Frequently Asked Questions

Design & Layout

Why do Vision Art books have spreads instead of pages?

We like to say we coined the phrase "spreads" to describe our book pages and others have followed.

Unlike most other companies, Vision Art books start with a full endsheet (Black, White, Light Natural, Dark Natural or Gray) followed by a Full Spread. This allows every spread to be a Full Spread, which is 2 pages viewed together seamlessly. There are no 1/2 spreads or single pages in our books.

 

 

What kind of pens can I use on engagement/sign-in books?

Actually, as far as pens go, anything you use will be fine.  The paper is made to absorb ink.  Even gel pens work fine as long as they have a minute to dry. We would not recommend anything too fine because that could be too sharp on the paper.  Also a Cross porous tip pen will clog and stop working. A good quality archival pen is the best idea.

 

What is the recommended dpi of my spreads?

240-300 dpi and set the compression/quality setting to 10-12

What file formats do you accept?

For spreads, we require sequentially numbered high resolution JPEG files, saved at the highest compression 10-12. For covers, layered PSD files are required.

What color profile should I use?

We recommending using sRGB to ensure that you receive the colors you expect from your Vision Art book. If you prefer to use Adobe RGB (1998) for designing, please be sure to check the box to embed the color profile when saving.

If I am using my own preferred design software, what is the aspect ratio and canvas size needed for the spreads in each book?

Each format requires the following dimensions and aspect ratio for your spreads, regardless of what size book you are designing for.

  • Square book = 20” wide x 10” high 
  • Vertical = 18” wide x 12” high  
  • Horizontal = 24” wide x 9” high 
  • PanoVista = 20” wide x 16” high 
How should I design my spreads if I want a border, or if I want an image that fills up the page?

To have a great border, stop your images or text at least 1/2 inch from the edge of the canvas.

For a full bleed (an image that will fill up the spread with no border or white space), make sure you take your image all the way past the guidelines to the edge of the canvas.

Download a template which is a blank canvas with guidelines and instructions visible in Photoshop.

 

How many pages can an album hold?

The square, vertical and panovista Fine Art book can contain as many as 50 spreads (100 pages). The horizontal Fine Art Book can contain as many as 50 thin spreads (100 pages), and 30 thick spreads (60 pages).

 

 

 

How do I design the cover for a full photo wrap, ¾ bind, or photo strip?

Please download a cover template for each size cover you are designing. Remember to save your file in Adobe Photoshop as a layered PSD.

Printing

What type of paper and finishes are available for the Fine Art Book?

Our books are printed on premium quality smooth Fine Art Matte paper; rated to last generations without discoloring, yellowing or fading.We can add two different finishes to the paper, Photo Finish or Coated Matte Finish. 

  • Uncoated Matte Finish - Standard Finish for the Fine Art Book
  • Photo Finish - Mimics a lab or e-surface print and adds a protective luster coating. Available as an upgrade for the Fine Art Book. Since there are no chemicals being bruised, you will never have a color shift at the bend. This does change the look from a Fine Art print to a luster print.
  • Coated Matte Finish - Adds a protective matte coating. Available as an upgrade for the Fine Art Book. Since there are no chemicals being bruised, you will never have a color shift at the bend. 
  • Lustre Finish - Mimics a lab or e-surface print and adds a protective coating. Available as an upgrade for the Fine Art Book. Between a matte and photo finish, this has a bit less of a shine and will look similar to a lab lustre finish. This does change the look from a Fine Art print to a luster print.

 

What quality of inks and printing is used by Vision Art?

We use 11 different archival quality HDR pigments to achieve smooth tonal transitions and superior color and clarity. Combined with our Fine Art Matte paper, our printing produces unsurpassed black ink density for rich blacks and deep color saturation.

Our spreads are printed using the same technology used for gallery prints in a museum!

What is the difference between the Photo Finish, the Coated Matte Finish and Lustre Finish?

All three of these finishes are a heated coating that gives added protection from fingerprints, scratches, and stains.Photo Finish gives the look of a lab print.Coated Matte Finish adds a level of protection while still retaining the matte look of the fine art paper.Lustre Finish also gives the look of a lab or e-surface print but has a bit less shine than the Photo Finish.  

Is there a protective finish added to Photo Wrap Covers and Photo Strips?

Every Photo Wrap and Photo Strip has a protective finish to add a level of protection to the cover.

Can I order a test print to check color?

We are happy to do a test print for you so you can compare colors to your monitor.

We do NOT recommend a test print simply to envision what the paper will look and feel like in our books. Simply seeing a piece of paper will not give you the whole picture! For that we recommend ordering a Stock Book to truly get the feel of the richly colored spreads in a real Vision Art Book.

 

Shipping

What is your turn-around time?

We are leading the industry with our insanely fast turn-around time. If we receive your print-ready files by Monday at 10:00am CST, your order will ship by that Friday. If your order is uploaded after our cut-off time, it will ship by the following Friday.

What about import taxes?

There are usually import taxes when shipping internationally. For all countries outside of the U.S.,  you would be responsible for import taxes and fees upon delivery of your order. These are not extra charges from Vision Art nor do we have control over them. 

**Canada: We are the broker, we collect the GST/HST when you pay for your order. Then we send it to the government for you, we also handle all the brokerage fees. These are not extra charges from Vision Art, you are only paying for the percent of GST/HST we need to collect. This means quick Customs clearance and no hassle delivery.
 

Is it possible to drop ship directly to a client?

Drop Shipping can be added to any order.  When you select to Dropship to your client, we "White Label" the box and all materials, so no Vision Art logos or branding will show. No invoice will be include but for International shipping, there may be Customs paperwork attached due to country requirements.

  • USA or Canada: $9.95 (You assume responsibility for the accuracy of the address)
  • International Drop Ship: $19.95 (includes insurance.  Disclaimer: You assume responsibility for the accuracy of the address and for any duties and taxes that may be incurred. We cannot control custom documents from being seen by your client, which may include our pricing.)
  • Effective March 31, 2020: Currently, we are NOT charging Dropship fees. 

 

How much does shipping cost?

Effective March 1, 2023:We offer FREE standard shipping worldwide on orders $300 or more.For orders under $300:

  • $9.95 (Domestic)
  • $39.95 (International)

Shipping is usually 3-5 business days. Multiple orders may be shipped together at the discretion of Vision Art. You may incur extra Custom and Duty Fees from your Country depending on the size of your order. Inquire with your Government. 

How do you ship the books?

Books are wrapped in crepe paper and placed in a custom sized white presentation box and shipped using biodegradable bubble wrap.

 

Do you offer rush service?

We offer a rush service with 1-2 business day turn-around with a 30% up charge on the cost of the book (please check for availability.)

Production & Extras

What is the difference between clear and blind debossing?

Clear is a foil that is added to increase contrast on the cover material.Blind debossing is no foil added, just an imprint in the cover material.

What is debossing?

Debossing is the art of imprinting a design onto the cover or end sheets of your Fine Art Book. Using a stamping press, our craftsmen impresses a die into the surface of the cover material so that your custom design will leave a depressed (debossed) imprint. This process can be used in combination with foil stamping to add depth and impact to a design. When a debossed area is not foil stamped this is known as a blind deboss. With 19 different colors and 90 different book covers, your creation can be truly unique.

 

What if I have a problem with my book?

If we made a mistake: fix it and turn it around as quickly as possible.If you made a mistake: Wrong date, misspelled names, wrong image, typos, etc.. What we can do: We can replace a cover with price starting at $50 and up. You would need to return the book to us with appropriate packaging and protection and upload the replacement cover file. You will be responsible for all shipping charges.What we can not do: We cannot replace one spread. The book will need to be reprinted. Send us the replacement file and we will remake. As always, call us and we can give you some suggestions.

How do I ensure the color and feel of my cover will be just what my client desires?

We highly recommend ordering swatches of all our cover options so you and your clients can feel just how luxurious our leathers are and see all the beautiful colors and textures of our bookcloth.

 

Do you offer options to hold and protect a book?

We offer elegant Display Boxes and Slipcases that are available in any cover option and with any customization to coordinate with your Vision Art book.  

Do you offer debossing for covers and endsheets?

Customize any Leather,  Bookcloth, or Photo Wrap cover with a custom deboss. You can use any font, logo, or design with a blind or clear deboss, or choose one of 14 different colors. Debossing the endsheets inside the cover is also available. There is a separate setup fee for each stamp in the following sizes:Up to 4” x 2”Up to 9" x 1"Up to 6” x 2”Up to 8” x 3”Up to 11" x 1"Up to 11" x 2"Up to 4" x 4"Up to 5" x 5"Up to 6" x 6"Any stamp may be reused for a low standard fee.Larger sizes are available. Inquire for custom pricing.  

General

What is our guarantee?

Vision Art provides all of our Art books with a lifetime guarantee of quality. Therefore, if there is ever an issue with the actual manufacturing of the book, the quality of the ink, paper, or binding please contact us right away. Books can be replaced as long as you have the original files.

What if my files will not upload?

If you are having trouble uploading, there is an option below the "Upload Images" button to place a link to any cloud storage (Dropbox, Google Drive, or other). Also, after submitting your order you may access the area to place your link in your Profile. Go to "My Account" then scroll down to see your order listed. You will see "Add cloud storage link" where you can add your link to your files. Click here to go to your profile page. 

How do I obtain pricing information on different book styles & custom options?

Vision Art books are available to professional photographers and designers only. Registering on our web site will enable you to price and purchase our Fine Art books. We manually confirm you are a professional so the activation of your registration may take up to a day.

Do you offer swatches of your cover materials?

Yes, we have a full set or partial sets of our swatch books depending on your interest.

Do you offer a discount for multiple copies of the same book?

Yes! For multiple copies of the same book, your first book will be full price, and each additional book clone (up to 10, call if you are ordering a larger quantity) will receive a 10% discount.Excludes cover upgrades such as: 3/4 Cover, Messenger cover and other leather upgrades.Additional exclusions to the clone discount: Slipcases, Signature Clutches and Swatchbooks. 

Do you offer a discount for a studio sample?

We offer an unlimited 50% discount for Studio Samples and display boxes that are sized 9x12 / 10x10 / 10x8/ 16x7 or larger. The discount is not offered in the premium leather lines.  All qualifying products will have a "Order as a Studio Sample" button to receive the discount.Studio Samples are not to be resold and are to be used as a sales tool to show your beautiful photography to clients. All product ordered as a Studio Sample will be stamped "Studio Sample - Not For Resale". Accounts are periodically monitored, and the Studio Sample offer may be denied if terms are not followed.

Do we proof spreads?

We do check over every order we receive for accuracy. Making sure we received all the files for printing, they are sized correctly, have the correct color profiles for our printing, etc. Since we are not proofers or designers, we do not color correct or "proof" your book.  However, it is our greatest joy to partner with you and call your attention to possible problems. Ultimately, we want you to be thrilled with your book. So if we notice anything that we think might be a mistake or that we are concerned about we will contact you before proceeding with printing. That being said, Vision Art cannot be held responsible if you submitted something that you did not want printed. Your files should be submitted, print ready.

Gallery

What does the discount apply to?

The discount is 10% off the full order and applies to all products.

What do I need to post?

Post at least five photographs that showcase various aspects of your Vision Art book inside and out. Angles might include creative shots of the cover, embossing, or your favorite spreads! The galleries are browser responsive and can be viewed at large widths, so we recommend posting images that are at least 2000px wide (Max 5000px wide).

How do I know how many credits I have?

Your issued and unused credit amounts appear underneath the title and description of each of your posts. They also appear on the main page of the dashboard of the MY ACCOUNT page. This information is visible only to you.

How do I get credit?

Once you submit your gallery post, Vision Art staff will review your post for eligibility. If it is approved, your unique coupon code will be allotted an additional credit and your gallery will go live to the public. Gallery posts that repeat a previously credited gallery are not eligible for additional credit.

How do I find my coupon code?

Once assigned by Vision Art staff, your unique coupon code will appear underneath the title and description of each of your posts. You can use this code during the checkout phase of your next order. Use the same code for the lifetime of your account as your "CREDITS ISSUED" quantity accumulates. This information is visible only to you.

How can I sign up?

If you are an existing customer, you're all set! Just visit the Gallery link, and click "ADD GALLERY" to create a new gallery post.If you are not an existing customer, create a new user account by clicking CREATE ACCOUNT Vision Art staff will review your account information to ensure you are a qualified photographer or designer and activate your account. You'll then have access to the Gallery, order form, design templates and price list. In order to post a Gallery, we also require that you add a user image to your account so that our viewers' experience is consistent.

How can I check the status of my gallery posts?

Each post will display its current status underneath the title and description. Additionally, you can go to the Gallery section, then click on "MY GALLERIES." Your gallery posts will appear in two categories: "CREDITED" and "PENDING APPROVAL."  If a post appears as "CREDITED" but is not showing in the live gallery grid, please contact us to resolve the issue. This information is visible only to you.

AlbumWorks

What browsers are supported?

Initially, at launch we will support Google Chrome for design. And for clients viewing flipbooks, all modern browsers, both desktop, and mobile are supported.