These days, many people are starting to purchase artwork prints because they are great things to decorate a house. But every artist needs to know how to make art prints properly. It’s not as difficult as you might think, and this blog post is going to teach you all the tips and tricks about how to make art prints!
Making art prints & selling artwork is something that every artist aspires to do. Some of the artist’s personal works will be kept as family heirlooms, but others may be created with the intention to sell.
However, let’s be honest: all art is subjective. An artist’s work reflects his or her personality. Nevertheless, some artists are unable to “let go” of their work when they sell it to another party. An artist who has poured their heart and soul into a piece of work will never fix its price. So every artist expects to copyright their artwork before selling.
However, sharing your work and making money from it does not mean you have to give up your work. You can sell prints instead of the original.
Many artists aren’t able to take part in the printing industry because it is so large. In the past, you needed to go to a print shop to get your prints made, distributed, and sold. There is also an option for purchasing and reselling prints, although this proved to be impractical on a large scale. If you want to maximize your profits, you should consider printing and selling your own artwork.
Making Art Prints- What you Need to Know?
When it comes to making your own prints, there can be many obstacles to overcome. First, you need to decide what kind of prints you want to offer to your customers. It is critical to match the colors of the original artwork (if it is a traditional piece) for effective reproduction. I always eyeball this to the best of my ability, but you can buy expensive tools to do this for you.
Printed images may appear different on different paper types with different brightness levels, textures, and finishes. Test prints make it easier to gauge how your artwork will appear on various substrates, so it’s a good idea to order a sample pack.
Additionally, you need to be aware of your software settings. The prints I send through Photoshop must have the correct settings for the size and type of paper. I also have to ensure that I have selected the proper effects, such as Rendering Intent, which directly affects how colors look on paper.
Things You Will Need:
- The first thing you’ll need is your artwork!
- You need to take a high quality picture of your original artwork.
- Then, you’ll have to figure out how to make your prints.
Steps to Make Prints of Your Art
A print is like an image. It is made on one surface and then put onto another. This means that it can be reproduced many times. There have been a lot of ways people have tried to engrave things. It’s not always the same.
In this article on how to make art prints, it would be impossible to mention all of the different processes currently in use. Therefore, we have put together a collection of the most common for you to get an idea of what to expect:
1. Photographing Your Artwork
A decent print requires a good photograph. It is essential to take photography of artwork at a high resolution in order to produce a high-quality print. An art print’s image file should have a resolution of closer to 300 DPI than most digital images, which are 72 DPI. Printing more color dots in a smaller space will result in a more detailed final image.
Your work can be photographed at home, with a camera, or even a smartphone. Having your artwork captured by a professional will ensure its accuracy and resolution. A drum scanner can also be used to capture your artwork.
Choosing between scanning and photographing:
What’s the best way to proceed? Can you tell me if the results of these two tests differ? In fact, they differ quite a bit. We recommend photographing your drawing when you’re processing it. The photocopied look that would result from scanning makes editing very difficult. It is better to scan colored pieces since improper lighting won’t affect color correction.
When determining if the work can be scanned, we consider it colored, if the scanner can handle it, and if it will not produce any harm when it is laid down. In addition to allowing us to input the precise resolution we need, scanning also produces digital images that sometimes are clear and sharp. Does the scanner accept items that do not fit inside? What about the ones that don’t seem crisp and clear? Photographs are taken at that time. If you’re going to take this route, we recommend that you invest in a sturdy tripod to avoid image blurring. Also, natural, indirect lighting works well, but you will need good lighting equipment as well.
2. Choose Acid-Free Paper
Paper is an essential component of high-quality prints.
Since acid-free paper resists fading from sunlight, it is ideal for art prints. Color-based inks will visually enhance your art prints and last a lifetime.
The decision between matte and glossy paper is purely personal. For fine-detail printing, gloss paper is preferable over matte. There’s also matte and semi-gloss paper to choose from.
3. Printing Artwork
You have a variety of options when printing your art. Your patrons will expect quality, and you will want to meet their expectations. That’s why your prints must meet industry standards.
Giclée Print
Providing Giclée prints is the best approach for making art prints. In printing, giclée (pronounced zhee-clay) assures a high level of permanence and quality. Furthermore, it is a very faithful reproduction of the original artwork.. The technique is relatively new, having been developed in the 1990s. Digital files are used to create a giclée, which allows artists to make their works digitally. Ink is exclusively used on a large format professional printer that uses eight to twelve colors (home printers only use three).
They produce deep contrast, vivid colors, and the highest resolution using one million microscopic drops of ink per second. These printers are the only ones that produce giclées. Giclée is valuable in that it lasts for more than 100 years if printed on high-quality paper with pigment-based inks.
Serigraphy Print
It was screen printing that was the most popular method of printing in China during the Song Dynasty. Stencils are needed for this process. Silkscreens were originally woven from silk, but nowadays, they are woven from polyester or nylon. It is then coated with ground pigment and stenciled over the mesh. But what is it exactly that it does?
The ink goes through the paper that is not covered by the stencil. A new stencil or screen is used for each color. An array of colors and textures create the final silkscreen, resulting in a fascinating repetition of images.
Lithography Print
A lithographic process, invented in 1796, is regarded as one of the leading artistic printmaking techniques. Using oil-based inks, the artist enhances a drawing on a metal plate or stone so that it can be printed as a printed version. The rest of the parts are made of water since the ink is repellent. This impression is then created by pressing the plate against the paper. Lithographies can usually be made from only one plate. If an edition is limited and the quality of the lithograph is outstanding, then the work is of significant worth.
Digital printing
Printing by digital means is one of the most popular methods of artistic expression. This technique involves directly transferring images from digital sources to media such as paper or canvas. Inkjet or laser printers are often used for this task.
Printing Through a Print Company
Considering there is a barrier to entry into the printing business, you might consider having a print company make Giclée prints for you. Printing your work can be costly, but it is sometimes worth the expense. Make sure your prints can be sold before hiring a print shop. The quality of the prints will be reliable when you know you will sell them.
4. Framing Artwork
The sale of unframed prints is acceptable. These prints keep shipping costs low and give customers the option of choosing their own frames.
In most cases, you can have a print framed at your local framer if you bring it to him. Framing is a more complex process than most people think. However, you can do it yourself. Nowadays, there are several options to frame the artwork.
Different Types of Printers
We should also talk a bit about printers now that we are ready to print. In general, printers can be classified in a variety of ways. However, you might want to inspect the ink used. Inks based on pigments and dyes are available. The idea is to use a pigment-based system since these pixels don’t fade quickly. If you care for your prints properly, they’ll last a long time. You have to keep in mind that these printers are also not cheap, so be sure to read reviews and do your research before making a decision. The printing process also takes longer. In many instances, processing 50 batches might take a few hours.
What Paper Should Use?
You should shop for paper after you choose your printer. A semi-gloss, archival-grade paper is what we enjoy using; however, this depends on the piece. The details are hard to see on matte paper, while the glossy paper is better for some things. During proofing, it is best to play around with different types of papers. In order to make a giclée printout of your work look like a fine art piece, pigment-based printing must be combined with archival paper.
FAQ
How do I turn my artwork into prints?
Creating a digital file of your artwork requires first creating an original canvas or sheet of paper and digitizing it. If you do not have a good scanner, you can either do it yourself or have a photographer or print shop scan the large-scale images for you.
Is selling art prints profitable?
Profitably selling prints of paintings that are already in your collection is a good way to generate passive income. Learning how to sell original art will take you no time at all if you’ve already sold artwork online or at a local fair.
Is inkjet or laser better for art prints?
Inkjet printers can’t compete with laser printers for speed. Those who print a few pages at a time won’t notice a great deal of difference; however, those who print in large volumes will. Sharp black text is produced by laser printers. Laser is a good choice for print jobs that are mostly text and occasionally graphic-heavy.
Conclusion
Whether you are a seasoned artist or just starting out, it is always rewarding to have your art printed. Making art prints is a great way to make your work accessible and affordable. We hope this blog post has helped you to learn about how to make art prints. If it did, then we’re glad! Remember that there are many ways of making prints and exploring the different options is a great way of finding your own artistic style. Happy printing!