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!
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.
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’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.
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.
We are off on a trip! After meeting with Hahnemühle back in March at The Photography Show, we have been invited to visit the paper mill over in Dassel, Germany. We will be meeting with Henrik Bernander the Global Sales Director of Hahnemühle.
We are looking forward to our trip which is coming up in July and we are currently putting a list of questions together to ask about the paper production process and the variety of fine art papers that Hahnemühle offer. However, we would like to open this up to you too…..
Do you have any questions you would like answers to? Please send us any burning questions you may have for Hahnemühle and we will be more than happy to ask them on your behalf! Just submit your questions below.
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.
The perfect gift either for someone else, or even a treat for yourself and your home! Fine art canvas wraps are incredibly popular due to their durability and will make a wonderful addition to any home.
Canvas wraps are an incredibly popular, elegant and versatile option for displaying your images as an alternative to traditional framing techniques. Fine art canvas wraps from The Artist’s Print Room involve printing your image directly onto either the Hahnemühle Daguerre or Canson Infinity Museum Pro Canvas both of premium quality and ensuring archival qualities. Both of these canvas options have a stunning matte finish and provide an incredible image sharpness, really highlighting the colours in your print.
The canvas print is then stretched and hand wrapped precisely around wooden bars to give a taught finish. Due to the drying process of the prints, dispatch time for canvas wraps is between 7 and 10 days.
As your image is wrapped around the bars, you have various options for the sides, you can go for one solid colour, black, white or any other colour you select! Alternatively, there is the option of having your image covering the sides, select which option you would prefer through our online ordering system. You can also select from landscape, portrait or square prints, giving you so many options to may your canvas wrap truly unique. You can find more about our fine art canvas wraps and pricing here.
The best bit, all fine art canvas wraps ordered from us are ready to hang with fixings already attached to the back bar meaning you haven’t got to worry about this! This allows your print to hang flush to the wall as soon as it’s delivered and unpacked!
For further information or any questions on our fine art canvas wraps, please feel free to contact us.
When using a small business and their services, sometimes it’s nice to get to know more about the business and who is behind it all! Therefore, we’ve given Mark a few questions so everyone can get to know him and The Artist’s Print Room a little better!
What inspired you to set up The Artist’s Print Room?
My wife, Helen, had been trying to get her work copied and printed. She had worked with local printers and national printers, each having there own problems in capturing and reproducing her work.
Helen, couldn’t get printers to reproduce the artwork consistently, even during a print run, there would be variations. On returning from work, I found a very large crate on the door step, Helen, appeared out of the front door and said “I’m going to print my own work” and so, the rest they say, is history!
What were you doing previous to The Artist’s Print Room?
My core is I’m a fault diagnostics engineer, and for 10 years, I’d set up and run my own successful engineering business. In 2016, I left engineering behind to study my passion which was photography. As a young man, photography was not a trade. My Father had told me to get a real job in engineering, and that’s the route I took. Life, had sprung me an opportunity, and I realised I could choose my own destiny. After a few years I got the opportunity to work with a great Chef, that changed my world, I was now working in food photography. With social media now playing a greater hand, work, was not as profitable as before, therefore Helen, buying a printer came at the right time for me.
Where would you like to see The Artist’s Print Room in the next 10-15 years?
I’d like to see steady growth, not just financially, but in the reach and breath and variety of types of work my clients produce. We already have hundreds of artists and photographers from across Europe and the UK. I really hope Brexit doesn’t hamper this growth.
What is your typical day like?
A typical day starts at 6am, my morning coffee, computers, printers turned on and then a quick nozzle check. Setting up the packing bench and packaging all the prints ready to take to the post office, ideally I like to get this done before 9.30am. At 10am, my first client arrives, this could be an introductory meeting, collection, or colour editing session – it varies day to day! I typically see 4/5 clients per day. Then at around 5pm I start printing the days orders, this sometimes takes me through to midnight to complete. On days where a large order has to be printed or artwork photography has to be done, I will not meet with clients. Telephone enquires take up a large proportion of my day, A typical enquiry can last for 20 or so minutes.
What do you think makes TAPR different from other fine art printers?
Communication, as many people know, I can talk for Britain! But I spend great deal of my time listening and understanding my clients wants and needs, then explaining in plain English, what we can do and what is achievable. Communication to me is the most important factor for success with The Artist’s Print Room.
What do you find most enjoyable with The Artist’s Print Room?
Meeting and chatting to my clients, Listening to their problems, it’s important to me to allow my clients to talk freely, to express their thoughts and concerns. The ability to listen and understand is a powerful thing, an art of communication that has gotten lost in this digital age of social media and email.
What’s the one thing you would like everyone to know and understand about printing?
Image file quality is king! Although we have great software that can repair or alter and enlarge poor files, the basis is its still a poor image file. Start with a high resolution ultra sharp capture and the prints will be ultra sharp and have perfect colour.
What motivates you?
Development! As an engineer, (yes, I still see myself as an engineer first, it’s a way of thinking), I was always moving forward, make it better, faster, stronger and more efficient. Constant learning, constant development, constant research into new practices, new papers, new techniques, better understanding of colour management. Development, what can be done, I do NOT believe in the impossible.
What has been the most satisfying moment for you and The Artist’s Print Room?
Getting the Hahnemühle Certified Studio in 2017, that took me over two years of persistence. For whatever reason there were constant changing goalposts and seeing other companies certified that didn’t stock Hahnemühle papers kept me focused on achieving this. As always, I never gave in, I just dug my heels in, and drove forward. I never believed for a second that I wouldn’t achieve it at some point.
How do you relax after a long day at work?
Murder! I have a love of murder mysteries, it started with Columbo as a child, now it’s CSI, Criminal Minds or Dexter. But don’t worry, to calm my murderous thoughts, I love the outdoors, walking, climbing, just being away from everything that is man made or technological, sitting at the top of Hellvelyn in the Lake District or Tryfan in Snowdonia, on a snow capped morning, that’s where I’m at my absolute happiest.
Finally, if you had a magic wand, what three things would you like to change about the industry?
1. I would love a clear definition for Limited Editions to be in Law, nearly everybody I speak to in the industry gets this wrong.
2. Ban the sale of consumer printers, I get hundreds of calls from people who buy these machines, and then want advice from me on how to get their prints correct.
3. Ban the sale of cheap art at places like Ikea, Dunelm, B&Q, this cheap art stops professional artists and photographers from being able to sell their work at good prices that represent the work and time that goes into them.
Thank you to Mark for answering all the questions! Is there anything though that you would like to know about Mark or The Artist’s Print Room? Why not send your questions to us via Facebook!
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, we will look at the satin/gloss papers in a future post.
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!
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.
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’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.
Don’t forget, 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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Overall the ArtSure scheme differs from the print studio schemes mentioned above, however, it does work with great synergy alongside these.
The ArtSure scheme is designed to give you piece of mind even before the printing has even begun with quality papers and inks. Sadly, poor quality prints are easily produced, to the untrained eye these can be difficult to distinguish between when compared to genuine fine art prints. Therefore, the scheme approves papers and inks to add an additional level of assurance and to ensure only the highest quality products are producing the highest quality prints both for photography and art reproductions. Papers from different paper mills are tested externally for archivability. For example, pH levels of papers that are approved by the scheme are required to be between 7 and 9 for optimum longevity, additionally the paper has to be a minimum of 250gsm. For inks to be approved as part of the ArtSure scheme, they are required to score at least a six on the Blue Wool scale or an equivalent certification. Additionally, there is also a list of approved printers, of which The Artist’s Print Room Epson Sure Color SC-P9000 is listed. You can find a full list of ArtSure approved materials and equipment here. Only prints produced according to the standards set by ArtSure and The Fine Art Trade Guild can use the ArtSure logo, whether this be on the corresponding certificate of authenticity or within the border of the print itself.
The Artist’s Print Room can offer assurance, security and provenance during each and every stage. The Artist’s Print Room is the only studio in the UK to have all these outstanding achievements of both certified laboratories and ArtSure membership.
Did you know that we are one of only five Epson Digigraphie® Certified Laboratories here in the UK and additionally the only one in the West Midlands!
The Epson Digigraphie® accreditation was officially set up in November 2003 and since then a network of printing laboratories, dealers and artists have been established, of which we are proud to be a part of.
But what does this mean for you?
By being one of the Epson Digigraphie® Certified Laboratories, you are guaranteed the best quality prints. Furthermore, our printing equipment complies with the technical terms set by Digigraphie® and we have been certified to print with the Digigraphie® label. This all ensures added value to your final fine art prints. As part of our certification we have to undertake rigorous monthly quality control checks ensuring our work is always completed to an exceptionally high standard.
What is involved in Epson Digigraphie® Certified Laboratories?
We have to comply to stringent technical commitments, which include;
Using an Epson Surecolor SC-P9000 or Epson Stylus Pro Professional printer;
Epson Ultra Chrome or Ultra Chrome HD or Ultra Chrome K3 inks,
Certified paper; and
Each print is required to be authenticated, numbered and signed.
Digigraphie® Embossing – The Artist’s Print Room
The following papers that we offer are Digigraphie® accredited:
Hahnemühle Museum Etching, Hahnemühle Photo Rag Bright White, Hahnemühle William Turner, Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta, Hahnemühle Photo Rag Satin and Canson Aquarelle Rag 310.
Prints will be finished with an Epson Digigraphie® embossing.
Additionally as an artist, you can register with Epson Digigraphie® and benefit from more visibility through an online gallery. Find out more about the scheme through the Epson Digigraphie® website. Alternatively, please feel free to contact us to discuss your specific requirements.
The best bit, all fine art canvas wraps ordered from us are ready to hang with fixings already attached to the back bar meaning you haven’t got to worry about this! This allows your print to hang flush to the wall as soon as it’s delivered and unpacked!
