giclee print Archives - The Artists Print Room (Giclée Printing)

Gloss Fine Art Papers

So, here we will run through the gloss fine art papers we offer in addition to the textured and smooth fine art papers previously looked at.

Gloss Fine Art Papers

The most important thing to be aware of here when considering a gloss fine art paper is that when we talk about gloss, this tends to be more of a subtle lustre or satin finish. Not the high gloss on your standard photographic prints that you get produced. These finishes are much more subtle and arguably more exquisitely beautiful.

Canson^® Infinity Platine Fibre Rag

Canson Platine Rag - The Artist's Print Room — ©Canson Infinity Platine Fibre Rag

The Canson® Infinity Platine Fibre Rag is a combination of the combination of the premium 100% cotton Platinum paper that Canson has supplied for many years to the original Platinum and Platine photographic market, with the latest microporous coating. The paper contains no optical brighteners, thus not affecting the longevity of the print. An excellent choice of paper for both black and white or colour images. A 310gsm which overall provides a stunning satin finish to your image.

Hahnemühle PhotoRag Satin

Photo Rag Satin - The Artist's Print Room — ©Hahnemühle Photo Rag Satin

As above, this paper from but from Hahnemühle is a 310gsm, and has a satin finish. A smooth surface and 100% cotton rag, the paper has a lovely natural white tone. A unique paper in that when you image is printed on this paper, the unprinted areas remain matt, however, the printed areas have a slight sheen. Your image almost shimmers in the light.

Hahnemühle FineArt Pearl

FineArt Pearl - The Artist's Print Room — ©Hahnemühle FineArt Pearl

The Hahnemühle FineArt Pearl is a 285gsm paper and provides your prints with a sensational pearl finish. This paper isn’t cotton rag like others previously mentioned, it’s a 100% a-cellulose paper (which is wood pulp) and has a bright white tone. Due to this bright white, prints will have impressive colour contrasts and the black in your images will have an incredible depth.

Hahnemühle PhotoRag Baryta

Photo Rag Baryta - The Artist's Print Room — ©Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta

Photo Rag Baryta is a 315gsm, 100% cotton paper and the ‘glossiest’ paper we offer. Using barium sulphate in the inkjet coating, ensuring the typical gloss that makes this paper a genuine replacement for traditional Baryta papers from analogue labs. The coating on this paper provides a water resistance and the tone of the base paper lends well to black and white prints.

ILFORD Gold Fibre Silk

The ILFORD Galerie Gold Fibre Silk 310gsm is a stunning traditional fibre based substrate. This fine art paper has both the look and feel of a traditional baryta paper which many artists and photographers love. With a high quality finish, it produces stunning black and white images in addition to colour prints, thanks to its excellent sharpness and wide colour gamut.

Did you know that we are the only fine art printing company in the UK which has been accredited by Canson Infinity, Hahnemühle Fine Art, Epson Digigraphie, ILFORD and the Fine Art Trade Guild? Also, why not sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date with news, products and future competitions at The Artist’s Print Room – just complete the form below.

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Smooth Fine Art Papers

So previously we looked at textured fine art papers, but how about smooth fine art papers? All the papers listed below have a matte finish which are ideal for both photographers and artists for artwork reproductions.

Smooth Fine Art Papers

When paper is produced in the paper mill, smooth fine art papers are created with a much more smooth felt in comparison to the textured papers, this then produces the surface on the finished product. A smooth fine art paper can often be a good go to when just starting out or often used with portrait photography. It’s important to remember that when a paper is described as smooth it is not completely devoid of texture though!

Hahnemühle Bamboo

This Bamboo paper is made from 90% bamboo fibres and the additional 10% is made from cotton. More environmentally friendly than the cotton papers due to the fast growing bamboo, this paper has a lovely warm white colour to it. Due to it’s tone, it is ideal for warm coloured prints and monochrome images.

Canson^® Infinity Rag Photographique 310gsm

anson® Infinity Rag Photographique 310gsm - The Artist's Print Room — ©Canson Infinity Rag Photographique

This paper from Canson is 100% cotton and has an exceptional smooth white tone. During the manufacturing process, natural minerals are added and therefore give this tone to the paper. A very unique, smooth surface, however, there is still a tactile element to the paper which you can see in the close up image. This paper provides one of the highest achievable Dmax on the market, therefore making it a perfect solution for both fine art photography prints and art reproductions.

Hahnemühle Photo Rag Bright White

hahnemuehle photorag bright white - The Artist's Print Room — ©Hahnemühle Photo Rag Bright White

Hahnemühle’s most famous paper is probably their Photo Rag and this paper is a brighter version of their Photo Rag 308gsm. As above, a 100% cotton paper but with a bright white tone. A smooth surface, this paper can really make your colours ‘pop’ and really add definition to black and white imagery.

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Giclée Printing Services

Here at The Artist’s Print Room giclée printing is our speciality. We offer giclée printing services for all artist and photographer requirements. Additionally, we are the only UK based fine art print studio to be certified by the three most prominent paper manufacturers in the industry; Hahnemühle, Canson Infinity and Epson Digigraphie. These three accreditations prove our outstanding quality and enables us to stay at the forefront of new printing technologies and bring you the newest and highest-quality papers.

“Giclée is a digital printing process in which an inkjet printer is used to produce a high-quality art print”

We are a ‘true artist’s giclée printer’, therefore we truly appreciate and understand that your prints must be accurate in reproducing the fine hues and subtle details of your original work. We specialise in high quality substrates and exceptional giclée printing services, regardless of your order quantity, everything is produced to an exceptional standard.

Our Fine Art Printing Process

Artwork Photography: When it comes to art reproductions, the perfect giclée print; starts with perfect capture, get this wrong and your giclée prints will never be right. Our unique style of capture produces exceptionally detailed giclée prints that you can be proud of.

Editing: Colour editing is critical, everyone sees colour differently, apart from you the artist. It’s your work, so why let someone else colour correct this for you. View live soft proofing and print proofs. With us, you are always in charge.

Giclée Printing: Perfect capture and perfect editing, along with perfect ICC colour management means perfect giclée prints time and time again. Printed onto genuine fine art papers or canvases.

Direct Shipping: We can ship direct to almost anywhere in the world, either flat-packed or in postal tubes. All carefully packaged in archival wrapping and sealed ensuring that your prints arrive in perfect condition each and every time.

The Giclée Printing Process

The giclée print process requires four important aspects which are; resolution, inks, archival quality paper/canvas and the printer.

Resolution

Images you see on computer screens are usually at 72ppi (pixels per inch), however, for a Giclée quality print, an image must be at a minimum of 300ppi when an image is being viewed at 60cm or less distance. With a minimum of 300ppi, you are guaranteed the best quality print and ensuring your final image doesn’t appear to be ‘pixelated’.

Ink

Here at The Artist’s Print Room, we only use genuine Epson UltraChrome HDX pigment inks. These particular inks have high density levels of pigment giving you the most accurate of colour reproductions. In addition to this, the genuine Epson inks guarantee longevity when combined with the other aspects involved in the Giclée printing process.

Paper and Canvas

A vital part of the process which can also seem very daunting! With so many options to select from, the most important factor here is the archival qualities of the substrate. A fine art quality paper or canvas needs to be acid free and certified to last for at least 75-100 years. We stock the widest range of Hahnemühle Fine Art papers in the UK and you can find out more about our papers and canvases here.

Printer

A Giclée printer is very different when compared to a standard desktop inkjet printer. Typically to produce a Giclée print the printer requires at least eight different inks. Our Epson SC-P9000 printer provides the most superior quality images and can produce prints up to 44″ wide!

To find out more about our printing services please visit our Giclée Printing page.

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Canson® Infinity Rag Photographique

Canson have been producing fine art papers for artists since 1557 – that’s a long time, so they clearly know what they are doing! Since 2008 they extended their range to include the Canson Infinity brand which is their fine art inkjet paper portfolio. We have an extensive range of Canson Infinity papers and canvases for you to order, giving you a wide and varied choice in substrates including the Canson^® Infinity Rag Photographique.

One of the most popular papers in the Canson Infinity range is the Canson Infinity Rag Photographique 310gsm, used by many of our clients, this paper proves timeless in addition to being a beautiful product to work with.

Canson

Canson has almost half a millennium of history. Due to the traditional mix of paper making and advancements in technology, Canson has remained one of the last pioneers in the manufacturing of photographic paper. Between 1850 and 1880, Canson was seen as a major innovator in the photo paper industry. Leading on from that to the present day, the Canson Infinity range produces exquisite papers for digital inkjet printing. Canson Infinity is the brand name given to Digital Fine Art & Photo range crafted in the Canson mill offering you museum quality fine art papers.

Canson^® Infinity Rag Photographique

Canson Infinity Rag Photographique is a 100% cotton museum grade white fine art and photo paper. The exceptional smooth white tone is achieved during manufacturing by introducing natural minerals to the process. It has been developed to address the need for continued longevity requirements in the Digital Fine Art market. This paper offers a unique and extra smooth surface with an incredible sensual feel to it. It additionally provides one of the highest achievable Dmax currently available on the market, thus making it ideal for fine art photography, artwork reproductions and fine art printmaking.

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Meet The Artist – Victoria Coleman

Happy New Year to everyone, we hope you’re settling in well and had a good start to 2019! We are continuing with our ‘Meet The Artist‘ articles this year. This week we have the talented Victoria Coleman answering some questions for us. How adorable are the dogs?!

When did you first discover your passion for art and painting?

Like most artists I loved loved painting and creating things from an early age and I was fortunate that my parents encouraged this, they even let me paint on the walls of bedroom!

Where do you get your inspiration from and what inspires you?

All sorts of things inspire me, a gallery could come up with a theme or someone could commission me to paint their dog with a great idea, I’m constantly looking for new ideas on social media and the internet or even my own dogs can inspire a collection!

How would you describe your style?

My style is a mix between realistic and illustrative, I used to paint Disney characters and I think that has influenced my style quite a bit.

What makes you different from other artists?

I use Bristol paints which is a water based paint used by scenic artists, I work in layers building up the detail, I also used an air brush to give my work depth.

What do you think is unique selling point?

Humour, just like people animals especially dogs have a sense of humour so I like to inject that into my work occasionally, I like to think my paintings will lift your spirits and make you smile.

What is the most challenging thing for you when it comes to chosen medium?

It’s not so much the medium but more the subject which I find most challenging. I do a lot of portraits so especially when I’m working on a commission it’s vital I capture the likeness and spirit of the subject which sometimes can be very difficult.

What would be your career dream? What project would you love to be able to complete one day?

To have a workshop in the garden, currently I work in the kitchen which can be very frustrating sometimes, I want to be able to spread out and have lots of projects on the go all around me! Ultimately I’d like to paint my own dogs but I never seem to have time, I’m also a little afraid I won’t do them justice!

Did you have another career prior to this? If so, what was it?

A prop maker, it was a great job, I worked in all sorts of fields from costume props for Star Wars and Gladiator to painting Disney sculptures for their flagship stores.

Where would you like to see yourself in 10-15 years’ time?

Still alive! Both my parents died in their 50’s and I’m going to be 50 next year so if I’m still around in 10-15 years’ time I hope I’ll still be creating….in my garden workshop!

What is your typical day like?

I get up at 6am and check my emails and do a bit of social media marketing while having a cup of tea, I also take a moment to watch YouTube videos of other artists and business owners and try to pick up tips on how to expand my knowledge, then I take my dogs for a walk.

After everyone’s had breakfast I’ll get on with either wrapping any bought work or listing work online in my shops or photographing work to be listed. Then I need to get on with whatever artwork I have on the go, I like to be painting/ sculpting by 11 o’clock at the latest.

I love listening to crime thriller audio books when I work, the narrator Jeff Harding really gets me in the mood to paint!

After lunch I’ll carry on painting or sculpting till tea time, my lovely neighbour takes my dogs for their afternoon stroll which really helps me focus and get in the zone..

We’ve recently adopted a kitten so there’s a queue for dinner around 6pm so I’ll feed the dogs and cat then do a little more work until about 7-7.30. Then I’ll have my dinner, I might do a bit more marketing in the evening if I get a chance.

What do you love the most about your job and what do you hate the most?

I’m happiest when I’m creating, I love the processes and the freedom to paint whatever I want and I hate never having enough time, being a small business owner means having to do everything yourself so I’m constantly having to learn new things which takes up a lot of time.

How do you relax after a long day?

In the evening I like to sit on the floor with a glass of wine and watch Midsummer Murders or Vera or Netflix while playing with the dogs…..lovely!

Well, we certainly believe Victoria’s paintings lift our spirits and make us smile! To view more of Victoria’s work you can visit her website, Facebook page, Instagram or Twitter accounts.

Meet the Artist – Tat Effby

In our most recent blog article series, Meet the Artist, we have spoken to hilarious cartoonist and illustrator; Tat Effby. She had us in stitches with some of her responses!

When did you first discover your passion for art and drawing?

I’ve always been a doodler but I didn’t fully commit to being a cartoonist and illustrator until about 5 years ago.

Where do you get your inspiration from and what inspires you?

Inspiration for my cartoons comes from anything, anywhere and anyone – so just be careful what you say when I’m in ear shot because you might find yourself immortalised in a badly drawn joke.

How would you describe your style?

Inconsistent but amusingly so.

What makes you different from other watercolour artists?

I’m not as good as them.

What is the most challenging thing for you when it comes to painting?

I’ve been known to spend a whole afternoon drawing a hand. And I find cats to be indescribably difficult to capture to my satisfaction.

What would be your career dream? What project would you love to be able to do/complete?

I’m doing my dream job as a cartoonist and illustrator so I just want to keep on going, keep improving and keep trying to be funny.

Did you have another career prior to this? If so, what was it?

I was an Advertising Copywriter and I came up with ideas and headlines for advertising campaigns, our office was kinda like Mad Men but with a West Midlands accent. It’s one of the most fun jobs you can have even if you weren’t allowed to do puns. But I’ve been making up for that over the last few years.

Where would you like to see yourself in 10-15 years’ time?

In 10-15 years time I’d love to see myself in the mirror, wrinkle-free, but I doubt that’s going to happen.

What is your typical day like?

Lots of coffee, a run, then lots more coffee at my desk drawing. Most days are this pattern, unless I’m picking up prints from The Artists’ Print Room, in which case I get to have a lovely jaunt to countryside.

What do you love the most about your job and what do you hate the most?

I love working from home, working for myself, getting paid to draw daft things and laughing at my own jokes. I hate hands, but I can always put them in pockets if they’re proving too difficult to draw.

How do you relax after a long day?

I like to bake a cake and eat a lot, if not all, of it.

You can find out more about Tat and her work on the following;

Instagram : @tat_effby

Twitter: @tat_effby

Twitter: @RTBinshrewsbury

Facebook: @aloadoftat

Facebook: @roundthebendinshrewsbury

Website: tat-effby.com

Meet the Artist – Kathy Little

In our latest Meet the Artist blog article, we speak to Kathy Little. Kathy graduated from the Royal College of Art and her paintings reflect a continued interest in capturing and expressing the innate qualities in the landscape.

When did you first discover your passion for art and painting?

When I completed a three year degree in Fine Art followed by a three year post graduate course.

Where do you get your inspiration from and what inspires you?

I am inspired by both natural and manmade landscapes and I am interested in how they alter and reshape over the passing of time,

How would you describe your style?

I am influenced by a colour combination, a surface texture or an unusual composition or shape and make mixed media abstract paintings to reflect this interest. I use a process of layering and subtracting to invent new compositions and I do not have a fixed image in mind when I start but prefer to let the imagery develop in an intuitive and experimental way.

What makes you different from other artists?

Vibrant colours combined with neutral tones, a mix of mediums and an individual and personal visual mark making language.

What is the most challenging thing for you when it comes to painting?

For every one painting that I’m happy with, there are probably four that I’m not . Im rarely happy with a piece, so I keep working until I feel it’s done.

What would be your career dream? What project would you love to be able to do or complete?

Collaborating with outside agencies.

Did you have another career prior to this? If so, what was it?

Teaching in art schools.

Where would you like to see yourself in 10-15 years’ time?

Continuing to paint and exhibit my work.

What is your typical day like?

I like to start the day early and don’t have far to travel as I work from my studio in the garden. I have radio 4 on continually for company. Day to day tasks include keeping my website updated, emailing, keeping up to date with the contemporary art world and reading blogs and art and design magazines.

What do you love the most about your job and what do you hate the most?

I enjoy the challenge of constantly moving forward with my painting and sharing this experience with other like minded individuals.

How do you relax after a long day?

Cooking and sharing a meal with family and friends.

You can view more of Kathy’s work on her website or on Instagram.

You can purchase Kathy’s Prints and Originals from her Etsy shop.

Meet the Artist – An Interview with Nicky Thompson

We’ve decided to ask some of our clients a few questions, we love learning more about what and how artists are inspired. Here in our first blog post, we’ve spoken to artist Nicky Thompson.

Nicky Thompson - The Artist's Print Room — Nicky Thompson

When did you first discover your passion for art and painting/drawing/photography?

By drawing with my mum as a child, my early works were mostly bad copies of Roy of The Rovers comics.

Where do you get your inspiration from and what inspires you?

Nature and the work of artists and illustrators I greatly admire. I especially like Singer Sargent, Barbara Hepworth, Peter Firmin, Charles Tunnicliffe, Frank Henry Mason and Ken Paine.

How would you describe your style?

I have a few styles (being mostly a commercial illustrator)…I am probably best known for my 1930’s inspired travel posters, although I love portraits (pastel/charcoal) and botanical work.

What makes you different from other artists?

Virgin Visual, Nicky Thompson - The Artist's Print Room — Virgin Trains, Nicky Thompson

I tend to have a direct style. I think this comes from my background as a commercial illustrator/designer…I like images that work viscerally. I enjoy pushing the boundaries between fine art and commercial illustration. Illustration seems to be enjoying a renaissance at the moment, with people purchasing illustration as fine art print. It’s all very exciting.

What is the most challenging thing for you when it comes to your art?

Commercial work is difficult because you need to marry your intuition and instinct with the expectations of a client (and often the voices behind the client).

What would be your career dream? What project would you love to be able to do?

I think to leave behind a body of work that transcends the commercial requirements of a brief. I think of Charles Tunnicliffe and how those Ladybird Book illustrations did so much more than keep his client happy. They inspired awe in generations of children. That is a wonderful thing.

Did you have another career prior to this? If so, what was it?

I briefly flirted with the idea of being footballer! However, two left feet swiftly ended this dream…I started art school at 16 and have been doing it since.

Where would you like to see yourself in 10-15 years’ time?

Cheshire Life, Nicky Thompson - The Artist's Print Room — Cheshire Life, Nicky Thompson

Still drawing and creating pictures. It’s what makes me happy.

What is your typical day like?

I’m not sure I have a typical day! Tomorrow looks like this…coffee at home, drive to Chester University to deliver two-hour lecture. then a meeting afterwards with course leader. Drive to my studio, eat a sandwich in the car. Work in the afternoon (three projects need attention tomorrow). Finish work at 6pm, play racketball. Shower. Home, cook tea (maybe with a glass of wine). Read for an hour (The Magpie Murders). Watch a sit-com (Early Doors). Then sleep.

What do you love the most about your job and what do you hate the most?

I love drawing. My day feels exactly the same as doing art at school…but all day, which is brilliant. I never take for granted how lucky I am. I don’t hate anything, although admin and invoicing is never a daily highlight.

How do you relax after a long day?

Playing racketball, cooking dinner, glass of wine and reading.

To see more of Nicky’s work you can follow him on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Paper in focus – Gloss Fine Art Papers

So, here we will run through the gloss fine art papers we offer in addition to the textured and smooth fine art papers previously looked at.

Gloss Fine Art Papers

Canson^® Infinity Platine Fibre Rag

Hahnemühle PhotoRag Satin

Hahnemühle FineArt Pearl

Hahnemühle PhotoRag Baryta

Remember, if you would like any further guidance on any of the papers we offer, you can book a free introductory meeting. We will be able to provide samples of each of our papers for you to take a closer look at. The offer of tea or coffee is still there too!

Paper in focus – Textured Fine Art Papers

With so many paper options to choose from, it can always be a difficult decision of which to go for. Here we are going to look at and give you a run down of the textured fine art papers we offer.

Textured Fine Art Papers

When paper is produced in the paper mill, textured fine art papers are created with a much more coarse felt, this then produces the texture on the finished product. The surface of these papers can then highlight any texture within your image, whether that be photography or an art reproduction. These papers tend to more closely represent traditional watercolour papers with a pleasant feel adding more tactile qualities to your work.

Hahnemühle Museum Etching

Museum Etching - The Artist's Print Room — ©Hahnemühle Museum Etching

This paper is mould-made and 100% cotton with a natural white colour. The etching paper features a distinct textured surface which gives a special touch, feeling like a genuine artists paper. A heavy 350gsm fine art paper which meets the highest industry standards and producing excellent colour sharpness. Due to it’s very beautiful texture, it is similar to traditional etching papers and is a great option when reproducing these prints.

Hahnemühle William Turner

The William Turner paper from Hahnemühle is heavily textured albeit a much finer texture when compared to the Museum Etching paper. A 310gm mould-made paper, again similar to the Museum Etching as it is 100% cotton. The William Turner has a natural white colour and is ideal for reproductions of traditional artworks and expressive photography reproductions. The paper also offers a water resistant coating.

Canson Infinity Arches Aquarelle Rag

This 310gsm textured paper from Canson contains no optical brighteners. Again a mould-made paper which is 100% cotton and a natural white colour. A traditional watercolour paper with a unique surface texture and an inkjet coating. Canson Infinity Aquarelle Rag gives a unique and unrivalled character to the fine art reproduction of traditional artwork and photographs.

St Cuthberts Mill Somerset Velvet Enhanced White

somerset-velvet-surface - The Artist's Print Room — ©Somerset Velvet Enhanced

Once again, a 100% cotton paper, however, this time from the St Cuthberts paper mill. A 330gsm paper with a velvet, textured surface. The texture of this paper will lift images, giving them a beautifully elegant fine art feel and ideal for both artists and photographers alike.

If you would like further guidance on any of the papers we offer, you can book a free introductory meeting. We will be able to provide samples of each of our papers for you to take a closer look at. We will even supply the tea and coffee!

Gloss Fine Art Papers

Canson® Infinity Platine Fibre Rag

Hahnemühle PhotoRag Satin

Hahnemühle FineArt Pearl

Hahnemühle PhotoRag Baryta

ILFORD Gold Fibre Silk

Smooth Fine Art Papers

Hahnemühle Bamboo

Canson® Infinity Rag Photographique 310gsm

Hahnemühle Photo Rag Bright White

Our Fine Art Printing Process

The Giclée Printing Process

Resolution

Ink

Paper and Canvas

Printer

Canson

Canson® Infinity Rag Photographique

Gloss Fine Art Papers

Canson® Infinity Platine Fibre Rag

Hahnemühle PhotoRag Satin

Hahnemühle FineArt Pearl

Hahnemühle PhotoRag Baryta

Textured Fine Art Papers

Hahnemühle Museum Etching

Hahnemühle William Turner

Canson Infinity Arches Aquarelle Rag

St Cuthberts Mill Somerset Velvet Enhanced White

Canson^® Infinity Platine Fibre Rag

Canson^® Infinity Rag Photographique 310gsm

Canson^® Infinity Rag Photographique

Canson^® Infinity Platine Fibre Rag