photofaden.de

Details

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Components

Simulation

Frame

Ordering

Shipment

Prices

The thread pictures are made from the following components:

Baseplate

A 75 x 55 cm wooden board with a thickness of 12 mm serves as a acrrier for all images. Between a picture's edge (where the frame begins) and the edge of the actual thread image remains an border of about 3 to 4 cm. Since this area is visible, the carrier plate is fully covered with a 250g artist cardboard (0,3 mm thick, acid free, matte white or matte black smooth surface). Pictures with a non white or black background have the surface colored with acrylic paint.

Nails

The nails have flat heads of 2 mm diameter and protrude 5 mm from the baseplate. Like the thread courses, the position of all nails is calculated individually for an image. All new thread images offered through this website have 4698 nails.

Threads

Depending on the desired color variant (black, white, greyscale, serpia, colored), one picture has one to eleven continuous threads of different basic colors.

The threads used and their sequence depend on the photo. The total length of the threads varies between 500 and 3000 meters.

The threads are tightly tensioned, so that an accidental slipping over a nail's head is not possible. Each thread of a color is unique and continuous, so there are no two threads of the same color. All threads are made of polyester and are sealed with an invisible UV protection.

Hangers

Each picture has three milled brass brackets on the back side, so it can easily be hung either centrally on a single screw or on the sides by two screws. Of course you can also use small hooks to hang a picture. The exact dimensions are shown in the figure on the right.

General

The software used for the calculations is a 100% proprietary development.

In a simulation, the positions of the nails and the thread paths are calculated and an image is produced which represents the baseplate, the nails and the threads in the correct proportions. The edge of the image is therefore exactly as wide as in the simulation, the nail heads have the diameter that the real nails have, etc.

However, such a computed image never corresponds exactly to the real image, which subsequently might be produced. This is due to simplifications which must be made in order to limit the computational effort.

Variants

A single simulation typically calculates the following seven color variants::

Colored on a white background
Colored on a black background
Greyscale on a white background
Sepia on a white background
Sepia on a black background
Black on a white background
White on black background

There are 10 standard colors (basic colors) for threads. Another thread is of a free to choose color. In the sepia variants, for example, a brownish thread is added. However, its color can be changed, if desired, so that, instead of serpia pictures, e.g. dark purple pictures are created. Basically, almost everything is possible. Also "a dark violet thread, a black thread and a green thread on a light yellow ground" can easily be simulated and produced.

Simulation results

The result of a simulation is a list of the calculated variants. The clickable preview on the right shows this by an example. The following information is displayed next to each picture:

Info	Explanation
Color variant	An acronym for the color combination (e.g.. "cw" or "xk").
Length of threads	The list of threads used. The number indicates a thread's length in meter, the background color corresponds to the color of the thread..
Total length	The sum of the lengths of all threads.
Thread segments	Each thread is continuous. On his way he spans many small bridges between a nail and the next nail of his way. The value indicates how many of such bridges or thread segments are present in the image as a whole.
Machine runtime	Duration the machine is running to create the image.
Price	Price for the picture in germany. For details please read the "Prices" section (tab).

Selection

This website does not sell frames, so the frame is a purchased part. Which frame is used is completely free to you. You can either...

simply select one of these example frames in your prefered color:

Frame Description
Link

Monaco Modern wooden frame with square cross-section Link

Ottawa Modern aluminium frame Link
or find one elsewhere on the internet (and send the link to it with your request to create the physical picture)
or have one created from a frame builder of your choice and let it be sent it to me (after you paid the invoice to create the physical picture)

Requirements

A frame has the correct size when it meets the following two requirements::

The outer dimension of the image to be framed by the frame is 75 × 55 cm (respectively 55 × 75 cm)
The height of the fold (= the depth available for the image to be framed) should be at least 12 mm, since the baseplate is 12 mm thick

If the height of the fold is minimally less than 12 mm, it does not really matter. A height of 11 mm will simply make the frame hang in a 1 mm distance from the wall.

Further information, which may help with the selection of the frame

All thread pictures have a border (= an area without nails and threads) of at least 3 cm, typically the botrder is between 3 and 4 cm wide. A frame will always cover a few millimeters of it.
Similar to an oil painting, the frame of a thread picture has no glazing. Some frames are sold as blank, form the others the supplied glass plate can simply be removed.

Attachment

In order to mount a frame to the baseplate it is glued at several points. However, the gluing is only done on the back side of the picture, so that with little effort it is possible to remove the frame from the picture again.

It's always three steps from your photo to the real thread picture:
At first, a preliminary simulation is created, then - if you like - it gets optimized and finally - if you like - the real image is produced. The clickable thumbnail on the right illustrates this by an example.

Step 1: Preliminary simulation

For the first step, you must register and log in to the customer area of this website.
You then have the option to request a simulation. This is done with a form with which you send a photo file. Optionally, you can also send additional wishes (for further information, please refer to "Simulation")
When the simulation is finished, you will receive an email.
After logging in again, you can then see the results in the customer area.

This step is free. You are not obligated to anything and can see the resulting simulations, but you are not allowed to use them otherwise. I will use your photo and simulations for no other purpose than to provide you this preview.

Step 2: Optimization (of a simulation)

The simulation results of the first step are still very draft and serve only to obtain an approximate idea. If you like one of the simulated color variants, you can request a necessary data optimization to see what the real thread picture would look like.

For this step, you must first login to the customer area, where you have the option to request a data optimization. This is done again using a form that specifies which color variant you want to optimize.
If the capacities permit your requested optimization within max. 10 days, you will receive an offer together with an invoice over 100 Euro. Such an offer, however, is only open for 7 days in order to prevent the blocking of other customers.
Only if you settle the invoice within these 7 days, the offer is accepted and the optimization is carried out. Otherwise step 2 ends without result. (For details on payments, please refer to the "prices" tab)
If an optimization is not finished after 10 days, you can either wait or otherwise get a refund of 100 Euros and step 2 ends without result.
If the capacities do not allow your requested optimization to be carried out promptly, you will receive an email when the optimization would be possible at the earliest. If you decide to wait and announce this, you will receive an offer for the optimization at that later date together with the invoice over 100 euros. If you do not want to wait, step 2 ends without result.
As soon as the optimization result is finished, you will receive an email and you can see it in the customer area.optimization form.

The principle explained above allows me to dispose the limited capacities and is risk-free for you as a customer. The payment serves mainly to prove the reliability of a request. If you decide to go to step 3 (purchase of the real picture), the paid 100 euros will be charged on the price of the real picture. However, if you decide not to order the corresponding real thread picture (step 3), the 100 euro will not be refunded. As explained in step 1, you can view the resulting optimized simulation, but you are not allowed to not use it otherwise.

Step 3: Creation of the real picture

If you like the optimized simulation result, you can request the production of the corresponding real thread picture. After you successfully complete step 2, your request for step 3 has the highest priority. So you can be sure that you can actually buy the real picture very quickly.

For this step, you must first log in to the customer area, where you have the possibility to request a picture production. This is done again using a form.
If the capacities allow to create and ship your requested picture within 10 days, you will receive an offer by e-mail to perform the picture production together with the respective invoice over the price of the picture minus the already paid 100 Euro. Such an offer is again open for only 7 days in order to prevent blocking other customers.
If you settle the invoice within these 7 days, the offer is accepted, the real picture is created and sent to you. Otherwise step 3 ends without result.
If, contrary to expectations, the capacities do not allow to produce your requested image within 10 days and ship it, for example due to illness or a technical defect, you will receive an email. If you decide to wait and communicate this, the production is simply delayed accordingly. If you do not want to wait, step 3 ends without result and you will be refunded the payment and the 100 euros you paid in step 2.

So due to the inquiry concept you can not directly "order", but only make requests and then accept or reject a subsequent individual offer.

The packaging consists of a flat wooden box made of two plywood boards and four wooden strips. Since the cover is bolted, you will need a standard cross-hatch screwdriver of medium size for opening.

The shipment is potentially carried out throughout the EU with the possibility of electronic tracking. However please also read the tab "Prices", as when you have a billing! address outside of germany, the tax law of your country needs some investigation in advance. (This still is a small startup business.)

Both the packaging and the dispatch are already included in the respective purchase price, given in the simulation results.

Prices

The exact price for an image is calculated by the software and depends primarily on the total length of the thread or threads. For a monochrome image (one thread) it is currently around 700 €, a color picture with up to 11 threads is currently about 1500 €.

The calculated price includes packaging, shipping and a frame up to 100 €. If you want a more expensive frame, the total price increases by the difference amount. A 300 Euro frame would thereby lead to a 200 euro surcharge.

According to § 19 Umsatzsteuergesetz (german law), an invoice amount for private customers within Germany does not contain any VAT. For corporate customers within Germany, a price increases by 19% VAT, which is then indicated on the invoices accordingly.

If you have a billing address in the EU, but outside of Germany, taxation depends on your country. Please contact me if you like a (not yet optimized) simulation and plan to order from outside of of Germany. I will then check the conditions and come back to you.

Payment

As described in the order process section, you accept an offer by paying the invoice, which you receive as a pdf file by e-mail. Each payment is therefore an advance payment. Invoices are paid as classic bank transfer. You can view invoices directly in the customer area of this page, where you also see its status (Open, Paid).

Price changes

In case the demand exceeds the offer, the price of pictures may increase.
The price stated in a preliminary simulation result is stable for four weeks. This means that if you pay the invoice to produce a real picture within four weeks after the date of the preliminary simulation, you will pay this price. Should the process be delayed by you or due to capacity bottlenecks, the price will be recalculated. If ...

the price increases
and you have already paid for an optimization
and you no longer want to buy the real image at the new price
and the delay was mainly caused by capacity bottlenecks

you will be refunded the 100 euros that you have paid for the optimization.

Offer

Receive a free simulation of different color variations to get a first impression. Without any obligation.

Register within the "Customer area" and log in.
Click the "Request simulation" link (that is then visible to you).
Use the form to send your photo for which the simulation shall be done.

As soon as the simulation results are available, you will receive an e-mail. In the event that you like one of the draft simulations, you can first request an optimization for little money and then perhaps have it created as a real thread picture. For further information, click on the tab "Ordering" in the above section.

Customer Area

Once you have logged in, you can request simulations, optimizations and real pictures in this part of the website or even delete your account and all your data if you want to. While you are logged in, the rest of the web page is hidden, so that only this customer area is visible for you. By clicking the logo in the upper left corner, you can however also make the whole page visible at any time.

Featured

← In the menu on the left, links are displayed as required. After you are logged in, the link to request a simulation will be visible. Otherwise it is not. The link for requesting an optimization appears only after the preliminary simulation was done, etc.

On the right side of the customer area (exactly here) you will find the relevant content. Thus, for example, request forms, simulation results or help. The tutorial text is again based on progress. So you always see exactly the guidance you need in the respective step.

Examples

Details

Baseplate

Nails

Threads

Hangers

General

Variants

Simulation results

Selection

Requirements

Further information, which may help with the selection of the frame

Attachment

Step 1: Preliminary simulation

Step 2: Optimization (of a simulation)

Step 3: Creation of the real picture

Prices

Payment

Price changes

Offer

Customer Area

Mainmenu