Transforming Your Vision into Reality
Blow Up Lab is a full-service photos, murals, graphics, and art printing business located in San Francisco. We are working with commercial and art clients worldwide. Everything we produce is custom made in our facility. Our clients range from individuals with personal projects to massive print "roll-outs" for international corporations.
Our Expertise
Blow Up Lab specializes in ink-jet printing with archival inks, papers, and canvas for artists and photographers. We print enormous murals and exhibition graphics for museums and galleries. Blow Up Lab also prints promotional displays for retail stores, trade shows, and events. We custom produce projects for interior architects, designers, and art consultants in hospitals, universities, offices, hotels, restaurants, and residences. And we offer a full array of pre- and post-printing services and partner with our clients to create the best result possible for their jobs.
Our Services
Our services include printing, scanning, mounting, and finishing, fine art and photography restoration, legal services, pre-production, and post-production. We are dedicated to eco-friendly printing and use non-toxic, aqueous, vegetable-based, archival inks; 100% cotton (rag), acid-free, papers and canvases; as well as acid-free mounting substrates and adhesives. For more information, please refer to our green statement.
Our History
Blow Up Lab is owned and operated by Frank McGrath since 1978 and co-owned by Carol Covington since 2009. The Lab was the first in the city to convert from traditional chemical photo processing to 100% digital in January 2000.
Meet the Owners
Frank McGrath, President/Owner, Master Digital Printer, is a photographer, digital printing master, and Photoshop wizard. He has owned and operated the Blow Up Lab since 1977, soon after he received his BA in photography from SFSU. On the forefront of the digital imaging transformation, Frank realized in the mid '90s that digital printing was the industry's future. He has always been experimenting and following technological advancements. As a result, Frank prides himself on his ability to offer clients custom, state-of-the-art digital production with old-fashioned, personalized service.
Overview of Reviews
The reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with 23 reviewers giving 5-star ratings and only 1 reviewer giving a 1-star rating. The common themes among the positive reviews are the exceptional quality of the prints, the professionalism and expertise of the staff, and the excellent customer service.
Quality of Prints
Many reviewers praised the high-quality prints produced by Blow Up Lab. The reviewers mentioned that the prints exceeded their expectations, with some even stating that they were the best they had ever seen. The quality of the paper, color, and attention to detail were particularly commended.
Staff Expertise and Customer Service
The reviewers consistently praised the expertise and professionalism of the staff, particularly Greg, Frank, Max, and Carol. The staff were described as knowledgeable, patient, and helpful, taking the time to understand the customer's needs and providing excellent guidance and advice.
Timeliness and Communication
Many reviewers praised the timely completion of their projects, with some even mentioning that the work was completed ahead of schedule. The communication with the staff was also commended, with reviewers stating that they were kept informed throughout the process.
