We expressed what we needed; they asked questions and listened to our responses; and then they provided the appropriate solutions.

– Fran Nigliaccio, Sanford Brands, speaking about Printmakers Chicago

Special Edition
To commemorate its 150th anniversary, Sanford — the maker of such famous products as Sharpie, Paper Mate and Liquid Paper — wanted to honor its employees’ role in the company’s success and looked to the past for ideas and inspiration.

In 1927, to celebrate 70 years in business, Sanford commissioned Norman Rockwell, the beloved Saturday Evening Post illustrator, to paint a picture the company could use to advertise its writing instruments. The original painting hangs in the boardroom. Aiming to have hundreds of high-quality replicas made for their co-workers, Josta Kalasmiki and Fran Nigliaccio consulted digital imaging providers to put their plan in action. The first company expected Sanford to package and deliver the painting to its printing facility.

Onsite Photography
Then they met with Printmakers Chicago, agreed that moving the painting risked damaging it.

“It was clear Printmakers Chicago understood that it was irreplaceable — they came and photographed the painting right on the wall,” Nigliaccio says. The original painting had been recently restored so it was in excellent condition. However, age had caused the painting to darken. Printmakers Chicago has technology that enables us to reverse the clock by manipulating colors that have faded or darkened over time.

Variety of Outputs
Sanford ordered digital offset prints, run on Digital Imaging Resources’ wide gamut Indigo printer, as well as prints on stretched canvas. The canvas prints were produced on an Epson Stylus Pro 9800 wide-format printer with a new generation of pigmented inks that offer unparalleled color fidelity, the desired degree of glossiness, and fade and scratch resistance. A liquid laminate was hand-applied to the canvas with the desired degree of glossiness to simulate the original’s finish. the finish also added an extra degree of protection against fading and scratching.

Finishing Services —Stretching, Matting, and Framing
Committed to offering turnkey solutions, Printmakers Chicago helped select appropriate frames for the canvas prints, and matted the others, and placed them in protective, acid-free sleeves. The company also printed certificates describing Sanford’s history and the painting’s significance.

Collaborating with Printmakers Chicago on projects makes an impression as indelible as the Sanford ink the painting advertised. “The process was simple and streamlined,” Nigliaccio says. “We expressed what we needed; they asked questions and listened to our responses; and then they provided the appropriate solutions.”

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