INFORMATION
SWATCHES
The colour and tone of an image on any website can vary slightly from one display screen to another as it can do from screen to print.
Any variation is often minimal, but if colour matching is critical then you may wish to order a swatch before purchasing your print. As well as providing a colour-check, your swatch should evidence that you are purchasing a gallery quality piece.
When you receive your swatch you will see it is a true size “cut-out” from the full-sized print in which you have expressed interest. It is produced on the same artisan paper as would be used for your limited edition print.
If you order a swatch and then order a full-sized print of the same portrait within one calendar month, the cost of the swatch will be refunded. Refunds are not available for orders placed outside of this timeframe. A swatch currently costs £35 and includes shipping by Royal Mail or standard airmail to an address in the UK, EU or EEA member nation, the USA or Canada.
ORDERS
When you place an order and check out, you will be asked to provide your email address for communications and your name and address for shipping purposes.
You will be given the opportunity to pay via Stripe or PayPal. Both are highly regarded third-party payment service providers using advanced encryption for your protection. I never get to see any of your card details.
When your order is placed you will receive an immediate “Order Confirmation” by email, confirming among other things, the details of your order, the amount paid, and your address for shipping purposes. If you are paying by PayPal, you will also receive their usual “Confirmation of Payment” at about the same time.
When your print is dispatched you will receive an “Order Shipped Confirmation” again confirming the address for delivery as well as any tracking reference.
If there is any reason to contact you and update you on the progress of your order, then I shall do so without delay. You are free to contact me 7 days a week and I undertake to respond to your questions as quickly as possible.
SHIPPING
Your print will be shipped in a reinforced flat-pack as opposed to a poster tube. See below under PRINT CARE.
Delivery to an address in the UK, EU, EEA, or the USA or Canada, using Royal Mail or standard airmail is included within the price of your print. All shipping is tracked. My largest prints may need to be sent by courier to certain countries. When this is due only to the size of the package, the cost is still covered by the purchase price.
The use of a courier service to a UK or international address in order to expedite delivery however represents an additional cost to that quoted. Please email me prior to ordering if you require a price for this service.
Shipping costs aside, you are responsible for paying any other fees, import or customs duties, or taxes, etc, that may be payable in order to take possession of your print.
If you are interested in purchasing from any geographical location other than those referred to above then please email me in order to establish whether I can ship to your country of residence.
PRINT CARE
My photographs are printed on a high-quality artisan paper and should be treated with care. Poster tubes are the popular choice for mailing artwork unframed, but I prefer to use reinforced flat-packs despite the increased cost. Receiving a rolled print that has “tightened” inside its tube and is difficult to unroll does not create a good first impression.
Following delivery of your print, it should be stored in a safe and stable environment and delivered to your framer as soon as possible.
I recommend that you refrain from unpacking your print before delivering it to your framer, unless there are signs of damage. Please read the IMPORTANT NOTICES and review my TERMS OF SALE - Part 14 regarding prints damaged in transit.
I cannot assume responsibility for any damages that occur following the safe delivery of your print.
If you do decide to remove your print from its protective packaging then avoid using sharp objects to open the flat-pack. Please exercise care to avoid creasing or tearing. Contact with materials, hands, and fingers, should be avoided so as to prevent surface abrasion and skin secretions being transferred. Ensure that any protective paper is in its correct position before returning your print to its flat-pack.
You will note that your print has a white border. This border is additional to the print size requested and purely to assist with handling and framing.
FINISHING
Finishing is personal which is why I prefer you to explore the range of frames and glazing available with your framer of choice. It is also more expensive to ship a print that is framed and glazed, due to the size, weight, and the protective packaging required. If you have your print framed locally then you can achieve the same result and save on shipping costs. Portraits displayed on this website as framed prints have been installed in a variety of gallery and floating frames purely to illustrate some of the options available.
Apart from the wide range of classic and contemporary frames you can select, you may wish to discuss the range of specialist glass available to protect your print. This includes museum glass which can provide a high level of UV protection as well as non-reflective glass which can improve viewing from different angles.
As an alternative to framing behind glass, you may choose to have your print cold mounted to one of several substrates available for this purpose and then varnished using a specialist giclée coating. This can be a less expensive and lighter option for hanging, although the varnish will not afford the same level of protection as glass. For this reason the print should be installed in a safe environment where it is unlikely to experience physical contact. Please seek further advice from your framer.
DISPLAY
When hanging your print it is largely a matter of personal preference when it comes to the best height and viewing distance. That said, there are guidelines that you may wish to bear in mind.
The rule of thumb is to position the centre of your print at, or close to eye height, usually about 57” to 60” from the floor. When hung above furniture there should be a minimum gap of 6” to 8” from the bottom of the frame. Hanging a print too high can make it less comfortable to view, particularly when seated. If you are hanging your print above furniture or some other feature then you would normally centre it over the item concerned rather than centring it to the width of the wall.
As for the optimal viewing distance, this will vary depending on who you ask. Opinions can vary from 1.5 to 3.0 times the diagonal measurement from corner to corner. At the end of the day, the ideal viewing distance for you should be the point at which you are comfortable taking in the entire print whilst being able to step forward to appreciate the detail.
Do remember that not all wall space is suitable for artwork. You should avoid areas of high temperature, humidity, or damp. If you are looking to hang your print in a bathroom or kitchen, it would be unwise to install it over a sink, bath, oven or hob. You should also be careful not to install your print too close to radiators and working fireplaces.
Finally, fine art prints are best hung by experienced persons or professionals but if you do so yourself then please take care. I am unable to accept liability or responsibility for damage to property or items owned by you, or indeed accidents or injuries to persons and/or pets, either before, during, or after installation.
LIGHTING
When your print is hung it will be illuminated by either natural or artificial light, or more likely a combination of the two. With this in mind, some of the following recommendations may prove useful.
Firstly, try to avoid positioning your artwork where it will receive either direct sunlight or bright light from a window or door. Damage from UV and infra-red emissions can occur over time without protective glazing. Similar emissions are also made by incandescent and fluorescent light installations and so you should try to avoid hanging your artwork too close to either light source. These basic rules apply to all artwork and not just mine. Also be aware that artificial light can influence how colours appear in your room. That influence is not limited to artwork and will include things like soft furnishings too. For example incandescent and tungsten bulbs emit a warm light that enhances yellows, oranges and reds. Fluorescent lighting on the other hand can make colours appear cooler by emphasising blues and greens.
Energy saving LEDs do not produce UV and infrared radiation but need to be of a high quality to show colours at their best. If you are installing or replacing LEDs within your room, hallway, or other space, then you may wish to consider full spectrum lights with a colour temperature of c. 6500K and a CRI (colour rendering index) of at least 96%. These values represent close to natural daylight or mid-day sun and show truer colours. You should take further advice in this regard and note the difference with so called “daylight bulbs” that often have a CRI of around only 80. Most full spectrum lights provide a brighter, whiter light for better colour rendering or accuracy. Not surprisingly, these type of LED lights are used by museums, galleries, and other professional installations.