Hello! We're here!

Hey, it's been a while since we sent you a little note on here.  Let's catch up a little!  We do have a new blogger, name's Andy, and I am pleased to meet ya!

Gh Companies are all plugging along and doing what we can for our customers new and old and we're also working on developing some offerings in the digital world.  Yes, we now have the ability to do audio and video for radio, television and if your're not familiar with it....this thing called YouTube which is on the Internet.  It's kind of a big deal.  I'll show you what I mean.

Dan McKinnon is the founder of the company and we recently sat down with him to learn a little about him and what it took to found and continue a company like our for all these years.

Brent McKinnon took over 6 years ago as the head of the company and we had a chat with him as well.

What did we talk to them for?  Well it's like this.  Not only can we see the passion from both guys about the company, the people in it, and what it took to get here....bumps in the road and all but we can see their humble approach to success and family.  They stepped forward to tell their story and share what Gh Imaging really is....and that's an extension of their family!  We all feel it here and who better to start with than the head honchos.  See if you can spot the similarities and differences on the generations.

Great video's and all, but how do they benefit you?  Imagine this.  You have a choice between a yellow page ad which lists the same 5 services you offer as the guy down the street who does what you do, you can put a billboard up for a month and hope your company culture comes through in the "6 words or less" parameter you're supposed to employ with a billboard or, you can have a lasting video where "John Q Public" gets to know you!  John Q learns a little about who you are and what makes you tick and where your true pride resides, in your product, your people and your company.  Now, imagine your video being shared among your family and friends on social media!  The average Facebook friend list is at about 338 friends one share, could net you 388 new views from one share and new people familiar with you and your company!  Best part is, it's out there and yours to keep.  It's not coming down at the end of the month and it's not tucked away in a drawer like a phone book.  You can add it to your website, you can play it at parties, you can stop random strangers on the street and say "Hey Look!  I'm on YouTube!"  (You probably won't go that far, but we will if we're showing you off.)

We're happy to help you craft a video like this, We're keeping it purposely cost efficient compared to the reach you can get from such a powerful tool!

Look forward to talking to you again soon.  Andy

Inks in Large Format Printing

When printing a wide format job, there are several inks and printing processes that can be used depending on the nature of your project.

Solvent inks

Solvent printing was the first method used in Grand Format printing.  It has excellent performance and affordability but isn’t very eco-friendly; it requires special ventilation to avoid exposure to hazardous fumes from the toxic solvents.  It also requires some time for the ink to dry and fully cure.  Solvent inks produce a very durable, scratch-resistant product, perfect for indoors, or outdoor applications like banners or adhesive graphics.  At Graphics House, we use Solvent ink for all of our mesh banners.

UV inks

A newer method is UV printing, which uses special ink formulated with chemicals that instantly harden when exposed to ultraviolet light.  UV inks are more environmentally friendly; because the ink is immediately dried from the UV lamps, there are virtually no chemicals released into the air and print time is very fast.  UV Printing also uses less ink than other methods because there is very little evaporation and less absorption into the stock.  Another advantage to UV Printing is that UV inks can print onto almost any substrate that can fit through the printer, and the color is very resistant to fading.  UV ink is less conformable to media that stretches such as adhesive vinyl, as the ink will begin to crack if excessively stretched.  UV ink is exceptionally tough and durable, and does not need an over-laminate when being used outdoors the way that latex and solvent inks do.

Latex inks

Latex inks are the most eco-friendly option.  They are water-based, making them non-toxic and non-flammable.  Latex Printers use heat to rapidly cure the ink to the media.  The final print will be very durable, resistant to water, heat, and scratches. It’s also flexible, making it perfect for adhesive prints, outdoor signage, or vehicle wraps.  Latex printing produces high-quality prints with very vibrant color without the environmental hazards of solvent inks.

Large Format Dye Sublimation Printing

Direct Dye Sublimation is a powerful, cutting-edge printing method that prints graphics onto fabric material for products such as flags, table covers, or fabric banners.

Direct Dye Sublimation is a chemical process that bonds ink directly to fabric using heat and pressure. The ink begins as a solid, rather than a liquid. This ink is passed through a heat press where it is vaporized into a gas that is infused into the fabric, then cooled back into a solid that is bonded directly to the polymers in the fabric.

As a result, the ink is bonded to the fibers of the fabric itself rather than simply printed on the surface. This means that the fabric can be folded and reused without ever peeling or losing its vibrant color. Your graphic will be bright and clear for as long as you need it.

Because the ink is cooled directly into a solid, Dye Sublimation prints are dry and ready to handle as soon as they exit the printer.

Dye Sublimation is different from normal digital prints because the dots of color (or pixels) will slightly diffuse, creating a blending effect as opposed to the individual pixels of a digital print.

This means that for photographs, dye sublimation will create the most photo-realistic effect.

Our Dye sublimated flags and table covers minimize glare from bright or fluorescent lights.  They’re also lightweight, flexible, and easy to transport. Our in-house Dye-Sub capabilities allow us to print up to 10’ wide at a maximum resolution of 2400dpi.

Frames

There are also a lot of easy to install framing systems which beautifully display dye-sub prints. The FabTrack Frame System is one which can be constructed and installed by basically anyone and just requires a few steps and tools.

For more information, visit ghimaging.com or call 800.678.4041 to learn more about these great products!

From Concept to Creation: Dressing Up a Room with Vinyl Graphics

We've recently completed the project of decorating our creative room! Our company so generously bought us some very comfortable Xorbee bean bag chairs.

This was a great first step to creating a space that flourishes creativity but these fun chairs were in a room with empty walls – we needed to add something more. After a brainstorming session on the room, we decided we wanted to play off the natural wood that comes in the building and wanted to make it feel like our own indoor tree fort. So we went to the drawing board and came up with some concepts.

Option A

Option B

Option C

We took a vote through our company and customers and the winner was option A. Our fist step was to take measurements of all the walls and carefully map out our plan. Then we started designing each wall with the idea to bring the outside in. Once the walls were designed we sent the files to be printed. 

From there the fun started: Installation – Bringing the idea to life! 

Each wall is applied with custom printed adhesive vinyl that doesn't affect the paint on the wall underneath. Interested in creating your own fun room? The possibilities are endless! Learn more here.

Voila! The development of a custom Tree Fort room made possible with adhesive vinyl decals from GH Imaging. To start collaborating about ideas or to order your own, click here!

Designing Custom Calendars is Easy as 1..2..3..

Designing a standard 12 month (saddle stitched) calendar in InDesign:

1. Create a new document with the following specifications



Number of pages: 28

Width: 11"

Height: 8.5"

Margins: .25"

Bleed: .0625"

Explanation of setting:

- All booklets (calendar or otherwise) must be set up as single pages (not printer spreads) hence the 28 page document.

- Margins are used to mark the safe zone area. All non-bleed items (such as text) must be .25" from the trim line.

- If you have background colors or images that need to run right to the trim you must extend those elements 1/16” past the trim on each side to account for the bleed area. 

2. Start designing!

Page 1 and 28 will become the front and back cover
of your calendar. 

The inside pages should follow this pattern:
page 2 design/photo for above January
page 3 January’s calendar
page 4 design/photo for above February
page 5 February’s calendar
... and so on until you get to page 25.

page 26 & 27 are often used for January of the following year or for an view of the entire year (totally your preference though!)

page 28 - The back cover needs to be rotated 180 degrees. It must face the opposite direction from the other pages. The reason is so that the back cover is right side up when the calendar is closed. 

Tips and tools:
- Pre-made  PDF calendars you can just place
into your design: here

– InDesign Calendar Wizard Script: here

- BE MINDFUL of the drill hole location when designing your calendar. The hole falls approximately .37" from the trim. We recommend downloading a template for reference. 

3. Save your document and then export as a PDF (in single page order). 
Your final PDF file should have 28 pages. 

Prefer to have a template? Download our calendar templates here

The Difference Between Cast and Calendered Vinyl

When working with adhesive vinyl there are two types of vinyl film you can choose: Cast and Calendered.

Cast Films

Cast Films are a premium-grade vinyl that starts life as a liquid, which is then spread out to an extremely thin layer.  Cast films will not noticeably shrink and will conform to irregular textures and curved surfaces, making them the best option for the most extreme outdoor applications – especially vehicle wraps.  Cast Vinyl provides vibrant, paint-quality color and the highest level of durability, lasting for years.

Calendered Vinyl

Calendered Vinyl begins as a lump of plastic that is then flattened by being passed through two pressure rollers.  Though not as high-quality as cast films, calendered film is adequate for less demanding conditions.  Calendered films come in two types: Polymeric and Monomeric.

Polymeric 

Polymeric calendered films have added polymers to reduce shrinkage, so they will fare much better in exterior applications than monomeric films but are not suitable for application over irregular surfaces.  For less demanding exterior work such as transit graphics that are frequently changed, polymeric films offer a workable alternative to cast.

Monomeric

The least expensive vinyl film is monomeric calendered.  Over time these films will shrink, collect dirt, and eventually curl up and flake off.  Monomeric films are best suited to short-term exterior applications or interior work.

These vinyl films can last anywhere from 6 months to 5 years or more, so it’s important to give us all the parameters of your install.  Talk to a GH Sales consultant or submit a QuickQuote so we can recommend the right vinyl for you.

4 Preflight Steps to Take Before Sending Large Format Print Files to GH Imaging

Before sending a file to GH Companies to be printed, there are some steps you should take to ensure that your file can be used for printing. These simple steps help ensure your art will be printed the way you intended it to and will also help expedite the printing process of your job.

Convert all Fonts & Text to Outlines

This is very important because if you don’t, it can cause your fonts to crash when the file is opened and be replaced with a computer’s default font.  Creating outlines guarantees your art and text will look exactly as you intended them to look. This can be achieved in Adobe Illustrator by selecting Type > Convert to Outlines (CMD + SHIFT + O mac or CTRL + SHIFT + O pc) while all the live text is selected. This changes the text into vector shapes instead of type. It will no longer be editable.

Art is CMYK

Ensure that the color of every part of your art is in CMYK color mode.  If colors are in RGB they will have to be converted which can result in an undesired change in color. This can be determined in Adobe Illustrator by selecting File > Document Color Mode and ensuring CMYK Color is checked.

Convert Strokes to Outlines

If using strokes in your design, convert your strokes to outlines.  That way, if your image needs to be resized it will still look the way you intended. This can be done in Adobe Illustrator by selecting Object > Path > Outline Stroke.

Embed All Images  

This saves the images into your file, ensuring that the computer can find it.  If not, the computer will replace the image with a blank box. This can be achieved in Adobe Illustrator by selecting the "Embed" button at the top bar of the file while the image is selected.

These simple steps will ensure that we can use your file and print your design exactly as you envision it.