Environmental Graphics

[FarOdyssey]

Hello all,

Here's a little dilema: Client, a restaurant, wants aprox. 24" x 24" images inside the restaurant. Each one featuring a different dish. There will be about 20 of them.

Banner printing is too expensive. I thought of maybe doing 11 x 17 inkjets and laminating them, but this seems like they wouldn't last all that long and it's not really the size the client wants. Plus some of them will be in an entrance area that is half exposed to the outside.

What kind of print product / process should i be looking at? They need to be very high quality (they will be seen very up close) but also last for a while.

[doubting_thomas]

How much are you looking to spend per piece? Large format ink jet is spendy,
but it can give you the results that you're looking for. Pieces can be mounted
and laminated one side, too. If your buget is $5 USD per piece though your
options will be very limited.

[FarOdyssey]

I would say maybe more like $15 per piece is what the client wants to spend. I found a palce to do an 18 x 24 for $22 / 24 x 36 for 33. At that price the client woud spend about $700 at 24 x 36 when $300 is closer to the mark.

I just showed him some examples of 12 x 18. He hates them and thinks they're too small. Should I just give him the old "this is all there is, so make your choice" or should I keep looking?

It's hard to have to explain printing options 101 to clients, but you kind of have to eventhough you're just a designer. :(

[doubting_thomas]

Don't tell the client that the options are limited by a print vendor's
capabilities. There are a large number of vendors out there that could
do the job for double what the client wants to spend. $15 per piece
is a little unrealistic IMO. High quality stuff usually doesn't sell for that
cheap. Something will have to give, but don't tell them that 12 x 18 is
the only option. IMO it's better to say you can provide what they're looking
for at X price. That way they can decide what they want to do, and they'll
have the info to make an informed decision.

[PrintDriver]

You aren't going to get a UV stable, high quality inkjet print for that price. And unless it's a solvent, you don't want to be putting them where they are exposed to the elements.

If your client can't afford a whole bunch of pictures all at once, have him do them in groups. Nothing says they all have to be installed at the same time.

Also have you tried stock posters rather than custom prints? There are all kinds of resources for the restaurant industry. Decor is one of them. You may be able to find something for $15 each that way.