A large part of BIG Images value to our customers is our predictable and repeatable processes. However, our process is only as good as the files that we recieve from our customers. And that’s where you come in. Responsibility for great color begins the moment an image is captured. That places quite a burden on our customers to maintain their own workflow for predictable color results. So I offer you these thoughts to help start you off towards a more consistent digital workflow.

First and foremost you have to count the costs. Great color comes after investing in great equipment and after establishing a habitual workflow that you are willing to maintain. While the current state of technology does not give us great color for free there are a few products that can really help… Read the full article...

Tags: color, solutions, workflow, jon beebe

Over the course of the next few months I will be writing about color, offering some insight into what BIG Images likes to see in computer files, and why. This month I am discussing the difference between two color spaces: Adobe RGB and sRGB.


One of the most oft-debated topics I hear (and take part in) regarding color is which color space to use for images. Before I continue, let me just say that I do not intend to answer this question for all time, but I will offer you the opinion of a professional printer, and tell you why I believe as I do.

Keep in mind that BIG Images is all about getting the best possible print that technology can offer. To do this we need the best possible input into our workflow. Simply put — the more color you give us, the more we can print. This is why BIG Images prefers files in the Adobe RGB color space (there are a few exceptions, but those are beyond the scope of this article). Adobe RGB is simply larger than sRGB, allowing more color information to be stored in an image. To illustrate this I have included a visual comparison of Adobe RGB and sRGB. The white, outer shape, is Adobe RGB and the smaller shape inside it is sRGB. This demonstrates that Adobe RGB is physically larger and can capture more color information than sRGB… Read the full article...

Tags: color, workflow, technology, jon beebe

When dealing with large-format graphics, there is always one problem that consistently rears it's ugly head: many people can't visualize what the graphic will look like. Most often, it is just too difficult to wrap your brain around the actual size of the graphic. Most computer monitors are between 17" and 24", whereas almost all large-format graphics are 3' x 5' or larger. Sure you can squint at your monitor from across the room, but that can't possibly give you a decent sense of scale when it comes right down to it.


In previous months, I've discussed the importance of legibility and simplicity in large-format design. Unfortunately, without a decent perception of size, you're taking a crap shoot with your marketing campaign. You see, whether it's a client, a boss, or employees and freelancers, everyone involved in your marketing efforts needs to have the same idea for the impact it will have. Particularly if you're dealing with a large-budget marketing campaign, the entire crew should be able to speak using the same visual vocabulary. Read the full article...

Tags: visualize, team, large format, design, ben lawless, 7 steps

At BIG Images, we’re out to prove you don’t need to shell out hundreds of dollars for fully-featured design software. Producing something worthwhile also doesn’t need to be more difficult than helping a walrus move into a skyscraper. Design is life, and it should be experienced without barrier.

Announcing the delicious:designer 2.0 — powerful design tools for common people.

For the past two years we have been hard at work developing and simplifying complex technology, specifically applications suited for design and print. And this month, we're proud to announce our greatest achievement — the delicious:designer — an easy-to-use cross-platform vector design application. Unlike most design applications, the delicious:designer runs within your web browser, allowing access to your designs from anywhere in the world.
Furthermore, it's platform-independent. That's right; design on your Macintosh, Windows, and Linux computers with equal ease and comfort. It works wherever the internet does… Read the full article...

Tags: delicious, technology, about us, bannerworks, ben lawless, software

In most sectors of the printing industry, Adobe's PDF file format is king. It deserves accolades, because for most applications, a PDF will reproduce art and text amazingly well while delivering a decent print-ready file in a relatively small file size. These features have made PDF a staple of the small format print industry. Although the PDF is great, BIG Images’ preferred file format for large format printing is the Tiff.

The benefits of the Tiff file format in the large format print industry are threefold:

1. Financial Savings
   • Tiff files saved with LZW compression use anywhere from 50% to 99% less disk space than competing file formats
   • The time required to open & save a Tiff is less than that of a PDF or other competing file formats
   • The time & resources needed to transfer the file to BIG Images is reduced
2. Time Savings
   • Faster processing time for both the customer and BIG Images equates to a faster turn around time
   • Smaller size is faster to open, close, and transfer via FTP or email
   • More predictable results mean fewer errors to chase, resulting in faster production time
3. Better service and product from BIG Images
   • Elimination of common errors means faster production & fewer pre-press expenses. BIG Images can produce a better, more consistent product, faster.

Read the full article...

Tags: tiff, pdf, technology, about us, jon beebe, workflow

BIG Images is proud to announce the release of its new FTP upload tool. This new tool, located at www.big-images.com/ftp, allows for customers to upload their files right through BIG Images web site. You do not need to own FTP software, you do not even need to understand what FTP is! Just drag your files onto the target area and they are uploaded without any more effort on your part.

There are a few technological caveats and adendums. Your computer must meet the following requirements to use BIG Images’ web upload tool:

• Operating System: Mac OS X, Linux, or Windows 95 or newer
• Software: Java Runtime Environment 1.4
• Browser:FireFox, Safari, Internet Explorer 7, or comparable browser with JavaScript enabled

Also, as the FTP tool loads, there is one security precaution and you will be prompted to trust the page or not. You must click trust for BIG Images’ FTP tool to have access to the files on your computer, otherwise it will not be allowed to access the files that you drop onto it.

Tags: technology, solutions, about us