shade because he is color blind and blue is one of the few colors he can see.

Since your brand extends beyond the web to all identification and marketing material, when creating a new company or rebranding your current one, think about how your brand colors will represent across all media. Maybe the web popular blue will not work as well for you in print.

The Most Powerful Colors in the World - Darius A Monsef for COLOURlovers

When we released our report on the colors of the social web, based on data analyzed by our Twitter theme tool, we were surprised that blue was such a dominant color in people's profile designs. Was Twitter's default color influencing their design decisions? Or is blue really THE most popular and dominant color online? ...We decided to look at the colors in the brands from the top 100 sites in the world to see if we could paint a more colorful picture.

Turns out the blue-berry doesn't fall far from the bush. The web landscape is dominated by a large number of blue brands... but Red occupies a large amount of space as well. What's driving this? You might want to say that carefully organized branding research and market tests were done to choose the perfect colors to make you spend your money, but a lot of the brands that have grown to be global web powerhouses, started as small web startups... and while large corporate giants with branding departments spend quite a lot on market research, user testing, branding, etc. Lots of the sites listed above got started with brands created by the founders themselves with little to no research into the impact their color choice would have. I once asked Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook why he chose blue for his site design... "I'm color blind, it's the only color I can see." ...and now 500 Million people around the world stare at a mostly blue website for hours each week.

Repurposing billboards

2010-09-08T19:01:00.019-07:00

Do you ever think about what happens to a billboard when the campaign is over? Billboards are made to withstand weather conditions for a long period of time while on display. For that reason, they are also durable and easily repurposed in to new uses. Rather than have piles of vinyl wind up in a landfill, some creative people have come up with ingenious ways to give them a new life.

These birdhouses are made from recycled billboard signs and found hardware. Billboards are also used to cover these birch chairs. Both are from the minds of Atelier Bom Design.

In 2005 during the earthquake relief in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, there was an urgent need of large waterproof tents. Recycled vinyl billboard banners were used as rain covers at the refugee camp. Apart from the practical use they also add aesthetic value, the bold colors and optimistic imagery helped brighten up the campsite.

Because of the waterproof nature of the signs, they can also be made in to very sturdy bags. Target Corp. started out with this idea in mind when they commissioned emerging artists Charles Wilkin and Laurie Rosenwald to participate in a billboard project. These art collage billboards were displayed in New York City’s Times Square then turned into limited edition tote bags designed by Anna Sui available for purchase on their website.

Photography by Steven Kaye

2010-09-01T10:08:00.011-07:00

Steven Kaye, of De La Luz Design, is a local artist focusing on design and photography. Many of his images are inspired by his travels to Mexico, as well as the beautiful Sonoran Desert we call home. His tag line describes it best 'light infused design'.

He offers three galleries of his work for purchase on his website; Agua Tierra Sol, The Road to Delores, and Points of View. Aqua Tierra Sol is a collection of lush organic subject matter and landscapes. The Road to Delores gallery has a collection of lifestyle and detail shots of his Mexico travels. Points of View gallery features stylized abstracts. The shot seen here entitled Rail Yard can be found in the Points of View gallery.

We recently printed this image on metallic paper and second surface mounted it to 1/8" Plexiglas. The metallic paper brought out the chrome elements of the image and the acrylic mounting really enhanced the overall look. Our thanks to Steven for working with us to find a new way to present his art.

Archive your art with the right finishing

2010-08-26T10:56:00.009-07:00

Artwork that you have printed or bought is an investment. Think of mounting and framing as preserving your asset. Choosing the right type of mounting board, mating, and frame can mean the difference between the piece lasting for years or generations.

Acid free materials should be used when dry mounting and framing your work. This not only applies to the type of board or mating selected, but also the adhesive used to affix the print to the board. Most reputable framers will use the proper adhesive in their process, but may not use the right type of backing or mat unless requested by the customer. That is where the consumer needs to be educated about their purchase. Acid free materials can sometimes come with a higher price. The economical frame and mat combo sold at your local craft store can seem like a great deal until it degrades your print. Be sure to do your research before you make your purchase.

With the move towards environmental conservation many frame companies even have lines that promote reforestation for the materials used to make their product. So you are not only preserving your artwork, you are also supporting environmental sustainability.

If you have art work currently framed with materials that are not acid free, you should consider re-framing them before it is too late. The longer it stays in its current state the acid will continue to leach in to the print. It may not show damage today, but it will over time. Restoring a print is more costly than framing it properly the first time.

Remember to do your research and make sure that the materials used to finish your art will keep it looking beautiful today and for years to come.

Make your own fabric room divider

2010-08-20T07:30:00.003-07:00

Room dividers can be used for many reasons. Probably their biggest use is to create defined spaces out of a larger room. They can also add a decorative accent to a room or even an outdoor area. Folding screen and flat panel screen fabric dividers are very versatile and make easy DIY projects. For the ultimate personal touch start out with fabric printed with your own image or patterned design. Here are some ideas to get you started.

FOLDING SCREEN

A portable folding screen usually has three or four panels which connect to each other with hinges. These are very handy for screening off untidy corners used for storage or providing a private space for, say, changing clothes or computer area.

You may have existing material for the framework, such as old shutters. If that's the case, just hinge them together. Otherwise, make new wooden frames and hinge these together. Simply staple the fabric to the frames. You can print one big image and split up between all of the panels or pick a different images for each panel.

FLAT PANEL

This portable divider is just one panel, standing on feet for stabilization. It can be a great way to split up a living room from a dining room or divide squabbling siblings up in to two individual bedrooms. Durable weather resistant fabric can be used for an outside living areas to help reduce traffic noise, block out neighbors, and create your own personal sanctuary.

A quick frame can be built with PVC piping. Measure out how big of a screen you would like for your space and cut pieces for the top bottom and sides with saw or get them pre-cut at your local hardware store. Connect the top and the sides together with the elbow connection joints. Connect the bottom and the sides with four-way connectors. For the feet place 1 foot pipes into the open slots of the three-way connector, and place covers over ends to finish. You can spray paint the PVC to match your color scheme. To add the fabric you can either sew pole pockets on the edges; or for the sewing challenged, finish with velcro and loop over poles. Once the frame is made it is easy to swap out fabric if you ever want to change the decor.

Decorate from floor to ceiling

2010-08-12T15:54:00.007-07:00

Artist and photographer Mark Andrews combines his panoramic images with home decor in an innovative way. He prints his images on to canvas material and installs them like wallpaper. That in of itself is not so out of the ordinary. Where he chooses to install the mural is, the ceiling.

Mark begins by stitching hundreds of images together to retain the highest possible resolution and detail for output. His studio will spend hours color adjusting and profiling the image before printing. The final image is printed on a matte canvas. In the installation seen here they emulated copper tiles for a dining room ceiling.

One advantage Mark points out in using a canvas like material for his mural installations is the ease of removing when a new look is desired for the room. "The wallpaper hangers flipped out when they checked out the characteristics of the canvas. Not only is it tough as hot nails when they put it up, especially since most wallpapers are very flimsy, but if you want to strip it off you can pull it off in one strip. It's a 10-minute job to strip one room," says Andrews.

At Artisan we will spend hours meticulously making sure the color is just right before output. We also have a heavy duty canvas wallpaper material for mural printing, and professional installation available. Creating your own Sistine Chapel doesn't take Michelangelo, just imagination, the right file, and a little help from Artisan Colour.

To learn more about Mark Andrews and his studio read Panoramic Ceilings.

Learn how to use layer masks in Photoshop

2010-08-05T13:45:00.006-07:00

Knowing how to create and work with layer masks in Photoshop can save you time and offers control and versatility when editing and manipulating images that is superior to just using selections. For some reason layer masks have the reputation of being difficult to do, which is simply not true. Mastering this technique can aid immensely when prepping images for printing; selective color adjustment, lightening, and sharpening can often make the image pop and come to life when printed.

Jay Kinghorn for Photo.net shows you how to get started. He explains exactly what layer masks are, the benefits and how they work, and why it is a better workflow than just using selections of an image.

Harnessing the Power of Layer Masks

Layer masks are one of Adobe Photoshop’s most powerful, yet least understood features. In this tutorial, I’ll demystify layer masks by highlighting the benefits of incorporating layer masks into your image correction workflow and demonstrating the use of these tools in common, real-world situations. This tutorial is designed for photographers who are comfortable working with layers in Photoshop and have at least a basic familiarity with Photoshop’s painting and drawing tools, including the Marquee selection tools, the Brush and Gradient tools.

You can use layer masks most effectively if you first understand what they are and what they do. Layer masks allow you to selectively hide, or mask, portions of a layer while allowing other portions of the layer to show through. For example, you may use a mask to make the background of an image transparent. This allows a designer to combine the photo with text or graphics in a page layout program.

More commonly, photographers use layer masks for applying changes to specific portions of an image without affecting the rest of the photo. Similar to burning and dodging in the wet darkroom, these changes give you tremendous control over your photos. These selective corrections can bring a photo alive, add depth, improve contrast and shape your photo in subtle, yet powerful ways.

Photographers also use layer masks to composite multiple images for an entirely new creation, or, blend multiple exposures taken of the same scene to expand dynamic range, blend multiple white balances, or extend the depth of field.

Understanding how to use layer masks is one of the keys to unlocking the true potential of Photoshop. Once you’ve mastered the use of Layer Masks, the doors to Photoshop are wide open for you to explore.

Get your submissions ready for the Arizona State Fair

2010-07-29T10:11:00.004-07:00

It may seem like a long way off, but it will be here before you know it. The Arizona State Fair will open this year on October 15. However, if you want to submit your photography to be considered for an award, the deadline is Septemeber 22nd. So now is the time to get out and start shooting, or review your portfolio to pick out the perfect set of pictures to print. Of course, you also have to give yourself enough time to get the images printed and matted according to the submission guidelines.

For photography there are five sections that you can enter - Large B&W prints, Small B&W prints, Large Color prints, Small Color prints, and Arizona Landscapes. The print size for the 'Small' category is 8x10 mounted on a 10x12 mat board. The 'Large' category can be between a 11x17 and 16x20 print mounted on a 16x20 mat board. The Arizona Landscapes competition is a special category sponsored by Arizona Highways. The print size for this category is the same as the Large print specifications. You can submit up to four entries per section for consideration.

If you think you have the next blue ribbon winning shot, we can help you get it printed, mounted and ready for submission. For complete details on how to enter the Arizona State Fair Photography competition check out their official rules.

Fonts created from everyday objects

2010-07-21T21:45:00.017-07:00

The people at HandMadeFont.com combine photography and typography to create custom font sets. They take everyday objects, like toast, rose pedals, oil, grass, and even cheese to construct unique letters, then photograph them to transfer the font sets in to a digital format. The result is not your dad's Helvetica. These real life fonts are available for purchase to be used in your own graphic design.

Paulo Canabarro interviewed brothers and founding members of HandMadeFont.com, Maksim Loginov and Vladmir Loginov, for Abduzeedo to find out more about their font creation process.

You guys have done endless number of different and very unique hand made fonts. What inspires you the most to keep creating all these different fonts?

If we only knew, where they come from (especially the genius ones), we would be very rich. But in our case it is more simple. “In the beginning, there was a word...“. Every object has its own name. Every word consists of some letters. It means, that every word implies some shape. For example, imagine a pencil on a table. We take a lot of pencils and compose a word "pencil“. This is a beginners level. But, going further on, if we compose a word "painter“ using the same pencils, then we receive the shape of the word "painter“, which expands itš sence.

We’re all surrounded by the lots of different things, which can be made into a font. Often we follow our instincts rather than just logic in choosing something. It’s like a man scratching the name of his beloved on some tree never thinks what font he’s using. Same with us. First we make something, than look at the result. Sometimes it’s no good , but usually we are happy with the first choice. It has more integrity and the spirit. The quirkiness of our fonts and the raw feel to it is important to us. It has energy.

Magnetic Attraction

2010-07-14T13:15:00.008-07:00

For graphics that need to be swapped out or dismantled frequently magnets are a great option. Ideal for trade show booths that need to travel or retail displays that are changed to advertise sale or new seasonal items, magnets can be easily altered by staff not trained in professional installation. Magnets are also great for car graphics and corporate vehicle identification. They offer a high impact without the long term commitment required with a car wrap.

There a couple of options when it comes to magnetic displays. The first is direct to magnetic printing. This, as it sounds, is where the ink is printed directly on magnetic material. This method is most commonly used when it comes to vehicle magnets. Magnets cling and stay the best on a clean flat surface, like the side panel or vehicle door. However, because of the increased weight of magnetic material in bulk, this method is limited in size to a standard 24" width roll.

For larger applications magnetic receptive materials can be used. Magnetic receptive substrates have a metal layer that attract magnets to the front or back surface, and are available in wider width rolls. This innovative material can be used in two ways; magnets can be attached to the front making it ideal for message, instructional or planning boards; or a panel can be installed in to a display frame with just magnetic strip edging, perfect for menu boards, trade shows, or retail settings. Additional finishing, like dry erase laminates, can also be added making them even more versatile.

Consider magnets for displays that need to be flexible and convertible. Artisan Colour can work with you to bring your design to life.

Image resources: Magnum Magnetics for Wide Format Imaging Magazine & Drytac FerroJet Matt.

Artisan Colour at Home & Design Idea Center

2010-07-08T14:04:00.010-07:00

The Home & Design Idea Center is a great resource when designing, planning, and shopping for your next home improvement project. The facility in North Scottsdale features 40,000 square feet of showroom space where companies can offer their home-related products and services. Designers and consumers alike can use this one-stop daily expo center to view products first hand from multiple vendors without driving all around town.

A division of Artisan Colour, Mancave Wall Art, has a space at the center featuring custom home products we are able to produce. The murals in the images seen here were digitally printed on our Océ Arizona 350 GT on wallpaper material and professionally installed. Shoppers can see first hand other possible ways we can create a one of a kind look with our direct to substrate digital output applied to a variety of materials like fabric, tile, canvas, and plexiglas.

The Home & Design Idea Center is located at 19120 N. Pima Road in Scottsdale. Stop by Vignettes 4199a & 4199b to see the Mancave Wall Art display.

Using photography to help you sell more

2010-06-30T18:07:00.003-07:00

Our photography studio is often employed to aid in product shots that are used in catalog or online sales. The perfect image that highlights the product attributes and represents the product accurately is imperative, and part of our specialty at Artisan Colour. How the resulting images are ultimately used in print or website placement can be equally as important. A picture can literally be worth a thousand words. The way that photos are utilized to promote a product or brand can express much more than lines of copy when used properly.

This article by Smashing Magazine offers several suggestions on how to use photography effectively and in turn enhance the consumer experience driving more sales online. Concepts like promoting company brand through imagery, telling a story, evoking an emotional response, and good old fashion demonstrating the attributes of your product in a stylish way are discussed. One topic that maybe can not be stated enough, is to avoid using static stock photography. Investing in quality images that perfectly communicate your product or company image will be duly rewarded with larger sales. Although this article focuses on web commerce, the same concepts apply to traditional print campaigns as well.

How To Use Photos to Sell More Online - James Chudley for Smashing Magazine

As a photographer and UX designer, I pay particular attention to the effectiveness of photography when I’m testing with users. Regardless of the context, users rarely fail to comment on or be influenced by photography when shopping online.

This article pulls together principles from psychology, marketing, UX design and photographic theory. It provides a set of principles to follow when commissioning and editing photography and when planning and designing profitable e-commerce user experiences.
Show Off Product Benefits
The best way to sell products is to let them sell themselves. Consider the Gorilla Pod shown below. The photo demonstrates brilliantly the benefits of the product. The copy is supplementary; the image does the heavy lifting. Let photography do the selling for you as much as possible.

26 Blocks on Valley Dish

2010-06-17T08:14:00.004-07:00

Joey Robert Parks and Ellen Barnes being interviewed about the 26 Blocks project for Channel 12's Valley Dish. Take a look. Of course, be sure to check out the prints.

Meet an artist that hears color

2010-06-09T11:29:00.006-07:00

In childhood Neil Harbisson was diagnosed with a condition called achromatopsia, which means he can only see the world in black and white. Despite this fact, Neil went on to pursue a fine art degree at the Institut Alexandre Satorras, where he was given permission to use only black, white and their intermediate shades in his work.

In Neil's second year at school he attended a lecture that wound up being a life changing experience. At a cybernetics lecture given by Adam Montandon, Neil introduced himself to Montandon and after explaining his condition the pair started to work on what became known as the eyeborg project.

The eyeborg is a camera, mounted on Harbisson’s head that examines colors he is viewing then emits a noise to an earpiece converting the color in to a sound wave. By memorising the different frequencies Harbisson became the first person in history with the ability to hear colors. Further development of the eyeborg by software developer Peter Kese has meant that Harbisson can now perceive three hundred and sixty color hues through varying frequencies. Not only that, but he can also measure color saturation by adjusting the volume levels of the devise.

Neil's ability to translate sound in to color through the eyeborg has allowed him to experiment with color in his artwork. In a series of painting released in 2004 Harbisson took sound waves from famous pieces of classical music and painted their corresponding visual color representation. Below is his take on Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.3.

Neil is also the first legal cyborg. When Neil applied for his passport to be renewed the application was originally rejected because the eyeborg was visible in his passport picture. The appeal to get the application reviewed, and ultimate acceptance, made
Harbisson the first officially recognized cyborg in history.

RGB Wallpaper

2010-06-03T09:36:00.015-07:00

This psychedelic wallpaper may seem dizzying, but there is a method to the madness. Designer Carnovsky created these overlapping patterns and shapes to work as one or when viewed with a red, green, or blue filter or light to respond to that specific light wave and reveal just one of the layers of the design. The wallpaper was recently shown at the Milan Design Week at the Jannelli & Volpi store.

We wanted to represent the antique theme of the metamorphosis intended as an unceasing transformation of shapes from a "primigenial chaos". For this purpose we have created a sort of catalogue of natural motifs starting with the engravings from natural history's great European texts, between the XVI and the XVII Century, from Aldrovandi to Ruysch, from Linneus to Bonnaterre.

It is possible to design a similar concept and print your own wallpaper. It would be perfect for a nightclub setting.

Ideal workspace conditions for viewing accurate color on your computer

2010-05-26T14:27:00.008-07:00

Having a calibrated monitor is essential when color correcting and editing digital images. The setting where the computer is located can be equally as important to ensure your eyes are perceiving that color correctly.

You're favorite color may be red, but that is a bad choice for a wall color where you do your editing. So is bright florescent light or a near by window. For precise color image editing the most effective work space is a specially designed darkened room where the overall illumination is lower than the brightness of your computer monitor.

To create the ideal "digital darkroom" you must consider the lighting levels and color tone of the entire room. To begin with, windows should be either heavily shaded from outdoor lighting or omitted outright to maintain a constant level of illumination throughout the work day. Next, to prevent ambient conditions from affecting human color perception, daylight-balanced D50 (or 5,000º Kelvin) fluorescent or filtered halogen lamps should be used for illumination. Ideally, walls and ceilings should be painted a neutral gray. If possible, even flooring, countertops, and monitor faceplates should be a neutral color. If the conditions for editing and viewing digital images are not rigidly controlled, the most subtle changes in color, brightness, and contrast displayed on a computer monitor may be impossible for the human eye to distinguish.

Following recommended standard viewing conditions can ensure not only accuracy in color imaging, but also consistency. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) publishes two extensive guidelines pertaining to the graphic industry. ISO 3664:2009 is for viewing conditions for the graphic technology and photographic industry - when the digital image files are displayed on a computer monitor in isolation, independent of any form of hard copy. ISO 12646:2008 is designed for setting up a workstation that will be used for comparing digital image files to a printed output - from soft proof to hard copy. These publications cover all aspects of room lighting environmental surfaces.

It may require a little bit of an investment to acquire the right types of lighting and setting up your workspace properly. Ultimately the result can save you time and money by knowing that you are accurately viewing and color correcting your images.

6th TEOE Exchange with Mexico Exhibition

2010-05-19T10:45:00.005-07:00

In January 2009, local photographers Art Holeman and Colleen Miniuk-Sperry spent 2 weeks photographing the memorable people and places in Sonora, Mexico, working with the Through Each Other's Eyes organization. Then, in March 2009, photographers from Sonora, Enrique Yescas and Juan Luis Fernandez, spent a week exploring the very best scenic locations Arizona has to offer.

The 4-person photography exhibit capturing their experiences during the Arizona-Mexico exchange, and resulting 80 images, will be on display at the 6th TEOE Exchange with Mexico Exhibition opening on May 22. Opening reception is from 6 - 8 pm at the Marriott Desert Ridge Resort. The show will run through June 7.

The TEOE non-profit organization has been active for 20 years, and has sponsored over 22 international photographic exchanges. It is always a pleasure to work with the photographers from TEOE.

QuantiumFilm next phase of digital photography?

2010-05-12T13:08:00.007-07:00

Film's dead, right? Then you haven't heard of QuantiumFilm. Just like digital photography revolutionized the industry and replaced most people's traditional film cameras, QuantiumFilm technology may become the new way that digital photography is captured.

The new technology by InVisage the uses a matrix of nanoparticles embedded in a polymer film, instead of silver grains like photographic film, which can be simply "painted" onto the top of a low-cost wafer. The new sensor offers four times the sensitivity of conventional CMOS image sensors at a dramatically reduced cost per chip.

Quantum film threatens to replace CMOS image chips - EE Times

"Our quantum film replaces the silicon used for image capture, but what we have really created here is a new semiconductor material," said Jess Lee, InVisage president and CEO. "Our quantum film even looks like photographic film—an opaque black material that we deposit right on the top layer of our image chip."

Unlike tradition semiconductors, which have a fixed bandgap, the bandgap of Invisage's quantum film can be adjusted by changing the size of the embedded quantum dots. The film can also be painted-on at room temperature, obviating the need for expensive high-temperature fabrication techniques required by conventional sensors.

"We can paint our quantum-dot film onto any surface," said Lee. "Right now we are painting them on silicon wafers for our first product—an ultra low cost image sensor that obsoletes CMOS sensors."

Traditional CMOS sensors require that light filter down past several microns of metallization to reach the photodetectors on a silicon wafer, but InVisage's quantum film is on the top layer for 100 percent exposure to incident light.

InVisage also wants to apply this technology to night vision goggles and solar cells.

26 Blocks Opening Reception this Friday

2010-05-06T08:49:00.006-07:00

It seems like so long ago when Joey Robert Parks met with us to explain his idea for the 26 Blocks project. Time sure went by fast. Joey has worked tirelessly to make his concept a reality. The reward is just a day away. The opening reception for 26 Blocks is tomorrow night at the After Hours Gallery.

We were honored that many of the artists recommended our services to Joey, and that he approached us in to be a part of the project. Working with all of the artists enlisted to participate has been a great experience. Its been fun to get a sneak peek of all of the images and stories that we printed for the show. Although, it can't compare to seeing them assembled in the gallery space along with Rafael Navarro's sculptures.

Joey can be seen here setting up one of the prints for the exhibit. From the Arizona Republic article.

Opening night is Friday May 7th from 6-9 pm at the After Hours Gallery, 116 W. McDowell Road. We hope to see everyone there!

In June the show will move to Monorchid, 214 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix. The tour is scheduled to end at the Burton Barr Public Library in Phoenix Dec. 26-Jan. 31, 2011.

Read some press about Friday's event - Arizona Republic & Phoenix New Times.

26 Blocks opening next week

2010-04-29T08:15:00.003-07:00

In just over a week the opening show for the 26 Blocks project will debut. The unveiling of the show will be May 7th at the After Hours Gallery downtown as part of the First Friday art walk. It has been a fun project to be a part of, and exciting to see it all come together. We hope to see you there!

PHOENIX, Ariz. (April 27, 2010) - Prepare to be amazed. The riveting 26 Blocks project is complete and ready for its debut at the premier May 7, 2010 at After Hours Gallery. This unique project was a collaboration of 52 of metropolitan Phoenix's most talented writers and photographers and one sculptor/painter working together to promote downtown Phoenix.
"The unveiling of this project comes at a perfect time," said Joey Robert Parks, 26 Blocks founder. "Phoenix is at the center of a lot of controversy right now. With the forefront of social media chatter focused on talk about boycotting Arizona, we're thrilled to promote Phoenix in a highly positive way that encourages everyone to look at their city from very different perspectives."
The endeavor, 26 Blocks, is an art project - an intriguing union of ideas, civic perspectives and artists - featuring 26 blocks of the downtown Phoenix area; each block photographed and written about in a way that captures the most intriguing aspects of the culture and/or past, present or imagined future of each block.

MP Count	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22
Print size (125 DPI)	16x24	18.4" x 27.6"	20.5" x 30.9"	22.7" x 33.9"	24.3" x 36.7"	26.1" x 39.2"	27.6" x 41.7"	29.2" x 43.8"	30.7" x 46.1"