Written by Administrator
|
15 December 2009
What is a photo collage?
Definition - Collage: Noun, from the French: coller, to glue: A work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole. Use of this technique made its dramatic appearance among oil paintings in the early 20th century as an art form of groundbreaking novelty.
An artistic collage work may include newspaper clippings, ribbons, bits of colored or hand-made papers, portions of other artwork, photographs, and such, glued to a piece of paper or canvas.
A traditional collage consists of photographs or images that are cutout and then glued to another form of medium such as paper. This process leaves the edges vulnerable to curling up and usually renders the original photos or images unusable.
A digital collage is created by using computer software, a process in which digital photos are arranged or blended together and reprinted on a new medium such as paper, thus, eliminating the "cutting and pasting" aspect of the traditional collage.
How long will it take to receive my finished collage print?
This really depends on our overall workload and the options that you have chosen. A single collage can take up to 10 hours to design. In most cases, a collage can be created and delivered within 15 days from the time we receive your photos. However, at times surrounding the holidays we receive a tremendous number of orders so naturally our workload gets backed up a bit. We recommend a delivery time of up to 4 weeks just to be safe. We will try to accommodate rush orders in special cases such as funerals. But, for normal orders, it helps to plan ahead.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept all major credit / debit cards via PayPal. You do not have to be a PayPal member in order to place an order. If you do not have a major credit card you may use the Contact Us page to send us an email so that special payment arrangements can be made. This method may increase the amount of time that it will take to receive your collage.
Can you restore my old, faded, or cracked photos?
To a certain degree, yes we can. We can not guarantee that the photos will be as good as new, but, we can color correct and repair photos so that they will naturally fit into the rest of the collage. We'll caution you though; the new high quality digital photos make the best collages.
What type of printing process and paper are used to make my collage?
We contract Image Pros of Wisconsin, a professional full service photo lab, to print all of our collages. Not a computer printer or plotter like many of our competitors. Image Pros of Wisconsin uses high quality Fuji brand photo paper which guarantees that your collage will last a lifetime.
Will I get to preview and approve my collage before it gets printed and sent to me?
Absolutely! Once we've completed your collage we will send you an email with a link so that you may view your collage. You can then send us an email in return to approve the collage. If we do not receive a return email within 2 days we will assume you approve and send it off to be printed and shipped.
On the other hand, if you would like us to make some changes, you will need to send us an email to tell us what you’d like to have changed. We will make the requested changes and repeat the approval process.
What if I want to make some changes to my collage before I approve it for printing?
In the event that we have to "redesign" your collage we have to start from scratch. We want you to be completely satisfied with your collage so we will make the first set of changes that you request for free. After that, for every set of changes, there is an additional fee of $1 per photo used in the collage. However, we want to avoid having to "redesign" your collage so please take advantage of the "Special Instructions" parts of the order process.
What if I have some photos that aren't digital and I don't have access to a scanner?
We prefer to receive your photos in a digital format but you may use the Contact Us page to send us an email to set up special arrangements for sending us your photos.
*We charge an additional fee of $4 for each photo that we have to scan.*
I would like to place an order. What do I do first?
You must first Register as a member to the site. It is best to first familiarize yourself with all of the options listed on our Options page. Once you have determined the amount of photos you wish to use, proceed to the "Upload Photos" page. After uploading your photos please proceed to the order page to place your order.
How do I describe any special instructions I may have for my collage?
There are two places you may enter “Special Instructions” regarding your collage.
You may use the "Description" field in the “Upload Photos” section to describe any “Special Instructions” regarding a group of your photos in your collage. If you have instructions for each photo to be used, it is best to upload one photo at a time and describe the “Special Instructions” for each photo, again by using the “Description” field.
Or, just before you finish placing your order by selecting the “Confirm Order” button, there is an area where you should include any “Special Instructions” regarding the design including any “Text Banners and Captions” or specific ideas you have.
How big may my photo files be?
Your photos may be up to 8 mb in size.
Why do my photos take so long to upload?
Upload speeds are typically much slower than download speeds. If you are
on a slower connection such as dialup, try uploading only one photo at a time.
How do I know if my photos have uploaded?
You will see a confirmation once your photos have finished uploading. You may also go to your Gallery and see all the photos that you have uploaded.
I have accidentally uploaded a photo I did not wish to. What do I do now?
You may delete any of the photos from your Gallery. You may not delete your gallery.
All of my photos are finished uploading, what do I do now?
After your photos have finished uploading and you are happy with your selection and any instructions you have added, proceed to the Order page to complete placing your order.
