FAQs
For most items: About 13 to 20 days (within Canada or the US). Go to our Shipping page for more information. Some items take longer to create and ship - these are marked on the product page.
Below are some guidelines and suggestions for best results:
| Guidelines: |
| File size: |
| maximum of 20 mb |
| File type: |
| Please submit .jpg or .pdf files. We recommend that you select a 'high quality' compression setting (the option that creates a larger file), to preserve image quality. |
| Photo v. scan?: |
| You can use a scanner or a camera to get the picture to upload. If you have access to a scanner, it is a good option that can ensure the image is evenly lit, in focus, and high resolution. However, using a camera will work just as well in most situations! You just need to be carful about focus and good lighting. The main exception would be if you want to have an image 'blown up' a lot (e.g. to cover an entire scarf), a photo may not give you high enough resolution. See below for tips and details about resolution. |
| Photo tips: |
|
| Resolution: |
|
The resolution (dots per inch or pixels per inch) of your image can affect the quality of the final image on your item. Don't worry too much however, as kids art is quite forgiving, and we can reproduce the immages smaller if needed to compensate for low resolution. If you're using a scanner: we recommend scanning at 300 dpi in general. An exception to this rule would be if you want the finished image to be printed more than twice as large as the original. This is because printing at less than 150 dpi can look pixelated. If you want to have a single image blown up to completely cover a scarf, try to scan at a high enough dpi that the total number of 'dots' across the full length of your image is at least 6000 (or 9000 for best quality). This is because the scarves are printed at 150 dpi (so 9000 x 2400 dots for the 60' x 16'). E.g.if the picture you want blown up is about 10 inches long, you should scan it at at least 600dpi (10 inches x 600 dots-per-inch = 6000 total dots) or 900 dpi for best quality (10 x 900 = 9000). If you're using a camera: resolution can be a little harder to figure out because the number of mega pixels of your camera, the resolution setting, and how close you get to the art will make a difference. Rather than trying to figure out the numbers, try taking a photo, then zoom in on a section of it until it's the actual size you want it to be on the final product - if it looks pixelated, see if you can set your camera to a higher resolution, or get closer to the art. Another option is to take multiple closer-in photos and stitch thm together in a panorama making app. If you want to try to figure out the dpi/ppi more objectively, you can look at the 'details' on a photo you've taken which normally tells you the number of pixels of the image (width x height). You can use this to estimate the numer of pixels tall the art in your photo is if you zoom right in on the art. For best results we try not to print an image larger than than 150 dpi. E.g. my 1 year old smart phone's photos, (when set on 'best' resolution) are: 2448 pixels x 3264 pixels. That means if I zoom in so a standard sheet of 8.5x11 paper completely fills the frame, I will be getting about 300 ppi. Good enough to print the images on that paper up to twice as big as life size with no problem. |
Absolutely! You can only upload one file, so just put the two images side by side when you scan them, or use a collage or panorama function in any photo editor to put the two pieces of art next to each other in a single image.
Yes! Take something like the image on the left below:
If you want the full scene on the left (say, tiled on a scarf) no problem. But we can also usually extract key elements from a full scene like this to put on an item - like the image on the right (a tie is shown here, but the same can be done on a scarf).
Please be sure to explain the scene in the 'art interpretation' field, and give any direction on the key elements to use in the 'Design notes' field when you make your order.
E.g. for the image above, something like this would be ideal: This is superhero Swirlgirl fighting the Red Menance with her swirls. Please include Swirlgirl, the Red Menace and at least a few swirls if you can.
- If you're buying for a frequent tie wearer, why not take advantage of our range of colours to choose something a bit unusual?
- If you're buying for an infrequent tie wearer, you may want to stick to a more classic tie colour that will be versatile. Shades of red and blue are the most classic. If in doubt, light blue or steel blue are solid choices that compliment most styles and wardrobes.
- Light or dark? If you want the art to really stand out, or if the colour of the art is a big part of it's meaning (like green turtles or red fire engines), a lighter coIour is a good choice. If you're buying for someone who will appreciate a more subtle look you can go with either mdium coloured art on a light tie, or art printed in black on a dark tie.