URGENT: Just got my first order!!!

EZRyder

Well, sort of. I've been approached and asked if I would sell some of my images for resale, (so they want them at wholesale prices). Fantastic, but I'm stuck on figuring out how to deliver them once they're ordered. Since this is a gift-shop scenario, they will likely want the prints mounted, matted, and wrapped in cellophane. I can get everything donw and delivered from an online site, but I can't get them wrapped!! This could be 30 prints. I've seen prints like this wrapped at various goft stores and what-0not before, but I have no idea where to get that done. I'm looking for a turnkey service which will do it all. Perhaps I'm crazy and will have to wrap them myself... any ideas?

Thanks!

dragon300zx

Hey EZ,

http://www.lumierephoto.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1&Product_Code=8948&Category_Code=APST
http://www.lumierephoto.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1&Product_Code=8862&Category_Code=APST

Lumiere can be kinda pricey on some items but I have found it a great place to research what items are called and get an idea of what search term to use in google. I do however order all of my mat from them (:cry at how much I have spent this year).

if someone else does all the mat's and assembly for you it's really no biggie to drop em into a bag.

http://www.jerrysartarama.com/art-supply/catalogs/0069986000000 Cheaper but not as many.

Flyinggina

I have had good luck with the archival clear, resealable bags from Photographer's Edge. They offera variety of standard sizes, although if your matted prints are larger than 16x20 or 13x19, you would have to go to special order.

Congratulations, btw. What exciting news for you!! clap

Virginia

dragon300zx

Lumiere is no where near the cost of Photographers edge. Wow Gina check out my links, save yourself some dough. I just orderd the lumiere bags this morning I'll report on them when they come in.

dragon300zx

I said I would report on the lumier bags, so here it is.



First impressions are 5 thumbs up. I hing mat my prints with front and back mats both being 4 ply. They fit perfectly in these bags, they are easy to seal, unseal, and reseal. Now we just have to see how they hold up with time, but so far these bags are great and for the price hard to beat. 50 bags for $15.00 thats only $0.30 per bag. Not too bad. Bag, 8X12 Print, Mat, and I've got about $6.15 into each 8X12 print matted for a 11X14 frame.

EZRyder

dragon300zx wrote:

I said I would report on the lumier bags, so here it is.



First impressions are 5 thumbs up. I hing mat my prints with front and back mats both being 4 ply. They fit perfectly in these bags, they are easy to seal, unseal, and reseal. Now we just have to see how they hold up with time, but so far these bags are great and for the price hard to beat. 50 bags for $15.00 thats only $0.30 per bag. Not too bad. Bag, 8X12 Print, Mat, and I've got about $6.15 into each 8X12 print matted for a 11X14 frame.

Thanks for the help. I didn't see the other responses, for some reason, even though I'm subscribed to this thread.

Regardless, I just purchased some poly bags that I "hope" will be ultra-clear. I bought a large bag - 24 x 36 - which will fit all my sizes, though I'll need to trim most of them, (none are standard sizes). At .20 each I'm happy.

I do have one other tiny question: I want to sign these prints, and I'm not sure what to use! Pen? Pencil? Seems to me I usually see pencil, but I could be mistaken. I always wondered why people used pencil, but I suppose if someone didn't want to ruin the aesthectic of the picture with someone's chicken scratch, then they could erase it. Which seems a little silly to me, but... Any thoughts?

Also, I don't have the time or tools to mat and mount my own stuff, so I'm having it done. It aint cheap. I'm looking at triple what you're paying for the same size, mounted. The image is roughly 8 x 10 with a matted size of 11 x 17 and I'm looking at something like $18. How can you do yours so cheap? Doesn't it take a while to custom cut and mat and mount and all that?

Thanks!

dragon300zx

EZRyder wrote:

How can you do yours so cheap?

I wasn't taking my time into account but I can cut mat for and mount 6 prints an hour. If you add my time into it, it comes out to $12.15. Still beats the hell out of $18 though.

I have all my own cutting equipment and do it myself. Othewise I'd have to pay way more. I'd rather not pay someone else to do something I can do myself. Once I'm selling enough to not have time to do it myself then I will. Until then I do it, and keep the extra money.

Sam

Am I missing something here? Frame destination: Acid free mat 8X10 art work, 11X14 outside $2.81, 3/16 acid free foam core $1.16, linen hanging tape 400", $10.76, (aprox $0.30 per image), Clear bags $0.13 each., 8X10 photo from MPIX $2.99.

This is a total of $7.39, plus shipping.

Assembly time fast!

Sam

ziggy53

EZRyder wrote:

...

I do have one other tiny question: I want to sign these prints, and I'm not sure what to use! Pen? Pencil? Seems to me I usually see pencil, but I could be mistaken. I always wondered why people used pencil, but I suppose if someone didn't want to ruin the aesthectic of the picture with someone's chicken scratch, then they could erase it. Which seems a little silly to me, but... Any thoughts?

...

A pencil is used because it is graphite and (usually) a clay carrier, all very inert materiels.

Any kind of pen uses a solvent which can soak into the substrate and also interact with the binders in the photographic paper. In a worst-case scenario, the solvent in an ink pen (or marker) can cause the photographic emulsion to delaminate.

There are supposedly photographically safe pens and markers, but i would not trust them on an important image.

Use a soft pencil, artist grade, and gently write with the photo placed on a very hard surface to avoid dimpling the image.

dragon300zx

Sam wrote:

Am I missing something here? Frame destination: Acid free mat 8X10 art work, 11X14 outside $2.81, 3/16 acid free foam core $1.16, linen hanging tape 400", $10.76, (aprox $0.30 per image), Clear bags $0.13 each., 8X10 photo from MPIX $2.99.

This is a total of $7.39, plus shipping.

Assembly time fast!

Sam

I use 4ply mat front and back, and I custom cut mine. I haven't found a online place that supplies mats with the windows cut the way I like (1/4 ince more mat on the bottom than on the top), and if I want to crop the image with the mat its easier with custom cut.

Sam

dragon300zx wrote:

I use 4ply mat front and back, and I custom cut mine. I haven't found a online place that supplies mats with the windows cut the way I like (1/4 ince more mat on the bottom than on the top), and if I want to crop the image with the mat its easier with custom cut.

Dragon,

I have a mat cutter, and will not hesitate to use it for odd, or different sizes, or colors, but it's WAY easier to buy them pre cut when working with standard sizes. Frame Destination (I am not affiliated with them in any way) will custom cut mats for you for a nominal charge, so if you have a few standard sizes you use with that additional 1/4" bottom , no problem, and cost effective.

I use 4 ply acid free mat, but realy like the acid free 3/16 foam core for backing much better than 4 ply mat material.

Sam

ps: I am typing this on my new lap top.