Large Format Art FAQs
Large Format Art
What is Large Format Art?
Large format art means different things to different people. At Encore Editions, we define large format as artwork with external dimensions of greater than 36”x48”, the largest common standard size for frames. The total dimensions may however be comprised of separate individual panels displaying a single artwork.
What type of large format art do you offer?
Encore Editions Large Format Art offers clients a single location resource for sourcing large format artwork and ordering high-quality custom reproductions on a variety of innovative media, including artist’s cotton canvas, wall mural fabric-based wall-wrap material, clear acrylic panels or our custom-made wooden art panels.
All of our art is printed onsite in New Hope, Pennsylvania on custom-constructed and hand- assembled media. We do not mass-produce our artwork pieces in a factory or import from overseas. We also try, to the extent practical, to source the underlying raw materials from the United States, down to the raw wood used in our wooden art panels.
You can select artwork from our own extensive large format art image collections, each of which has been carefully selected for large format reproduction. Alternatively, you can also upload your own art or photographic digital image file for reproduction on any of our art media by using our Upload/Create design tool.
Any artwork can be ordered in single or multiple panel display arrangements, depending on the look that you are trying to achieve and each piece can be tailored to your specific requirements by choosing from the various options we offer with each media.
Artist's Canvas Panels
Can you tell me more about your Artist's Canvas panels?
Giclée canvas prints are extremely high quality digital art prints produced with archival quality inks and artist’s canvas to replicate the original work on canvas. Giclée canvas prints can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and the Chelsea Galleries in New York City and other locations.
All of our giclée canvas art prints are produced on specially pre-coated 100% cotton artist’s canvas. This pre-coating allows for a more uniform smooth surface to protect the canvas, without requiring any manual varnish application. Any additional brushstroke acrylic coating is therefore purely optional based on each client’s personal preference for surface texture. All canvas prints are printed using archival eco-solvent inks.
What does ‘gallery-wrapped’ mean?
In order to frame a giclée canvas print, the canvas needs to be given a structure and made taut (similar to the skin of a drum), so that it does not simply hang loose in the frame. We do this by stretching the canvas over an internal oblong wooden stretcher frame. We stretch our large format canvases over a 1.5 inch thick custom-built solid wood ''stretcher'' frame with biscuit- joint corners and custom-constructed wooden braces to prevent warping or bowing.
"Gallery wrapping" - sometimes called “Museum wrapping” - allows you to hang a print unframed as a ‘finished’ panel on your wall.
When we gallery wrap a canvas print we either create a block of color along the edges of the stretcher frame or we ‘bleed’ the painting around the edges of the stretcher frame, so that the stretched print can be hung as a panel on the wall without showing any white canvas along the side edges, that would otherwise show if we stretched the canvas without the gallery wrapping process. Clients can opt to have us either extend and ‘bleed’ the painting around the edges of the panel or print a solid color along the edges of the panel to finish each panel.
You can choose to have a single art image printed on a single canvas panel or over a number of canvas panels to produce an ‘exploded’ image effect when hung.
Will my cotton canvas panels be supplied with everything I need to hang them?
Yes. We supply everything you need to hang your canvas panels on a sheetrock or plaster wall, including appropriate hanging hooks, nails and hanging wire mounted in the correct position on the rear of each panel. All you will need to install your panels are a tape-measure, a pencil and a hammer. Detailed information and instructions on installing our canvas panels is available by downloading our Canvas Installation Instructions.
Wall Murals
What material do you use to print your wall-murals?
We use Photo Tex PSA fabric to print all of our wall murals. Photo Tex PSA is an advanced specialist fabric-based material that is lightweight and finely-woven and is backed with a repositionable adhesive that adheres easily to flat, non-porous wall surfaces and removes cleanly and easily. The surface of the fabric doesn’t reflect glare from the artificial lights or natural light in the room where the mural is installed, which provides for a more subtle appearance than some of the more glossy vinyl material wall mural material that is commercially available. Our material is also extremely forgiving during installation (unlike many other wall-mural materials that we could mention).
Are your wall-murals difficult to install?
Our wall-murals can be installed quickly and easily by anyone who is familiar with using a tape-measure (i.e. pretty much everyone!). They are actually much easier to install than wallpaper, for example. Application of our wall murals does not require any specialized training, equipment, or paste or glue and many of our clients tell us that the fabric-based wall-wrap material we use for all of our murals is also very forgiving during installation. Simply follow the step-by-step instructions in our Wall-Mural Measurement and Installation Guide to achieve a perfect finish or request one of our specialist installation teams to install really large wall mural projects for you (such as those that require scaffolding or hydraulic lifts to reach those really tall walls).
Can your wall-murals be applied to any wall?
Our wall-murals will work well on any interior painted sheetrock/wallboard/plaster wall or other interior painted surface. We recommend however, that if the wall surface has been painted with gloss paint then you lightly sand the surface of the wall before installation to be certain of a secure application.
Why do you print your wall murals in separate panels? How do they join together to form a single wall mural?
For our large format wall-murals we often print a single art image across several fabric panels. This makes installation much easier than a single large panel, which would be very unwieldy. When we print on multiple panels, we print each panel with at least a 1 inch overlap on each edge that will meet the edge of another panel. This gives a 1 inch overlap for installation purposes. The panels are designed to overlap. The last one inch of the preceding panel is the same as the first one inch of the next panel. This overlap allows for a smooth and uninterrupted continuous image to be presented across the face of the wall during installation. Detailed information and instructions on installing our wall-wraps is available by downloading our Wall-wrap Installation Instructions.
Wooden Art Panels
How are your wood panels constructed?
All of our wooden art panels are produced by hand in Pennsylvania in the United States using wood sourced from forests located exclusively in North America, which have been certified as renewable by the Forestry Stewardship Council (www.fsc.org).
Our wooden art panels are constructed from 100% recycled wood and your selected image is printed on a natural raw oak veneer applied to the face of each panel, allowing the natural wood grain of the oak to show through the artwork.
The construction techniques we use for our wooden art panels result in excellent environmental stability, ensuring that even large-size panels do not warp or split.
How do you print the artwork onto the wooden art panels?
We print your chosen artwork directly onto the oak veneer grain, using archival-quality specialist inks. However, the white in a particular art image that would usually come from the underlying canvas or paper is replaced with the coloration of the natural wood grain, as we do not use white inks to try to replicate the white canvas or paper from the original. This produces a unique look, where the wood becomes an integral part of the final piece.
How would you suggest I display my wooden art panels?
Your wooden art panels are designed to showcase unframed art either as a single panel installation or by exploding a single artwork across several panels, which can then be positioned by the client across the wall space in any desired pattern or arrangement. The art work is separated by wall-space but not by frames, which gives a unique look. Each panel is one inch deep, which gives depth to each installation, but the panels mount flush against the wall using our special wall-cleat system resulting in a clean look.
What options do I have for finishing the edges of my wooden art panels?
You may opt for a clear varnished edge, or a classic museum-black painted edge. If you choose the clear-varnished edge, then we apply a clear varnish along the side and top and bottom edges of every panel to allow the oak grain of the panel frame to show through. If you choose the museum-black painted edge, we apply a matt black paint along the side and top and bottom edges of every panel.
How do I hang my wooden art panels?
Hanging your wooden-art panels is as easy as hanging a framed painting or print. We supply each wooden art-panel with all hardware necessary to hang the panel. Each panel is supplied with two secure metal cleats, screws and wall-plugs needed for hanging. One of the metal cleats comes attached to the rear of the panel. This cleat slots into the other cleat, which is attached to the wall. Detailed information and instructions on installing our wooden art panels is available by downloading our Wooden Art Panel Installation Instructions.
Clear Acrylic Panels
Tell me more about the acrylic you use for your clear acrylic panels
We produce all of our acrylic prints on ½ inch-thick acrylic panels that will not color, yellow, bend or warp over time.
Acrylic is a rigid plastic with a high degree of transparency (much higher than most glass). It is resistant to inorganic acids and alkalis and may be used at temperatures up to 70°C continuously and to 90°C for short periods.
Using clear acrylic also allows the finished panels to be transported, handled and installed much more safely than using glass panels.
How do you reproduce my chosen artwork on the acrylic?
We print your artwork directly to the rear face of each panel to further protect the art, particularly when the piece will be displayed in a high-traffic commercial setting. The artwork is viewed through the acrylic when the panel is mounted on the wall. As the acrylic is close to 100% transparent with zero coloration, there is no green tint when viewing the artwork, as there would be if viewed through glass. We much prefer this direct application method as it results in a cleaner and consistent appearance than reproducing the artwork on a clear film and then applying the film to the acrylic.
We print the artwork using specialist UV-curable inks, including white ink, to enable us to reproduce the white from the medium the artwork was originally painted on. We then print a white-ink backing behind the artwork to provide a light reflective barrier, which makes the colors more pronounced without requiring a rear light source (such as a light-box or window). If you would like to display the artwork with an artificial light source behind the panels then just ask us to exclude the white-ink backing.
We find from experience that the above techniques result in truly vibrant representation of the original artwork.
How do I mount my acrylic panels on the wall?
You can opt to order stand-off mounts needed to hang your panels from our carefully selected range or you can supply your own.
Stand-off mounts are cylindrical or square-shaped decorative metallic mounts, which are installed through holes drilled in the acrylic and screwed to mounting hardware installed in the wall behind. This system allows each panel to be firmly mounted 1 inch from the wall and gives each panel a professional finished-look.
If you opt to purchase your stand-off mounts from Encore Editions we supply the mounts and all wall- mounting hardware needed to mount your panels on your chosen wall-type and we pre-drill holes in the acrylic in the right places to receive the stand-off mounts.
Can you tell me more about your stand-off mounts?
Our stand-off mounts are manufactured from stainless steel or aircraft-grade anodized aluminum and are available with a round or square end-cap. If you order stand-off mounts through Encore Editions, we will automatically supply the correct number of stand-off mounts needed to safely install each panel (depending on the panel’s size), and we will pre-drill holes in each panel ready to receive this number of stand-off mounts. All stand-off mounts are supplied with the correct wall-mounting hardware needed to securely mount the panels onto your particular wall-type. If you would like us to pre-drill holes for you, but prefer to use your own stand-off mounts then please call us, so that we can make sure that we drill the correct size holes for your mounts.
Installing your acrylic panels on the wall is as easy as hanging a framed painting or print. If you have used a screw-driver, a drill and a tape measure before then you will not have any problems. Detailed information and instructions on installing our clear acrylic panels is available by downloading our Clear Acrylic Art Panel Installation Instructions.
Other Questions
Can you send me a sample?
You may order a small sample print of your chosen image on any of our media types through our website or by calling us on (215) 933 5047 at any time. The cost of the sample will be credited towards any future Large Format Art order you place with us.
What does ‘archival’ mean?
We also use ‘archival’ inks in all of our printing. Our archival inks are guaranteed not to fade or deteriorate for over one hundred years indoors, unless subjected to extreme conditions. We want to ensure that our prints are enjoyed for generations to come. Please call us at (215) 933-5047 to talk about our printing methods. We would be glad to describe our print processes in more detail.
Will my print look exactly as it appears on the screen?
The images on our website show the proportions of the original work (the length to height ratio - or ''aspect ratio" of the original). All of our large format artwork is offered in the aspect ratio of the original work. If you would like to alter the aspect ratio of the original to fit within a certain wall space then please call us. We receive these types of request all the time and can usually digitally edit the artwork to fit the space according to your exact specifications.
How do I send you my own digital photograph or digital art image for reproduction?
If you would like to send us a digital image file of your own artwork or photograph for reproduction on our various media then click on the ‘’Upload & Print’’ option on the top menu bar and follow the on-screen instructions. Once you have uploaded your image our website will automatically calculate the maximum size we think that we can reproduce your image file. Just select the size and print options you would like to order and Add to your Cart. If you have difficulty or are concerned whether the digital image file you have is appropriate for large format reproduction then please call our Art Director, Elizabeth Ashford on (215) 933-5047 and she will be delighted to discuss.
I cannot find the print that I want on your website. Can you help?
We will certainly make every effort to do so. Our team enjoys the challenge of producing custom prints or print portfolios for our clients. We can often find rare or difficult to find images using our extensive art licensing resources in the industry.
Please call our Art Director, Elizabeth Ashford or our Marketing Director, Sara Elliott at (215) 933-5047 for more information. You are also welcome to email us at artists@encore-editions.com.
Your website is telling me that my artwork needs to be shipped by ‘freight’ and I should call you. Why is this?
All the major shipping companies we use (Fedex, UPS and USPS) have a maximum (and weight) size parcel that they will usually accept.
When any one of the individual art panels in your order exceeds this maximum size (or weight) we are required to arrange a special ‘freight’ shipment. It is unfortunately not possible to accurately calculate what the freight charges will be, and they vary a lot between shipping companies depending on your location. If your order does need to be shipped by freight then we will shop around to find the best freight deal and then let you know what the freight charge will be. This results in much lower shipping charge, as we are not bound to one freight company. Some of our commercial customers also like to arrange their own freight delivery for really large items. For example if their company has its own corporate account with a freight company and preferential freight rates.
How long does it take for my order to be shipped?
We custom print all of our large format art projects and custom-make all of our Byobu Wooden Screens to order. It therefore usually takes us between 5-10 business days or 1-2 weeks to produce each piece. We do work as quickly as we can, but bear in mind you are ordering a custom work and not something that we keep in stock in a warehouse or mass-produce in a factory.
As an indicator of shipping time - UPS normal ground shipping within the continental United States usually takes 3 to 5 days, and most orders are received by our clients within 10 to 12 days of being placed.
You can of course select an express shipping option if you need your order faster. International orders of course take longer to ship unless an express shipping option is selected. Please call us at (215) 933-5047 if you need your order expedited and we will do our very best to meet your needs.
What if I have a problem with my order or need to return items?
Just e-mail us or call us and we will work with you to swiftly correct the situation. For artwork that is damaged during shipping or where there is a significant defect in the piece we will provide a replacement as soon as possible. We will of course be responsible for any damage to any artwork we supply, due to actions by our shipping companies.
If you are not satisfied with your purchase for any reason please call for return instructions. Shipping charges, return shipping costs, duties and/or taxes are not refunded. Returns, exchanges or damage claims unfortunately cannot be honored more than 30 days beyond the purchase date.
Do you appraise original art?
We are sorry, while we work with thousands of fine art prints we unfortunately cannot appraise originals or limited edition prints.
Describe how you will reproduce my artwork?
Generally we print image files exactly as we receive then, without editing or touching-up, unless you specifically ask us to “Touch-up” your image and explain how you would like it edited.
Do I need to ask you to “touch-up” my image?
We will produce the best quality print from the image file that you send us, without editing the original image, to make sure your final print reflects the way that it looks on our screens. However, if you would like us to edit the content of your image or to remove blemishes or scratches or other damage that is in the original then you can certainly ask us to do this. Simply tell us what changes you would like in the Additional Instructions box on the Checkout page. For a small additional cost, one of our experienced artists will electronically edit your image per your instructions, or convert color images to black and white or sepia tone.
When we receive your image we will give you an honest assessment of whether we can achieve your touch-up request or not. Usually we can accommodate most requests, but occasionally it is not possible to achieve what the client would like to do.
What quality and format does my image file need to be to produce a quality print?
When you upload your image to our website, the maximum print size will be automatically calculated and displayed on the right-side of the screen.
Generally, images that are 300 DPI (dots per inch) are fine for common size Fine Art Prints. This means that the resolution from your own digital camera will probably be fine for most prints below 24’’x 36’’, if your camera is 5 mega pixel or higher. We recommend that you take photographs at the highest resolution setting on your camera. A lower resolution of 120 DPI may be possible for Large Format Art that will be reproduced at sizes larger than 36”x36”, due to the increased viewing distance associated with Large Format Art. JPEG or TIFF files are all fine.
The maximum file size you can upload through our website is 50MB. If your file size is larger (and some of the files we work with are really huge – 1GB and larger per file), then please call or email us and we can show you how to send us your file using our quick, free and easy online Large File Transfer Protocol (FTP) service. Generally (but not always), the larger the file size, the larger the print that we can produce from it.
Fine Art Print image files
Files that are 2MB or higher are ideal. Any image over 700k is usually fine as well for smaller prints. The reproduction quality of files under 700k depends on the size of the final print and the image content.
Large Format Art image files
As an indication, for Large Format Art, image files should be 4,320 pixels x 4,320 pixels to produce a quality print at 36”x36”.
Bybou Screens image files
As an inidcation, for Byobu Screens, an image file should be 8,460 pixels x 8,460 pixels to produce a quality screen at 6 feet tall x 6 feet wide (separated into three 2-feet-wide panels)
To check the size of your image file before you send it to us simply bring up the image file on your computer, right click on the image (on a PC) and click 'properties; from the menu that comes up. The size of the image will then be displayed.
If you purchased your image from an image website such as www.istockphoto.com or www.gettyimages.com then the resolution and size of the image file will usually be displayed next to the image on these websites.
We will always call you if we do not think that we can produce a high quality print from your file. If this happens we will always give you alternative suggestions of things that would work instead or give you a full no-questions-asked refund.
What if I have an original photograph or piece of art that I would like you to reprint but I do not have a digital image file?
This is not a problem. We can photograph or scan the original for you, if you are able send it to us. If you are worried about sending the original or if the photograph or artwork is irreplaceable then we would recommend that you scan the photograph or artwork yourself, or have it done locally. Kinkos offers a reasonably priced scanning service. You should ask them to scan at 300DPI and with as little file compression as possible. They will put your scanned image on a CD for you, allowing you to take it home and upload the image from your computer to our website. This is a great way of preserving old or cherished photographs, and we strongly advise you to follow the above procedure. While we always carefully pack and return your originals by courier as soon as we have scanned or photographed them, packages can get lost or damaged during transit. Please call us on (215) 933-5047 and we’ll be glad to answer any questions you may have, and assist you in sending a scanned image to us.
Please make sure you check the copyright of any piece of artwork of photograph produced by someone else before sending us the image file or original. See the Copyright section below for more details.
Black and White or Sepia images
At your request, we can convert your original color photograph into black and white or sepia. We will make sure the final print appears as if it was originally taken as a black and white photograph or create a naturally aged sepia tone. This is a particularly powerful option for interior designers looking to put together congruous themes within a client's property.
The dimensions of my original image do not fit the dimensions I would like for my print
Our website automatically maintains the original width to height ratio (or ‘’aspect ratio”) of your image, offering various standard sizes and allowing you to enter any custom size within this aspect ratio. You may however want us to reproduce your image in a size that is not within the original aspect ratio. For example, if your original image dimensions are 5 inches x 7 inches, but you would like us to produce a 16 inches x 20 inches print, then the aspect ratio of your original and of your chosen print size are different.
To do this we either need to crop parts of your original to fit the new dimensions or electronically distort the original image to fit the chosen print size. Please call us our Art Director Elizabeth on (215) 933-5047 if you would like us to reproduce your original outside of its original aspect ratio.
I am still concerned about the quality of your work. Can you send me a sample?
We are confident in the professionalism of our printing and would be happy to send you a sample. For the price of $10.00 (including shipping) we will send you a small sample printed on your chosen media, so that you can see the quality of our printing before you decide to place your order. If you do decide to order a print from us after receiving your sample, then you will receive an $11.00 credit towards your purchase (effectively a $1.00 discount on your print).
Copyright of images that you upload
The United States Copyright Act and equivalent global legislation protects the rights that all artists and photographers have in their original work. You must obtain permission before you can obtain reprints of any artist’s or photographer’s work, even if you happen to own the original. This includes photographs taken by professional photographers, who may require that you obtain a release from them before they let you print copies of their photograph of you and your family. This is why when you check out of our website you are required to check the box “I am authorized by the owner to make a reproduction."
If you purchased your photograph, art image or vector from websites such as www.istockphoto.com or www.gettyimages.com, please check that the terms of your purchase allow you to print copies, how many copies you can print and whether you can sell such prints. Generally this information is easily available for each image offered for sale through such websites and the general (but by no means fixed) rule is that single print reproductions that are not for commercial use or sale are usually fine. However, it is always advisable to check any restrictions for the image that you like before purchasing. Please call us on (215) 933- 5047 if you are concerned and we can help resolve the issue.
