Frequently Asked Questions | Keyword Search

Please use the category drop down menu and/or keywords in the search box. Didn’t find the question you are looking for? Let us know by messaging us using the blue chat icon in the bottom right corner of your screen.

QuestionsAnswerImportant Notes
ScanningHow does the scanning process work?We have a simplified page that will help you understand our scanning process. 

Scanning Process: Explained
scanning, scan, digitize, digitise, scanner
General QuestionsCan I come to the studio for a tour or to look at materials?We are currently closed to general public and are not doing introductory consultations on site at our studio. We highly recommend first discussing your project with us via email and/or with an initial phone consultation. As the dialogue progresses we may extend an invitation to visit the studio for the purposes of properly working through the details of your project. 

Regarding material samples, we do have paper sample books available for purchase if you are specifically interested in printing on paper. For other materials, samples may be available on a case by case basis, but please inquire via email. 

For Email: Please use the blue chat icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. 

For Consultations: Please schedule online.
samples, sample, testing, tests, materials, papers, examples, example
MaterialsWhat paper or surface should I print on?We have a lot of options, and this can sometimes be overwhelming at first.

These are our recommendations to help you get started:

  • For Papers |  Compare Papers
  • For Papers and Other Surfaces | Print Surfaces 
  • For a deeper dive into material specs | Materials Search
  • For an expanded look at certain materials, check out Quick Links within the Printing menu above. 

Beyond that, if you would like some guidance, please send us an email. Don't send any print files via email. Please email first with a basic inquiry and any questions you have about available print surfaces. If you have a concise set of questions and need further assistance, you can also Schedule a Phone Consultation

A few important notes to consider:

Above all, we cannot tell you exactly what to print on. The materials we like, personally, may have nothing to do with what you like.

But what about our professional opinion?

Yes, our professional opinion is something you are more than welcome to ask for, however, please note that - most often - we will use our professional opinion and experience to help you select at least 2 or 3 options to test. It's important to understand that taking one file and printing it on multiple materials can, and most often will, show distinctively different results from one material to the next. This is due to print surfaces, coatings, white points, and a wide range of other factors.

Generally, the approach we take is collaborative, and our main goal is to help you discover what YOU want to print on, not what we want you to print on.

Help, Consultation, Advice, Advise
General QuestionsHow much does it cost to make prints?

You'll need to first decide on what you want to print on. Once you know at least the name of a material you want to print on, you can check our pricing page for print pricing. 

When you are on the pricing page, you have to search for the name of the material you are interested in, then enter the dimensions and quantity you need. 

You can explore papers, compare papers, and compare canvas options all on our website.

If you need to, you can schedule an appointment to find out what material samples are available. 

Please keep in mind, you may need to scroll down on each drop down menu to find the options that you want.

Quote, Pricing, Cost, Price
General QuestionsHow do I order prints?We've created a page to help explain in 6 easy steps.Ordering, Orders, Place, Submit, Create
General QuestionsDo you have an order minimum?

Yes, several of our services have minimums

Minimum, Minimums
General QuestionsWhat is the process for making prints?

You can find a breakdown of our basic process by going here.

How, Process, Steps
General QuestionsDo you accept walk ins?

We don't. Everything is by appointment only.

Please be sure to schedule an appointment before arriving. 

We'll review the day and time requested and will either confirm with you, or we'll work with you to find a time that works best.

Open, Walk-ins, Walkin
General QuestionsWhat is your turn around time?

You can find lead times here. We also have rush services available. Not all jobs can be rushed, and we consider rush job requests on a case by case basis.

Lead, Time, Turn, Around, Timing, Deadline, Long, How Long
General QuestionsHow do I schedule an appointment?Prior to scheduling an appointment, please note that all initial appointments - other than scanning drop offs - are by phone. We do not currently take walk in appointments. 

  • Please schedule an appointment for a phone consultation here.
  • If you need to drop off materials or pick something up from us, go here.

If you call to schedule an appointment, we may direct you to the website, as this puts the request directly into our system and helps us keep things running smoothly.
Appt, Appointment, Schedule
General QuestionsDo you have rush services?

We do have rush services, but all rush job requests are considered on a case by case basis. Please give us a call before placing a rush order to make sure that its something we can take care of for you. Our studio phone number is 213.587.2958.

Order, Rush, Fast, Quick, Urgent
General QuestionsDo you have price breaks or wholesale pricing?

Yes, we have price breaks on most of our print services.

All prices breaks are built into our pricing calculator. The unit cost will update as you adjust the quantities.

Note: Price breaks are for each image you are printing.

For example, 25 prints of 4 different images does not result in a 100+ price break.

Wholesale, B2B, Bulk, Discount, Break, Price Break
General QuestionsDo you have a minimum print size?

Yes, we do.

  • Paper Prints smaller than 8 x 10 will be billed at the same cost as an 8 x 10 print. [ Updated October, 2019 ]
  • Fabric Prints // 12" x 12" // Billed at the listed cost in our price calculator. [ Updated June 3rd, 2020 ]
  • Aluminum Prints // 8 x 10 // Billed at the listed cost in our price calculator. [ Updated June 3rd, 2020 ]

Please keep in mind, our general order minimums:

  • Inkjet Printing // $50 per order
  • UV Flatbed // $125 per order
Minimum, Prints, Sizing, Size
General QuestionsWhat are your payment terms and how do I pay?

In general, payment for printing and/or scanning is due up front before your production starts.

For print orders over $500, a deposit of 75% may be applied upon request. Balance will be due on receipt of prints.

We do not refund production deposits or paid invoices due to the fact that we often order paper and materials specific to individual print jobs.

Changes to the scope of production will result in either a revised invoice, or a printing credit on your account here with us.

For payments, we will invoice you after your order is placed, and you'll be able to pay online using the link we send to you.

Please keep in mind that invoices are usually sent within 24 hours, so if your job is time sensitive, please let us know.

Invoice, Pay, Payment, Check, Cash
General QuestionsWith consideration of COVID-19, how are you working with clients?We are working remotely with all clients until further notice. Customers and other general public are not currently permitted to enter our studio. 

Consultations // Happening by phone, and - optionally - by video chat. 
Scanning // Artwork can be dropped off in our parking lot or shipped to us for scanning.
Printing // Including Test Prints // Can be picked up outside our studio, sent by local courier, or shipped.

We have also created a curated list of Stay at Home Services.
Covid, Pandemic, Masks
ServicesWhat kind of printing do you do?You can find a list of available print methods here.
Giclee, Type, Method, Methods
Print FilesWhat file formats do you accept for printing?

Please take a few minutes to carefully read our file specs page.

Following these steps will help your job run smoothly.

Format, Upload, File, Files, Uploads
Print FilesHow do I upload my print files?

After you submit your order you will be redirected to a page that has an uploads tab. Within that tab, you will find a link to upload your files directly to our Dropbox account.

Please do not send files via email - no dropbox links, google drive links, or links from WeTransfer.

We'll kindly request that you upload directly to our system.

Submit, Files, Upload, Uploads, Dropbox, Wetransfer
Print FilesWhat is the maximum size I can print my file? How large can I print?

We've created a guide to print sizes that shows you how to find all of the info you need in order to plan for the largest prints available using the files you have.

You can also use this tool in order to find out the largest you can print your file.

If your file is not large enough, keep in mind we do have scanning and digital capture services to help you generate a high quality print file.

Maximum, Print, Size, What Size, Max
Print FilesShould I include white borders in my files before uploading?If you would like white borders on your prints, please include them in your print file before sending. If you need assistance with formatting your files, please let us know. There may - in some cases - be a charge for this, but we consider each job individually and will let you know up front if there are any costs associated with your request.Borders, White, Bleed, Margin, Extra
Print FilesI have files that are not formatted, can you help me format them?

We can assist you in a number of ways - in terms of prepping your files.

Please visit the Additional Services options under the Services menu above.

Format, Formatting, Files
ShippingHow much does shipping cost?

Shipping quotes are provided after an order is packed and ready to be shipped, as we need to get the actual weight and dimensions of the shipment. Your invoice will be revised and you will need to make a second payment - for the cost of shipping. 

Cost, Shipping, Ship, Cost to Ship, What does it cost
ShippingHow much will it cost to pack my order for shipping?This depends on a number of factors, but packing costs for shipping start at $8.50. Please visit our Packing Costs page or contact us for more details.Packing, Pack, Cost, Price
ShippingHow are prints packed for shipping?

We have a wide range of options and can advise you on the best solution. In short, we have these options:

 

  • Flat Pack with Protective Corners
  • Shipping Tube // Basic with Glassine and End Caps
  • Oversized Shipping Tube
  • Tube + Corrugated Box
  • Custom Corrugated Box
  • Gator Board Box // A Custom Rigid Box
Pack
ShippingHow much time is required for packing?

Depending on the type of packing you require, please plan for an additional 2 - 10 business days.

For specific timelines based on a certain packing method, please email us for current lead times.

Pack, Timing, Lead, Time, Deadline
MaterialsWhat papers and surfaces are available?We have over 100 available print surfaces.Glass, Aluminum, Wood, Dibond, Metal, Gloss, Matte, Pearl, Satin, Canvas, Vinyl, Banner, Fabric, Silk, Cotton, Polyester
MaterialsWhat canvas should I print on?

We've got a whole page for that. You'll be able to compare canvas options and should be able to make a decision from there.

MaterialsWill you select a material for me to print on?

If, for any reason, you would like us to make a professional recommendation for your job, please give us a call. We often recommend doing test prints and can help you narrow things down in order to keep things economical when doing your test prints. While we do have a lot of experience, we are very aware of the fact that our aesthetic preferences may not be yours. Its always best to see materials in person whenever possible.

MaterialsIs the silk that you print on actually silk?Yes.Fabric, Fabrics
MaterialsDoes POV do Giclee Printing?You probably won't hear us using this word, other than to answer the question of what this word means. The shortest answer is, yes, that's essentially what we are doing.
MaterialsThere's something listed on your website that is not available on the quotes page, what do I do?

Don't worry! Its probably available, and we probably have pricing for it! Just drop us a quick message and we can help. Use the blue chat icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. 

Help
MaterialsI have my own paper or materials that I want to print on, will you print on my materials?

We will consider this on a case by case basis. If we agree to print on your materials, we will provide you with a customized price based on the specs of the job. If you have paper or material that we regularly stock, we unfortunately won't print on your paper instead of ours.

For rigid materials or materials other than paper, it is likely that this will be printed on our UV Flatbed Printer. If you would like to check the preliminary cost of bringing your own rigid materials into our studio, you can visit our price list, and then search for, "My Material". Keep in mind, there may be set up costs associated with custom requests and materials that are provided to us for printing. 

Studio InfoWhere is POV located?

We're located in Downtown Los Angeles, at the corner of Kohler & Olympic. Before arriving, be sure to schedule an appointment, and check out the Map & Directions page to make sure you arrive here without any issues. If you use the address listed on Google or Yelp you will probably get lost and have to call us for directions.

Location, Address, Parking, Directions, Map
Studio InfoWhy should I work with POV?

We would recommend checking our our reviews on Google, Yelp, or right here on our site.

Studio InfoHow do I contact the studio? Whats the phone number and email?

Call or Text: 213.587.2958

Email: hello - at - pov - dot - studio ( there is no .com at the end )

Or

You can use the blue chat icon in the bottom right corner of your screen.

Phone, Call, Number, Phone Number, Text, Texting
Studio InfoWhere do I park when I arrive?

We have a large parking lot, and you can pull directly up to the front of our building. Please make sure to check out our Map & Directions page. Please note, we work by appointment only.

Parking, Lot, Directions, Arrive, Arriving, Instructions
ScanningWhat scanning services do you provide?We provide several scanning solutions:

Flat, Flatbed, 1200, 600, 300, Scan, Resolution
ScanningDo you provide drum scanning, or scan negatives and transparencies?This is not a service that we currently provide.Scan
General QuestionsWhat payment methods do you accept?We accept payments using a wide range of methods including:

  • Cash
  • Check
  • All Major Credit Cards
  • Venmo
  • Paypal
  • Apple Pay
  • Zelle
Pay, Payment, Methods, Credit Card, Check, Cash, Venmo, Paypal
ProofingAre proofs or test prints available?Yes. In fact, we highly recommend adding a test print to your order if you are new to printing, new to working with us, choosing a new material, or simply unsure about the potential results. 

Since we are unable to know what you see on your screen, the test print is really the best assurance that we are on the same page about the what your final results will be. 

While placing an order on our website, you're given the option to add a test print to your order. If you decide to not include any test prints, we cannot guarantee that your prints will turn out as you expect. IMPORTANT: If you are placing an order for test prints on our site - such that the entirety of your order is only test prints - as opposed to test prints + final prints - then do not add additional test prints when the order form prompts you. In that case, your test prints are final prints, and you do not need to add test prints to your test prints.

If you are working on a properly calibrated monitor, this certainly helps. In some cases we can provide you with custom .icc profiles to help you with soft proofing on screen.
Test, Proof, Match, Proofing, Testing, icc, .icc, profile, profiles
ProofingDo you have .icc profiles available for soft proofing?In some cases, yes, please contact us for more details.icc, .icc, test, testing, proof
ProofingHow much do test prints cost?Test prints are billed at the same rate as normal prints, based on the size that you need. You can use our Price Calculator to check the cost of test prints or final prints.proof, test, cost, pricing
Print on DemandDo you provide print on demand services?Yes, we do. We have a few pages that cover most of what you will need to know:

After reading through these pages, feel free to contact us if you need more information.
POD, on demand, drop, dropship, white label
PackingAre there any packing fees for will call orders?Yes, there will always be at least a small cost added to your order. We work to ensure that your order is packed well for temporary storage and pick up. There are no options that are $0. The lowest cost option - for small prints only - is a clear sleeve with no other packing. Please review our Packing Costs page for more info.fee, cost, packing, how much, why
ServicesWhat happened to Dye Sublimation Printing?After discovering, first hand, that Dye Sublimation prints on aluminum simply do not last as advertised, we made the choice to discontinue this service entirely and focus only on print methods that utilize pigment based inks.dye, sub, sublimation, aluminum, metal, metal prints
General QuestionsI submitted an order... how do I pay?All orders are reviewed, as received, and then invoiced by a member of our staff. You will be able to pay online after we send you the invoice. Be sure to check your spam folder. Invoices are sent only on weekdays, and - if it's Monday - give it a few hours, as we are a small team and weekend orders can get stacked.pay, payment, credit card, payments
MaterialsDo have have samples? How can I decide what to print on?

POV is a very custom studio, with literally hundreds of options. For this reason, there are a few things to consider:

 

  • There is not currently any single sample set we can provide you with that would allow you to get your hands on and mind wrapped around all of the available options.
  • We are not currently doing any extended exploratory or introductory consultations. 
  • We highly recommend booking an initial phone consultation to help narrow down the options. 
  • Generally, we will recommend that you run tests on an initial short list of materials to really discover what it is that you like.