Frequently Asked Questions

 

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Ordering


How do I place an order with you?
We are flexible! Please feel free to email or call (808-545-5511), fax (808-545-1777), mail, or stop by our office. When you place a written order, please include: titles, quantities, media type, border size, or any other details that we need to know to ensure your prints come out just the way you want.
What are your Replacement, Return, and Refund policies?
We always want you to be satisfied with our products and services. Any print that has a defect due to materials or printing problems will be replaced at no charge – just bring in the original print so we can inspect it first. All requests for replacement or refund must be made within 30 days of order completion.

Scan jobs are non-refundable once you have received the digital scan file.

Can I rush my print order?
Please contact us as soon as possible if you need your prints by a certain date or time. If you want a turnaround time that is less than the times stated and we can still meet your deadline, we will apply a 25% rush fee to your invoice.

Due to the UV coating process we utilize, all canvas giclee prints require a minimum of two business days to complete.

Can you drop ship my prints for me?
Yes, we are happy to drop ship your prints to your customers or galleries. We ship worldwide with UPS, FedEx, DHL, and USPS. You are responsible for all shipping costs, including shipping insurance, customs, and any other handling costs. We are also able to use your own shipping account number for your convenience.

Printing


What are your turn-around times for printing?
Paper giclee print turn-around time is 3 business days.
Canvas giclee print and stretching turn-around time is 5 business days.
Based on the print size, aluminum print turn-around time is 5-10 business days.
Large or highly custom orders may take more time, please contact us for more information!
What file formats do you accept?
We accept JPEG, TIFF, PNG and PSD. Please send uncompressed .jpg or .tif files. Be sure to flatten them and remove any alpha channels and transparency prior to uploading. Send your files as RGB or gray gamma 2.2. Do not send CMYK files.
How do I prepare my files for printing?
We highly recommend that you use a calibrated monitor to view your photos so that the colors and tones you see will match how your files will print. The free calibration utilities that are included on Windows and Mac OS are adequate, but not quite sufficient. We recommend ColorMunki, X-Rite, or any other professional-grade monitor color calibrator.

File Preparation – Photoshop

  • Remove any dust, blemishes, sensor dust, and anything else that should not be in your final print.
    Adjust density, contrast, color balance, saturation, etc.
  • Ensure your file(s) are sharp and in focus.
  • Remove any alpha channels.
  • Flatten your image, if it has layers.
  • Save your file with “Save As” in TIFF, PSD, or JPEG format (please set the Quality to “Maximum”).
  • Send RGB files in the working space you edit in (AdobeRGB, Prophoto, sRGB, etc). Do not send CMYK files.

Our file Upload on our website accepts files as large as 50 MB. If your file is larger than that size, please contact us by email or call us at 808-545-5511.

What resolution should my files be?
Please send us files that are 300dpi at the size you want them printed. However we can make high quality prints with 180 dpi files.

Do not increase dpi to 300dpi if your file was not created at that size to begin with because this tends to have a negative effect on print quality. If you’re unsure, contact us.

How do I send you files that are larger than 50MB?
Please use WeTransfer or DropBox and include your contact information via email so we know how to reach you. If you have any questions, give us a call at 808-545-5511.
What is the importance of calibrating my monitor?
A calibrated monitor can make a very big difference in terms of the correct display of your image. If you do not have a calibrated monitor, then there is a greater chance that the image that you see on your computer screen will not look the same as the final print.
What is an ICC profile?
An ICC profile is color management information that each device uses for color reproduction. Each ICC profile has two pieces of essential information: the color space or gamut of a device (all the colors the device can display or print) and the colors a device cannot print.

At Chromaco, we calibrate our scanning equipment, all of our computer monitors and printers so that the ICC profiles of each device and media are consistent. This ensures that the colors we see on our computer monitors are close to the colors that the printer produces.

Scanning


What are your turn-around times for scanning?
Color corrected, high-resolution (300dpi) scan turnaround time is 5 business days.

Raw scan (no color correction), high-resolution (300dpi) scan turnaround time is 2 business days.
Large or extremely intricate orders may take more time, please contact us for more information!

What is the maximum size artwork I can bring for a scan?
We are able to scan artwork without interpolation up to 6 ft by 10 ft.
Can you scan transparencies, 8mm film, negatives, positives, etc?
Yes! We are happy to scan all of the above. Contact us for a quote.
Should I remove the frame around my painting before getting it scanned?
Yes. For best scan results, we recommend that you remove the frame or any matting.

If the painting and frame are too old or fragile to remove, we can still scan the image, but this prevents us from capturing details along the edge that are covered by the frame.

Can you do photo retouching?
Yes, we offer a range of graphics services, including photo retouching, resizing, color correction, and file preparation. Please contact us for a custom quote.
Should I scan my painting before applying varnish?
If your painting is not yet varnished, then we prefer to scan it beforehand. Varnish causes more light diffraction and does make scanning a bit more difficult. If your painting is already varnished, we can still scan it using our polarizing filters to eliminate the diffusion.