Orms Staff Interview: Meet Andre Eksteen, one of our large format digital printing specialists at Orms Print Room & Framing.
We have quite a big team of people here at Orms, some you might already know quite well, others not so much. So we’ve decided to continue our quest to help you meet everyone. Today we are chatting with Andre Eksteen, one of our printing specialists here at Orms Print Room & Framing. In order to introduce him we sat down and asked him some questions.
Hi Andre! Please tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Andre Eksteen. I studied Photography at Peninsula Technikon in 1984, it was during this time that I developed my passion for the technical side of photography, especially it’s printing and processing techniques.
If you had to describe yourself in 5 words what would they be?
I am hardworking and precise.
When did you join the Orms family?
I have been at Orms since 2002, so for the past 13 years! During the first 7 years at Orms I was working on the 1st E6 process (slide film processing) as well as doing the traditional photographic hand printing. This E6 process was very successful until the advent of digital photography, it was finally discontinued in September last year (2014).
Ok, and now you do the large format printing? Can you tell us a bit more about that?
Yes, for the last 7 years I have been in the Orms Print Room & Framing division. Here I’am in charge of doing the large format digital printing on the Oce Arizona 360 GT flatbed inkjet printer. The name is quite a mouthful! It’s also a very unique printing process, since this printer can virtually print onto almost any surface imaginable, providing the surface is level and non reflective.
We offer and supply 3 substrates on which to print; wood, metal and perspex. There are other substrates of course; paper, glass, acetate, banner material and vinyl that we also often print on, however these are usually supplied by our clients for printing.
How do you print on wood, metal and perspex?
Well, wood printing is done onto 9mm thick Birchwood finish Plywood. This method of printing adds a different and a new dimension to your printing. Since we don’t print with white ink on this substrate, it therefore allows the wood grain to show through wherever there’s white in your image.
Our metal printing is done on a 4mm thick Di bond with brushed aluminium finish. This is a very unique way of printing your images, especially Black and White images, since the two tones with its contrast renders well on this surface.
Perspex printing is more suited for images with very vibrant colours, these render quite well on the 2mm or 3mm thick Plexiglass.
Clients who don’t know what the print results on these substrates look like can have an A4 test print done. That way they can get an idea of the amazing transformation of their images onto the various substrates. It’s great that we can now offer photographers and artists this new and unique method of printing. As our logo says: “Design in yours and print in ours”
What’s the best advice you can give someone in terms of this type of printing?
This is a new and unique method of printing your prized images, so experiment with it, it could change the way you print in the future.
And the most beautiful image or item you have ever printed?
My favourite images… prints we did a few years ago for Des Kleineibst. He is a regular client of ours and he really posses some of the most stunning landscape images, despite him being a specialist in car photography.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Always do your best in everything and do it with a passion, as if it’s your own work you’re busy with.
What can’t you do without?
Food
And finally, what superpower would you have and why?
To fly. I would go where I want, whenever I want.
