Now if you follow us on Instagram, you would have seen our latest competition which is also now open on Facebook!
We are giving you the opportunity to win 4 x A4 prints on Canson Infinity Rag Photographique 310gsm. This stunning paper 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.
How to enter
To enter our competition, all you need to do is share with us the image you would like printed. Just make sure you use the hashtag #TAPRWin when sharing your image on Instagram so we can see your lovely work! Alternatively, share your image on Facebook in our post comments! Then once shared, head over to our competition page to enter your details and register your entry. This competition is running from the 5th April 2019 through to the 28th April 2019 on Instagram and 13th April to the 28th on Facebook. We will select the lucky winners (one from Instagram and one from Facebook), at random, on the 29th April at 7pm! We will be in contact with the lucky winner to arrange printing of your image and shipping will be included too!
Full terms and conditions can be found on our competition page but if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us and we can help.
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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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Questions regularly crop up surrounding signing fine art prints, therefore, we have put some tips together for you to help explain the most common practices in the industry.
The Importance
Firstly, the most important thing to remember is, it’s really down to you! You’re the artist, it’s your work that you have spent time creating. Signing your print can generally increase the sales price, this Huffington Post article from 2011 suggests the value can be increased by at least two times. Additionally, your work is something to be proud of and you should therefore put your name to the piece and claim your rights as the artist.
Signing should be an automatic part of the production process and should be one of the first things you do once receiving your prints (after unwrapping the packaging, of course!) Also, by signing your prints, you are giving your approval of the work.
Signing The Print
Traditionally, prints are signed at the bottom, in the margin, as follows;
The left hand corner details the edition number and edition size (if applicable). For example, edition number 4 of 50 would read as 4/50.
In the middle, you would add the title. Again, this is only if applicable. Not all artists title their artwork.
The right hand side is where the most important thing comes; the signature. Your signature is your brand, be creative and distinctive. We would highly suggest not using your day to day signature that you use for things such as banking. For creative inspiration, take a look at this list of artist signatures.
Make sure to your sign within the width of your print area and stay away from the edges of your border, otherwise your framer may be forced to mount over or cut away your signature during the framing process.
This general guide and industry standard can be seen in both artwork reproductions and fine art photography prints.
Tools For The Job
When is comes to which implement to sign with, we would suggest using a pencil on matt papers such as the Hahnemühle Museum Etching.Here at The Artist’s Print Room, we always recommend a mechanical pencil such as a Pentel P209with a 2B lead. However, for other papers with a gloss coating such as the Canson Infinity Platine Fibre Rag, do not sign with a regular ball point pen or maker pen! It’s vital to use a pen which is archival and acid free. One excellent choice would be the Sakura Pigma Pens. Using such pens will ensure the ink doesn’t fade or discolour subsequently affecting your print.
As an alternative or even as an addition to hand signing, you could emboss your print to add a really special extra touch.
Certificates of Authenticity
To supplement your signed print, why not compliment it with a Certificate of Authenticity? Find our more in our previous blog post.
Why not sign up to our mailing list to keep up to date with news and products at The Artist’s Print Room – just complete the form below.
As an artist, it’s most likely that you need to have an element of image capture in your work processes in order to be able to reproduce your artwork. Accurate image capture is something that should never be underestimated. It’s important to remember that your finished print will only ever be as good as the digital file; the scan or photograph of your original piece.
Image Capture
To capture all the beautiful hues and fine detail in your original, the most important thing is that you have an inital high resolution digital file. Using our vast experience, understanding and specialist equipment, we can capture the subtle hues, fine details and brush strokes in your original artwork through the process of artwork photography. Meticulous handling and understanding is required as it is extremely important that any fine details are not missed as these will subsequently be missing from your final fine art giclée print. Image files can be obtained through scanning your work or alternatively through photography. This process can be very difficult to undertake at home due to the extensive equipment required.
File Size
Here at The Artist’s Print Room, the final file of each piece of artwork we photograph is a massive two-times the size of the original piece. With the incredibly large file size it ensures that there is a high-colour depth, all intricate details included, full tonal range and perfect accuracy. For example, a typical 16” x 12” original piece will produce an image file of 160mp and a immense 900mb (16bit) at 300dpi. Consequently, this will then produce a final giclée print of 36” x 24” at 300dpi without any additional enlargement or distortion.
Specialist Set Up
Some artworks can be particularly difficult to photography, for example dark oil paintings or paintings with a vast amount of texture, however, our specialist set up allows us to control lighting, ensuring we are not capturing any glare which could distort the final print.
To find out more about our Artwork Reproduction Services please take a look at our dedicated page or alternatively, contact us for more information or any questions you may have.
As an artist or photographer, there is always the option of taking any printing requirements you have in house and completing this process yourself. This can be a daunting experience and often you’re left wondering, where to start? However, why not let that hassle be taken away? Of course, we believe you should use a fine art printer for your work whether you’re a photographer or an artist, but here are 6 reasons why we truly believe this is the best and most convenient way of producing your art.
1. Real, honest and bespoke advice
We see thousands of pieces of artwork and photography every single year, therefore we believe we are in the best place to give you honest and truthful advice when you need it. Experience and knowledge comes from our involvement over the years. We can assist in colour correction and advise on how it is best to print your artwork or photography.
2. Knowledge and understanding of colour and workflow processes
Printing is our day job! Why waste time having to solve the problems yourself? We’ve probably encountered the issue before so can generally have a quick fix with any technological problems. Spending time on understanding printers and colour calibration is not what you really want to be doing. Giving you more time to create your beautiful artwork. Also, we are the only print studio in the UK to be certified by the three biggest paper manufacturers; Hahnemühle FineArt, Canson Infinity and Epson Digigraphie consequently proving our expertise in the industry.
3. Options – and lots of them!
Why spend a fortune on purchasing different types of paper? You may want to use different papers for your different subjects; which can be an expensive overhead. We have an extensive variety in stock at all times so we guarantee you will be able to find the perfect paper for your print when ordering with us. Also, if you need advice or guidance on selecting the best substrate for your print, just ask! We will always be more than happy to help. We use the best quality materials and inks and the cost savings of this are passed on to you. Additionally, it’s unlikely for most people to invest in printers that can produce fine art prints much bigger than A3, therefore by using a fine art printing you are not limited in your print size. Our printers here at The Artist’s Print Room go up to 44″ wide!
4. Technical knowledge
Sometimes, printing isn’t a straight forward process. We’ve all had the dreaded paper jam! But imagine that with heavenly but expensive fine art paper – we take care of all those pesky handling issues that you could encounter when printing at home. In addition to this, we are meticulous about colour and calibration – ensuring that our systems are working accurately. This is a time consuming process which we take care of. Our business is print, therefore we aim to always stay ahead of trends and new technologies.
5. Care and understanding
Our passion is stunning art and photography, therefore, we understand how important it is to get the final print perfect every time. We care greatly that you will be more than satisfied with the finished product and endeavour to spend as much time as it takes to get each print right, every single time. You may be able to produce prints at home, but sometimes you can’t get them just quite right. Again, this is where we can assist in taking that pressure off you.
6. Ease and convenience
Probably one of the biggest benefits! When using a fine art printer, we can do everything for you. You can purchase a stunning mounted or framed print from us. This ensures your final piece is ready to hang as soon as it’s delivered to you. Our simple online ordering form allows you to work through all the printing options we have in an easy step-by-step process. Therefore, once your print has been ordered, you can sit back and relax until it arrives!
Overall, not only are you purchasing a final print from us, you’re investing in many years of our expertise and experience. So overall, there are our top 6 reasons why we believe you should use a fine art printer for both your art reproductions and photography printing requirements. What other struggles do you see in printing your own work at home? Let us know and we would love to be able to show you how we can help!
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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 otherartists?
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?
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 mywebsite 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.
In our latest blog article featuring our clients, we’ve spoken to freelance illustrator, Richard Smythe. We love Richard’s adorable drawings, in particular his dancing squirrels (which you can view on his website!)
When did you first discover your passion for illustration?
From a very young age I enjoyed to draw and create things. Eventually I realised art and design came more naturally to me than other subjects at school. I remember first being commended on a drawing I did at primary school. Probably the only time I was ever praised for school work, however!
Where do you get your inspiration from and what inspires you?
Inspiration for my illustration work comes from many sources. Usually just everyday life. Whenever I see something funny or an unusual circumstance.
Quite loose and naive, but representational enough for young children to understand and recognise.
What makes you different from other illustrators?
It’s hard to say but it’s probably more down to how I interpret the subject matter in the author’s manuscript. Each illustrator comes at a project differently based on their own experiences I think.
What is the most challenging thing for you when it comes to illustrating picture books?
Meeting a deadline. I normally schedule my time on a project before I start, but other things beyond my control get in the way which inevitably delay the project. If the picture book requires me to draw something unusual or complicated then this requires extra study or experimenting, which all has to be done under the time constraints of the deadline.
What would be your career dream? What project would you love to be able to do/complete?
I honestly don’t know. I really just love what I am fortunate enough to be doing now, which is illustrating picture books for kids. I suppose it would be nice to work on some of my own stories at some stage as I always have lots of ideas.
Did you have another career prior to this? If so, what was it?
I had a lot of other nondescript jobs to make ends meet before I was able to make a living as an illustrator. I worked with young adults with physical and mental disabilities for the longest time though.
Where would you like to see yourself in 10-15 years’ time?
To carry on with what I’m doing and perhaps to have had a few more awards under my belt would be lovely.
What is your typical day like?
Very long. I get up around 6am and finish up about 6pm. I split my time between client work and personal development. As well as exercise and dog walking!
What do you love the most about your job and what do you hate the most?
I think the most enjoyable part is creating something out of nothing. The opportunity to interpret an author’s story is a great privilege to me. Picture books (if they’re good ones) can be passed down from generation to generation of kids, being cherished and loved forever. That’s a great thing to be part of. I suppose the main thing I dislike is not being paid on time, which can happen unfortunately.
How do you relax after a long day?
I like to read and do exercise, and just hang about with my family.
You can find out more about Richard’s work on his website or through his social media accounts; Instagram and Twitter.
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
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 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
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.
In our latest 
