FAQ
It is possible that your ISP provider or email program has an automated spam filter activated. Here are some solutions to disable that feature for different types of email programs / ISP providers:
Many Internet Service Providers (ISP) such as AOL, Yahoo and MSN Hotmail have SPAM filters to give you greater control over what e-mails reach your inbox to help you avoid unwanted junk e-mail. Unfortunately, these filters can block e-mails you wish to receive from Breathing Color unless you add info@colorize.com.hk to your e-mail address book and/or update your e-mail program's white list or filters.
Below are instructions for the most common ISP or e-mail programs. (Different versions may have slight variations to the steps.)
Save our domain “@colorize.com.hk “ into your 'E-mail' book-
Hotmail Subscribers:
1. Select the 'Options' links in the upper right of the screen.
2. Click on 'Contacts' link on the left part of the screen.
3. Click on 'Safe List'.
4. Type in or cut and paste info@colorize.com.hk into the box and then click 'Add'.
Yahoo Subscribers:
1. From your mailbox screen click on the drop down arrow to the right of the 'Addresses' and then click on 'Add Contact'.
2. Type in or cut and paste info@colorize.com.hk into the 'E-mail' box and then click 'Save'.
G-mail Subscribers:
From your mailbox, select 'Filters tab.
Select 'Create a Filter'.
Type in or cut and paste info@colorize.com.hk in the 'From' field.
Set 'Choose Action' to be 'Star it'.
Microsoft Outlook (most versions):
1. From your 'Inbox', select 'File' 'New' and then 'Contact'.
2. Create a contact in your address book for info@colorize.com.hk (Copy email address into the 'E-mail' field and click 'Save and Close' button.).
3. From your Inbox select 'Tools' then select 'Organize'.
4. In 'Ways to Organize Inbox', select 'Using Folders'.
5. Create a rule to move new messages info@colorize.com.hk to 'Inbox' and then click the 'Create' button.
6. Click the 'X' in the upper right section when done to close the dialogue box and return to Outlook.
For a full list of compatible printers, check the "Details" tab on this product page.
I have issues with canvas sagging after being stretched.
Canvas sags more in the direction of the weave, typically horizontal
Sagging can happen from under or over tightening
Environment plays a huge part - high constant humidity will relax canvas
For dry environments, spritzing the back of a sagging canvas with hot, distilled water can help re-tighten.
Start stapling on longest dimension & staple clean line. Move to the opposite side, not around the edge of the frame.
Add cross bars and corner keys after full framing.
Putting a bead of archival glue on the bars as you set the edge helps hold tension and keep it all even and flat.
Frame in a high humid environment then move to a drier environment.
More information can be found in this article.
https://www.breathingcolor.com/blog/tips-avoid-canvas-sagging/
To prevent the transfer of oils and dirt from your hands to the inkjet receptive coating of the media, white cotton gloves should be worn when handling the media. When not using the media, you should store it in its original packaging, exactly how it was shipped to you. Read more about our recommended handling and storage best practices Breathing Color’s blog, The Art of Printmaking.
https://www.breathingcolor.com/blog/handling-media-faq/#store
When printing on canvas or fine art paper, it is critical that the prints be allowed to dry and outgass fully before they are mounted, stretched, and/or framed. Typically this takes 24 hours. Finishing these prints prematurely can cause a whole host of problems from splotchy glass when framing, to pin holes and bubbles while coating in preparation for stretching. Read more about dry time and outgassing on Breathing Color’s blog.
Cleaning fine art prints that are coated with our Timeless or Glamour 2 varnish is quite easy. Simply use a damp cloth to gently wipe the surface of the coated print to remove dust or dirt.
Edge curl is something that most users have learned to deal with, but there are ways to remove it. We have found an easy and affordable method for flattening your prints. The best part is you can use supplies you already have in your print shop! Here are the supplies you’ll need:
An empty 3" core (save the core from your last roll of fine art paper)
2 sheets of foam packing material
Tape
Read more about how to remove this type edge curl here on Breathing Color’s blog, The Art of Printmaking.
https://www.breathingcolor.com/blog/icc-profiles-paper-curl/#tip2
This is commonly referred to as "ghosting." This is usually caused by the transfer paper moving during or shortly after pressing while the aluminum is still hot and ink continues to sublimate or transfer into the metal's coating. Here are the easiest ways to prevent ghosting:
1.Make sure transfer paper is being attached with heat-resistant tape on all edges.
2.Make sure to minimize post-press movement of the prints as much as possible. The more the prints are moved, the more likely the transfer paper is to shift on the metals surface when hot.
3.When removing the transfer paper from the metal, be sure it does not slide along the surface of the metal. Remove the tape from three sides of the metal and lift off the paper in one seamless motion. For large prints, you may need to use two people--one on each side.
Small surface imperfections are normal to a certain extent, due to the nature of the base metal. We do our best to cover these up during the coating process, but it is not always possible, and there is an allowable number of specks allowed per sheet, depending on the sheet size. We can better control pre-cut sheets, cutting around any imperfections as we go, so full and half-size sheets will likely have the most surface imperfections (this is one reason why the price per foot is lower).
Often, these small imperfections will not significantly affect the final print. Many customers who offer metal prints send along a small card that educates their customers on what to expect when purchasing prints on metal.
When shipping, paper sleeves can rub or scuff the surface of the media. By using a small strip of tape to hold the roll tight instead, we can avoid this abrasion. The strip of tape used here can sometimes leave residue behind on the media, so we compensate for any media loss by adding a few extra feet to each of these rolls.
We do our absolute best to package our customer orders with good quality boxes and packing materials strictly because it is a necessary step in delivering a "love at first sight experience" to our customers. Unfortunately, when your order leaves our shipping facilities, it is out of our hands and in the hands of freight carriers who can negatively impact our protocol despite our best efforts. Occasionally, our customers receive packages from courier company that have been egregiously damaged in some way. Damages include:
- boxes being ripped open in some areas leaving exposed product or damaged product
- boxes being wet from being left in the rain or subject to an accident
- boxes being severely dented or distressed, causing damage to your products
When courier company does this, you are entitled to recourse. The recourse amount will be the insured amount, and rest assured Breathing Color insures every single order for the full amount. Based upon our experiences, here are the procedures you need to follow in order to be eligible for recourse:
(1) If you have not opened anything yet, take some digital pictures of the damaged shipment
(2) Save every damaged box because courier company will require to see it for themselves
(3) contact your local courier company and submit your complaint immediately
We sell both Allure Fine Art (aqueous) and Allure Dye Sublimation metal panels in pre-cut sizes. If you are looking to save money per sq.ft., or to achieve custom-sized cuts on a regular basis, you can also trim the metal down yourself.
To do this, it is very common to use a metal shear, which is designed to cut thin aluminum. These come in a wide variety in terms of width, manual or hydraulic operation, foot or hand-driven, various features, etc.
Many customers will opt for a shear that is at least 50"-wide, which will accommodate half-size (4ft x 4ft) sheets. A manually operated shear at this width will cost you approximately $1,500 and will go up as you add sizes and features.
Another option is to use a CNC router. This is common for the higher-volume labs and studios. These come in just as large of an array of sizes and options. Prices will start at approximately $20,000 and go up from there.
Trying new products can be an exciting experience but can also be a disappointment if the first print does not end up way you want it to. This is why it’s important to make sure that you not only print with the proper settings, but you also print with great test images. We offer trial rolls for all of our products to give you the opportunity to run test prints, build profiles, and ultimately compare it to what you currently have. When you receive your trial roll, you’ll want to download and install the right profile. Get more detailed information about how we recommend testing our different products here on Breathing Color’s blog, The Art of Printmaking.
https://www.breathingcolor.com/blog/icc-profiles-paper-curl/#tip5
While we do not offer any free, small sample strips of paper, we do offer trial rolls (which measure 17 x 10) at our cost for many of our canvas, fine art, and photo papers. These trial rolls can be found and purchased at the bottom of any product page. We also carry the Colorize Sample Pack which includes two unprinted letter-sized sheets of six of our most popular fine art papers. We offer samples this way to allow everyone to fully test and evaluate their own prints on Breathing Color media.
For testing and evaluation, we offer short trial rolls of all of our inkjet canvas, inkjet fine art paper, inkjet decor paper, and inkjet signage products that are sold at cost. Typically, trial rolls are 17"x10 feet. The purpose for this is to allow our customers to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of our products, cost effectively. There are several steps that should be taken when testing any new digital substrate for your printing business.
1. The substrate should be tested with several different images to be sure the product performs well with everything image-type that you intend to use it for (try a portrait photograph, a vibrant fine art print, a black & white piece, etc.). Make sure you are selecting images that are fairly different from one another with respect to color and tonal gradation for a thorough evaluation.
2. Show a few of your most important customers a print of their own work on the media you are testing. Maybe provide an example of your current media to illustrate a comparison. Explain the physical and archival attributes of the new substrate and the reasons that you are considering a switch. It is the printmakers job to educate their artists about all things printing-related, especially media.
3. Trial rolls provide enough media to create custom profiles, for those who are capable. Breathing Color also offers a free custom profile service, which requires approximately two square feet of printed media.
4. It is important to have enough media to leave a margin for error in case the first attempt had not been printed correctly (print settings, profile, platen gap, etc.).
5. For inkjet canvas: coating, stretching, and hand embellishment should also be tested.
In addition to trial rolls, Colorize offers a complimentary sample pack, which includes printed samples of all available fine art products, with any order (limit one per customer). These sample packs can be purchased separately for $19.95.