If you have a question about Artefact’s software, products or would like some background on how our photo books are made, this is a great place to start. If you don’t find the exact answer you are looking for, you can always contact our member support team at 866.901.4136.
Our Company
HOW IS ARTEFACT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER COMPANIES THAT CREATE PHOTO BOOKS?
Artefact provides its members with lots of advantages, but there are two main differences that separate us from other photo book making companies.
1) Our professional quality photo books come with many options. Each photo book offers a variety of styles, shapes and sizes that are easy to customize to fit your customer’s needs. You can also select from over 10 different archival quality paper options and our state-of-the-art bindery process is unbeatable.
2) Timely production means you’ll have your photo book shipped in 10 business days or less. If on the 10th business day you don’t receive your photo book, it’s FREE!
HOW ARE ARTEFACT BOOKS MADE?
Our photo books are crafted with high-end materials including beautifully crafted leather covers, quality paper stock and a wide range of unique layout options. You’ll have the flexibility to create your own photo book through Artefact Studio. Once you’ve created your photo book online, our color management professionals will work with you to ensure the color you see on your computer screen match the finished product.
Becoming an Artefact Member
I WANT TO BECOME AN ARTEFACT MEMBER. WHAT STEPS DO I TAKE TO DO SO?
Artefact membership is open for professional photographers only. It’s easy to become a registered member. Becoming an Artefact member is an easy, 3-step process.
1) Fill out the membership form located on our website.
2) Click on Become A Member on the front of the Artefact homepage.
3) Login to the member’s-only site to begin using the software to build products, get trained or find more information.
I AM HAVING TROUBLE GETTING ON TO THE WEBSITE OR THE SOFTWARE. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
If we have any scheduled down time we will give everyone as much notice as possible and you should see a notice on the login page or the website.
If you do not see a message about any downtime please do the following ...
Make sure you are not having any network / service provider connection problems then try restarting your computer and browser.
You can also try clearing your cache. If this does not work call Support at 866.901.4136.
Photo Book Set-up and Design
WHAT FILE FORMAT AND RESOLUTION SHOULD I SAVE FILES IN TO USE ARTEFACT STUDIO?
Images need to be uploaded as RGB jpgs with a resolution of 300 dpi and quality of 8 or more to produce quality Artefact products.
CAN I USE MY OWN CREATIVE SOFTWARE LIKE PHOTOSHOP TO RETOUCH MY IMAGES AND THEN UPLOAD THOSE IMAGES TO YOUR TEMPLATES?
Yes. We want to give our members the flexibility to build their book the way that works best for them. Our website offers various creative software compatible templates that you can easily download. Click here.
CAN I EMAIL IMAGES DIRECTLY TO ARTEFACT AND HAVE 2-3 SAMPLE BOOKS CONSTRUCTED WITHOUT HAVING TO CREATE THE LAYOUTS?
Artefact is unique in that we offer imaging professionals like you with beautifully designed, pre-set layouts. This makes designing of your book an easy process. You also have the flexibility to create your own layouts through our software, allowing you to craft a photo book that reflects your unique style.
We offer complete design services to members. If you are interested in our design services, call member support. We will have someone get back to you to discuss your layout needs and give you a quote.
WHAT SIZES SHOULD I MAKE THE PAGES I BUILD IN ANOTHER PROGRAM SO THEY WILL WORK WHEN PLACED IN YOUR TEMPLATES?
You will find the product specifications under the MEMEBERS TOOLS section on our website. If you click on PRODUCT SPECS on the left side of your browser, you will be directed to instruction and various photo book construction options.
Through these specs you are able to make full bleed spreads and easily monitor where the page trim lines will be located.
CAN I GET PAPER AND COVER SWATCH SAMPLE BOOKS FOR MY STUDIO?
Artefact knows how important it is to have a chance to view our professional quality books before creating your own photo books. We are currently designing a paper swatch book that will be available to our members at a minimal fee. It’s a great way to view our quality books for to see the many creative options our photo books provide. As soon as the sample books are available, Artefact members will receive an email notification.
DOES THE ARTEFACT STUDIO WORK ON THE MAC?
Yes. Artefact Studio is a web-based application, so it will work on both Mac and Windows PC platforms.
ARE MY IMAGES SECURE ON YOUR SERVER?
Yes. Our servers are secure and your High Resolution images can't be downloaded from our servers. We make every effort to keep your account secure which is why we require a username and password login for each member. It is important that each member keeps their login information secure and does not share that information with a 3rd party.
I SEE A LITTLE YELLOW TRIANGLE WITH AN EXCLAMATION MARK ON SOME OF MY IMAGES. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
A yellow triangle indicates that your image is too low of a resolution to print. Even if your image is 300 dpi, if you have enlarged the image size too much you have in effect lowered the print resolution to the point that your print results may not be what you expect.
Quality Materials /Construction
WHAT KIND OF INK DO WE USE?
Our process is far more environmentally friendly than offset printing inks. First there is minimal waste – no left over ink to dispose of and no airborne vapors are released in the process of putting ink on paper.
We use a Polymer, not traditional printing inks that is more environmentally friendly, plus no chemicals are released into the air. And our archival inks are made to resist fading. Our inks are the best digital inks made and have the qualities that would survive long past the life of typical offset inks. Over the course of a six-year test offset ink faded 60% compared to 10% for our inks. With proper care your book will last for generations.
Six color process = high definition color = near continuous-tone quality.
Spot colors are available and can be quoted on a case-by-case basis. Customer service will put you in touch with one of our commercial printing experts to help define and quote your project.
WHAT KIND OF PAPER DO YOU USE WHEN CONSTRUCTING YOUR BOOKS?
One of the leading causes of paper degradation is the level of acid in the paper. All of our papers are acid free or ph neutral to extend the life of the paper.
WHERE DO YOU PURCHASE YOUR PAPER FROM TO CREATE YOUR PHOTO BOOKS?
We gather our papers from mills in Europe and the US, allowing us to offer the broadest selection of paper options in the industry.
WHAT IS YOUR SELECTION PROCESS WHEN CHOOSING PAPER?
Working with artists, photographers and graphic designers from across the country we listen to their concerns and utilize their feedback to determine what qualities a paper needs to reflect the true value of an artists work.
HOW DO YOU TEST TO ENSURE QUALITY?
At our facility we have a rigorous testing process in place checking for adhesion and reflective qualities of the paper. We also make paper selection in conjunction with paper mills and printing industry resources such as Rochester Institute of Technology.
ARE THE HERITAGE BOOKS BINDINGS STITCHED?
No. All Heritage Books are HAND SEWN, preserving our commitment to professional quality photo books. In addition to hand sewing, we also offer foil stamping up to 30 characters on our leather bound Heritage Books.
Orders and Shipment
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE BEFORE I RECEIVE MY ORDER?
We guarantee to ship your photo book order in 10 business days or you will get the order for free.
I ORDERED A BOOK AND I DID NOT GET A CONFIRMATION OF MY ORDER. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Once you order a book, you should receive a confirmation of your order via email. If you do not receive this confirmation, please contact Member Support. They can track the order to ensure your order is in production.
I JUST GOT MY BOOK AND THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE PRINTING AND/OR BINDING. WILL YOU MAKE IT RIGHT?
Yes. We guarantee the printing and binding of all photo books we create. Let Member Support know what the problem is and they will manage your incident and expedite a solution to your problem. If necessary, you may be asked to photograph the problem and send us a jpg or send back the product in question to help us clearly understand the problem (we will of course pay for the shipping).
Training
WHAT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE TO ARTEFACT MEMBERS?
All Artefact members are encouraged to sign up for our FREE webinar training sessions once they become a member. As a member not only will you have a chance to learn how to seamlessly incorporate Artefact Studio into your creative workflow, you’ll also receive special offers for Artefact products as a thank you for training with our Artefact Team.
In addition to our webinars, members can also learn from online tutorials both in PDF and QuickTime movie formats. Click here to learn more.
Remember, you must be a registered Artefact member to qualify for FREE training.