What are your hours?
We are available in person by appointment only between 9am and 9pm Monday through Saturday. We are available via phone or email seven days a week, including evenings, weekends and holidays.
How do you charge for your projects?
Our fees depend on the scope and nature of your project. We can charge you by the hour or by the project. All our fees are subject to WA State Tax (8.9%) unless you have a valid resale certificate on file with us.
Can you give me an estimate?
Yes. Email us or call 206-264-2438 with the specifics of your project and we will provide you with a detailed estimate valid for 30 days unless the specifics of your project change.
What are your terms?
We require a 50% deposit to start any project with the balance due upon completion. Payment in full must be received BEFORE we will release any files UNLESS you have an established credit account in good standing.
How do I pay you?
We accept checks or money orders in US funds drawn on a US financial institution and payable to Studio 5 Creative. We do NOT accept credit cards or online forms of payment such as PayPal.
What Files will I receive from you?
Upon completion of your project the you will receive print or web ready files on CD or DVD. We do NOT release native or source files to our clients UNLESS that was specifically requested at the beginning of a project. Please note that we will archive your entire project, so all files will be available for future use.
How do you communicate with your clients?
If at all possible we like to meet new clients at least once face to face to get to know them a little. After that we can communicate via phone, email, or in person depending on your preferences.
What do you need from me to get started?
Depending on your project we need some or all of the following: the basic concept of what you have in mind; any samples you want us to consider; any logos, illustrations, or images you want to use; and the text you want in your piece.
Can you update an existing piece?
Yes. We can work with you to update and enhance your existing materials or recreate missing pieces.
Can I use the same design for multiple projects?
Yes. We can create a base design and repurpose that for multiple print and web uses and applications.
Will your files work for our printing company?
Yes. We will contact your printing company and work directly with them to avoid any compatibility issues.
Do you pick-up and deliver?
Yes. We can arrange to have materials picked up from or delivered to your Seattle office or residence during normal business hours. A small fee may apply to this service. For pick-up and delivery arrangements in other areas please email us or call 206-264-2438.
Do you consider environmental concerns in your work?
Yes. Whenever possible we will suggest environmentally friendly products and methods to complete your project.
What equipment do you use?
We use MAC Dual-Processor G5 workstations with 23" Cinema Displays, MAC PowerBooks and MacBook Pro laptops with 17" displays as primary studio and mobile workstations. We also have PC Dual-Processor Athlon workstations should you need PC based files.
All our in-house proofing and printing is done on hi-res large-format Epson digital printers.
We use Nikon and Hasselblad camera equipment combined with Bowen lighting systems in our photo studio and Nikon film as well as Canon flatbed scanners in our digital imaging department.
What software programs do you support?
We support the following Adobe programs on both MAC and PC platforms:
Photoshop CS3 Extended; Illustrator CS3, InDesign CS3; InCopy CS3; Dreamweaver CS3; Flash CS3 Professional; and Acrobat 8 Professional.We also support the Microsoft Office Professional Suite, including MS Word; MS Excel; and MS Powerpoint on both MAC and PC platforms.
Please note that we do NOT support MS Visio, MS Publisher, or Corel Draw.
Can you convert existing files?
That depends on the software and version that created your files. Generally we can convert files created by QuarkXpress and Adobe Pagemaker. Other file formats may not convert correctly or at all.
What type of files do you accept?
We have developed the following guidelines for file submissions based on our experience:
Image (Bitmap) Files: Photoshop native (PSD), TIFF, EPS or JPEG files with a minimum resolution of 300 DPI at final size for print use. For web use provide JPEG, PNG or GIF files with a minimum resolution of 72 DPI at final size. If applicable rasterize all text or provide applicable fonts in either MAC or PC format.
Graphic (Vector) Files: Illustrator native (AI) and EPS files. Convert all text to outlines or provide applicable fonts in either MAC or PC format.
Text Files: MS Word files (DOC) in either MAC or PC format. Do not embedd images and/or graphics - provide these files separately according to the above guidelines. Please remember to indicate where images and/or graphics should be placed in your text file.
Data Files: If your project requires us to place large amounts of data such as membership directories, product information, or other variable data please provide us with MS Excel spreadsheet (XLS) files. Please make sure that your spreadsheet contains only the data you want us to work with. We can also work with variable data set up as an XML file.
Layout Files: If you would like us to work from your existing layout files please provide Adobe InDesign native files (INDD), QuarkXpress native files (QXD) or Adobe PageMaker native files (PMD) in either MAC or PC format; remember to include all fonts and links. Please note that we do NOT support QuarkXpress or PageMaker files in their native applications; these files will be converted to InDesign files. Older versions of these two file types may or may not convert correctly.
Proofs and Hard Copies: We highly recommend that you include printed hard copies or electronic (PDF) proofs when submitting your files so that we can check for errors and inconsistencies.
If you are unable to provide your files in these formats, need specific instructions regarding file set-up and/or conversion, or have any other questions please email us or call 206-264-2438.
How do I get my files to you?
Generally we prefer that you burn all files to CD or DVD and send them to us via regular mail, UPS, FedEx, or DHL, or via private courier. This is also the only way to get hard copies and other printed materials to us.
Small files (10MB or less) can be compressed using StuffIt (MAC) or WinZip (PC) and emailed to info@studio5creative.com. Please include a client or project reference in the subject line of your email.
You can also post files to our FTP site. Email us or call 206-264-2438 and we will get you set up.
Can you help me with technical issues?
Yes. We are available for consultation on a variety of subjects, including file set-up and compatibility, print and web file requirements, proofing concerns, basic software application questions, and platform compatibility issues.
Do you offer training services?
If you require advanced training in Adobe software applications and/or consultation in color management and digital workflow issues we very highly recommend and endorse the services of Luminous Works, a Seattle based Adobe Certified training and consultation provider. You will learn more at www.luminousworks.com.
We have worked with Luminous Works principals Steve Laskevitch and Carla Fraga for many years and consider them to be among the very top professionals in their field in North America.
You can contact Luminous Works by calling 206-390-3122 or emailing info@luminousworks.com.
I have additional questions and concerns.
Feel free to email us or call 206-264-2438 and we will be happy to address any other question or concern you might have.
Frequently Asked Questions