Questions? Answers.

“I invite you to view these website images. Rollover or tap to inspect them, enlarge them to the largest size on the largest monitor… what you see on-screen still doesn’t match the quality of these fine, photo art prints, which we produce with our detail-obsessed provider.

“I assure you of my concern for quality, in all respects. Your feedback is welcome before and after your purchase.”

—Marlin Ouverson, proprietor

Quality

First things first: Images shown in any web browser are much lower-resolution than the gallery-quality prints we deliver. Images viewed on the internet — any images — are low resolution compared to the output of almost any respectable printer. And the photo-art prints you order from us here are produced by a very good printer who uses meticulous processes. The result is a wonderful result that frequently exceeds expectations.

• Our prints are clear, contemporary, and refined without being stuffy. They can live comfortably in a well-heeled environment, but they won’t make you sit up and mind your manners.
• A performance dye-sublimation process and high-end aluminum substrate result in prints that do not need a visible frame — in fact, they arrive ready to hang unless you order another option in order to use your custom frames.
• Our image surface is sleek and glossy for outstanding color presentation. Other surface treatments might be available by request for select images. (Often useful for production designers.)

All the images ordered here can be displayed with confidence in fine homes, business buildings, and public spaces.

Those are only some of the reasons we refer to our photo-art as having “better than web quality.”

Prices

Price vs. value? We waited years to find a vendor and a process we could entrust with a broad collection from our image archives. Such quality comes at a premium, but at prices that still are far less than all-custom work of a similar caliber. Our art prints are more expensive to produce than the output of budget operations — we (modestly) believe the difference is visible but we understand budgets, too, so we work hard to…

• …offer a range of sizes, so lower-priced versions are available.
• …track the changing cost of materials, especially our high-end metal substrate, and pass along savings we identify.
• …offer discounts when we are able to do so while still sustaining our modest shop.

Have the prices changed? That may happen often, at times. We apply what we feel are gallery-quality standards in our art prints. That requires costlier materials and processes. Because of that, we cannot compete on price against other methods. But we can track the cost of materials closely in our prices, instead of marking them up to cover all bases. This requires more labor on our part to maintain but we believe, it is fairest to our clients.

Are there any deals? You might be eligible for a discount if you sign up for our mailing list. And as conditions make it possible, we offer specials on featured items or store-wide. We might not announce all our sales via our mailing list, in order to keep the number of emails smaller, so checking in occasionally might result in a pleasant surprise.

Variations

Images are cropped by the artist-photographer to achieve a great presentation in the size(s) available. For this reason, some images are cropped differently at different sizes or aspect ratios. Not all size, medium, and frame/mounting options are available for every image, at our sole discretion.

The picture shown in each product description after selecting any options, and in your cart, depicts the item being ordered.

Going Big

In contemporary interior design, there is no such thing as oversized art.

• If a piece is large enough to serve in place of a traditional, tall headboard, mount it there and light it as if it were a gallery wall.
• If your dining room doesn’t have a view, give it one!
• We have seen Hollywood pros transform a narrow passageway between kitchen and bedrooms into an intimate space you never want to leave. No construction, either, they used just paint, light, art, and furniture.
• Make brave choices. We knew a stairway landing that hosted a mirror straight out of Fantasia. It was large enough to drive a small truck through, even though it was in a two-bedroom apartment in the Valley.

So go home and go big. Unleash the Kraken!

It is a fact of life that, as digital images are enlarged beyond their original dimensions, changes are incurred. The trick lies in how to manage such changes in order to maintain the highest fidelity and remain as true to the original, and to the artist-photographer’s intent, as one can.

That is an old and well-known challenge, usually addressed with a battery of approaches honed by tradition and experience. Many images seen here have also benefitted from our judicious application of quite new tools. The result? Even our largest prints are rendered beautifully with, sometimes, a kind of painterly quality. Specifics will always vary from image to image but, as an artist-owned shop, we have the luxury of declining to produce images that we feel would compromise the artwork.

Original, Originals

All the images featured or sold here are the exclusive, original work of Marlin Ouverson.

Sales here are of gallery-quality prints. The originals are digital, so no single image is worth more than its authentic copies. (We’re egalitarian, that way. But NFTs, now, so who knows. We will consider that upon reasonable request.)

Longevity? UV the Judge

Our quality-minded vendor assures us that all items are expected to be color stable for at least 65 years under conditions encountered by most wall art. In other words, your worries about it will fade long before the art does.

If you have need of added UV protection for direct-sunlight installations, please inquire.

Clearance (from the wall)

We list the “thickness”* of our prints by the approximate thickness of the frame type we typically recommend. Other customer choices may result in a different product thickness. For example:

• Recessed and flush frame options mounted on wood measure, including the print, just under approx. 1″ — so the image surface when hung is an inch (or just under) away from the wall itself.

• The frame-able option with no included frame is, very roughly, 1/16″ inch thick. Its ultimate position relative to the wall depends on any custom framing and hanging options you choose to acquire for it.

*The thickness of our items may in some contexts be referred to as “Length” due to certain software limitations.

Coupons & Offers

Any offers and coupons that are valid may only be used one at a time. They cannot be stacked or combined, and only one coupon is accepted with each order. After a coupon has been applied and the order placed, the coupon for that order cannot be changed to another coupon. If that is required, and if production has not begun, your entire order may be canceled and 100% of the related payment refunded, and you can place a new order with your preferred coupon.

Custom Commissions, Requests

Requests for special treatments of our existing images and, rarely, of other original imagery — including photo-compositions and abstractions — are addressed on a case-by-case basis. Our contact info is a good place to start.

Manipulating Images

This photographer-artist manipulates some images extensively and creatively. This can be for a number of reasons, such as:

• Better capture what the eye — or mind or heart — saw.
• Touch up minor blemishes — things that might distract even if they accurately represent reality.
• Highlight emotional content and for subjective, aesthetics.
• To restore vintage negatives and slides, and to refine scans. (Restoration is not our focus and we do not offer it here.)
• Explore. Blow out the cobwebs of the familiar to find new perspectives, angles, insights and — we can aspire — even an occasional note of profundity. (Or humor.)

Creative choices help an original photograph to represent what its creator is trying to share. Such decisions are not defects, although one may disagree with them. They are, rather, as intentional and subjective as poetry.

Framing

At this time, all our images are produced with one of these frame options:

Mounting Options

Most of our framed prints can be ordered with mounting hardware pre-installed. The options include:

• Cleat: This is the default option for most items here. A metal plate is screwed onto the wall and the print slips onto that. The print lies flat against the wall, never goes out of level in any environment (vibration, kids), and is easy to remove and replace without fuss. Caveat: it is important to install the plate so it is visually level; using a carpenter’s level or other precise device is advised.
• Wire: The old-fashioned way — there’s nothing wrong with it. A print typically may hang away from the wall slightly more at the top and, depending on how clever you are with the wire, may need to be straightened a little occasionally. No big deal. Note: the wire option is not available on all smaller prints and will not appear here as an option for those.
• None: You can provide your own mounting system or opt for an alternate type of presention. This is the only valid mounting option for wall art items ordered with no frames, any other choice will not be considered during production.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Items ordered with no frame will not include any mounting hardware, regardless of other related choices made during the shopping process.

Shipping

See our page for shipping Q&A.

Sales Are Final

See our page about refunds and returns.

Each item in our shop is made-to-order individually according to customer-specified options in each order. We do not have a warehouse for prints (not even a storeroom), and there is no inventory. For these reasons, we cannot accept returns except, of course, in the event of defects that occurred during production. Those are extremely rare because of the personal scrutiny each item you order receives at every step from start to finish. But concerning potential manufacturing defects: our vendor guarantees the work, so we’re covered — and that means you’re covered.