Here’s a short list of questions we at GVH Studio are asked about our services and large format printing, in general.
What Sizes are Available?
The short answer is, nearly all sizes are available, unless a project requires specific hardware there are no “off-the-shelf” sizes in custom digital printing. If you want a banner that is 120.25″x32″ that’s no more difficult to produce than a 120″x36″ banner. There are maximum sizes that can’t be exceeded without a requiring a seam, and those are dependent on the specific media size availability.
Projects such as wall murals and vehicle graphics allow you to tile the adhesive graphics, so that larger sizes aren’t an issue. We can continue the graphic with the next piece of media with a seam that is difficult to see once installed.
For projects that are mounted to a rigid substrate like PVC or Aluminum we are limited to the sheet size availability of the substrate. 48″x96″ is a commonly available size, so if you’re project is that size or smaller we can offer you a seamless graphic every time, however there are exceptions and some substrates come in sheets of 60″x120″.
For projects that use hardware like sandwich boards or pop-up displays, these do have specific sizes and options to choose from.
Let us know what you’re looking for and we’ll make recommendations. Custom sized projects are quoted with a square foot rate, and there’s no penalty for choosing a custom size!
How Soon Can I Get it?
From the day we receive approved artwork, production turnarounds are typically 3-5 business days before we’re ready to ship, install or have you pick up your project. Production scheduling doesn’t begin until artwork is finalized and approved.
There are products that require a longer turn time, this may be due to research and development of custom project solutions, hardware availability, or if we need to add color correction or physical color proofs to the production process.
Graphic design services can add an additional 2-5 business days for the design and approval process. Very often, the added time is based on the response time of the client. Be sure to figure that in to your production timeline.
What Kind of File Do I Need to Send You?
Typically a Press Quality or PDFX1A pdf including bleeds and crop marks are perfect for our use, however if you have another file kind or you’re not confident your file set up is correct, feel free to send us what you have and we’ll evaluate its printability.
Basic File Set Up Rules
Images that are 72-100 dpi or larger at actual print size
Files set up to actual size or at scales of half or quarter size
Fonts converted to outlines or paths or included with the project
Bleeds of 1/4″ on all four sides of the trim edge
A PDF saved with bleeds and crop marks included or a packaged Indesign or Illustrator folder including all links and fonts
See our post for more information on basic file specifications