Bisbee from above

Going “Big Time”

Richard Charpentier Arizona, Notes from Rich, Prints, Wide Format Printing 5 Comments

No, I’m not counting chickens before they hatch.  We don’t even know what’s happening next week……or do we?

What I’m talking about relates to the prints we’ve been doing at the gallery.  The envelope is now being pushed.  Print sizes are increasing, and so is the interest the prints generate!

While I’m typing away another 32″ x 48″ print is winding it’s way through the Z3100.  It’s a slow process.  Very slow.  The printer screen (which I just peeked at) tells me there’s 16 minutes and so many seconds remaining on a print that started 25 minutes ago.  That’s the price you pay for high quality and amazing detail.  Time.

That and $7,000 for the printer, $936 per total ink refill, and hundreds of dollars in canvas and paper rolls.  So, the price you pay is Time and Money.  Hmmmph!  Sounds like some sort of hoaky expression!

Currently I have two big ones stretched on 2 inch bars up in the gallery.  We have 2 more ready to go, and I’m printing the Palatki Ruins.  Yes, it’s still printing…..I type fast you know!

You know what I really need now?  Aside of time & money that is…..  My stretcher bars that I ordered the other day.  2 big wraps rolled waiting to go up.  Another finishing up it’s print (still waiting), and no bars yet.  Ah well, that’s what you happen when you delay on an order.  My own bad!

It’s been a little tough to get my own prints rolling this week.  I’ve had several new clients for scanning show up, several new print clients, and customers in and out looking around the shop.  Fortunately once I get to load one of my big ones I have time to do other things (like blog here).

Finally though I seem to be caught up with everyone else’s prints.  That means it’s time to get mine done, so I am.  One mini-gallery wrap finished off, the Palatki print (still going), and I’m considering doing an enlargement of the Twilight Wagon.  We’ll see about that one.

Good to know that Arizona’s newest Giclee Printer has time to do his own stuff, if only occasionally.

One might think I’d come racing in tomorrow to do a few more prints.  That person would be wrong, totally wrong.  I’m heading to Sedona for the morning.  I have some errands to run.

The prints will wait, after all, they’re only mine!  I’m not a paying customer you know, and they always get priority with me.  I’ll yell at myself later when I don’t have time to print for myself again.  That’s the way it goes!  🙂

So, there’s the scoop on the mega prints.  And just so you know, the prints can go larger.  Wait for the 36″ x 54″ prints that I’ll be doing for a gallery in Sedona next week!  Oh, yeah, I’ll be showing in Sedona now as well.  Hoorah!

Comments 5

  1. Rich,

    It would be interesting to know the metadata associated with your photographs. For those of us contemplating blowing up digital images, it might give us courage to know how this is accomplished by a pro.

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    Mike,

    Hey there. Good to hear from you.

    As you know (I think you know) I usually shoot anywhere from 8 – 10 Megapixels, and always RAW. When I work on photos it’s in RAW or TIFF. One or the other.

    Now, for upsizing. I’ve got a secret weapon (not so secret actually) in software. I found a great tool in PhotoZoom Pro. Created by Benvista. Check them out.

    No need to go to all the expense honestly. If you send along files I can upsize them for you and create color proofs before printing. And yes, the price list will be up shortly on my main site. Plain old Richcharpentier.com.

    You can most definitely print larger. Today I was very satisfied with my final concoction in PhotoZoom. The least pixelation I’ve seen on my large prints. Of course, I’m looking at the prints inches away. All of the large formats look great, but I’m way too picky!

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  4. Oooohhh…Bigger is better, take it from me…I’ve seen the uber-huge prints and it’s like you can walk right into them! It’s pretty darned awesome.

    You know what I need? Some holiday spirit…I swear, I just went into my gift hiding spot and for the amount of money I’ve spent this year…the results are pretty paltry. Surely I haven’t been spending all that money on myself have I? Goodness…

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