Then there’s all the decisions you have to make. Do I use a traditional method of photographing my work and have slides or transparencies made? What happens then? Don’t they have to be converted to a digital format? Then, shouldn’t I use digital photography to capture my image to begin with? Who can do that for me and do they know what they’re doing? Then, should I use a printer to reproduce my art? Should I use the giclée process? What about the color accuracy? And those moires, rosette patterning and dot gain? The questions are never-ending!
One of the first questions you SHOULD ask is, “How many prints do I need?” Sounds like a simple enough question, although the answer may not come to you immediately. But here’s something to think about. Most artists do NOT need a very large run on their prints. As a matter of fact, serious art reproduction collectors seek out limited edition prints that are from a smaller run. To them, number 13 of 25 signed prints is much more valuable than number 13 of 1000 prints. Furthermore, set up charges for traditional printing and lithography processes make very small prints runs uneconomically.
If the word “duh” comes to mind right now, you’re getting the picture. So back to you, the artist. If you make an investment to have a traditional printer run off those 1000 prints of your precious creation, and you sell - let’s say - 24 of them, then what do you do with the other 976? Wallpaper your barn? Give them as gifts? Use them to wrap gifts? Let your kids us the backs for THEIR artistic creations? In any of these cases, they don’t bring in any money. And since you paid to print them, that means a needless loss of investment for you. So, you ask, is there an economical - and high-quality - alternative?
Sure is! Giclée printing offers the artist at least a six color print – in many instances now 8 to 12 colors – along with an affordable minimum print run of ONE if so desired! Giclée prints virtually eliminate expensive pre-press charges, costly press set up charges, and large print runs. And like PFAD’s 44” wide Epson Stylus 9800 Pro printer which uses 8 inks, and the incredible new K3 Ink Technology, for a fine “scattered” dot method of laying down ink, giclée printers also eliminate traditional printing issues such as moirés, rosette patterning and dot gain. It has become an incredibly affordable way to start a high-quality limited-edition run for the artist – and an affordable limited printed collection for the buyer!
As for the other issues, such as digital image capture, scanning, retouching and enhancement, color accuracy, media, additional marketing options - These are topics too important to gloss over, and so I’ll leave them for future ColorQuips editions. But for more information on giclée prints immediately, visit www.PagosaFineArts.com or email us at info@pagosafinearts.com and we’ll be happy to help you. Pagosa FIne Arts & Design offers you a creative partnership with 25+ years experience in the Fine Art and Art Imaging field.
Sabine Baeckmann-Elge is a veteran artist with more than 25 years experience in the digital arts field in the NY/NJ area. She holds her BS in Applied Arts from Pace University and worked extensively in the visual arts field since 1981. Sabine was originally trained by Apple Computer on their products in 1982 and became a certified trainer for Apple, and then for software developers such as Adobe Inc., Quark, Inc., EFI (Scitex Corp.), Letraset, Inc. (Colorstudio), Aldus Corp., as well as for hardware developers such as Agfa, Scitex Corp. and Linotype-Hell. She has worked extensively with high-end imaging equipment over the years and has applied her years of training and knowledge to the fine-art reproduction field. Sabine’s professional art has been published internationally, and her personal artwork has been displayed in the NY Hudson River Museum, the Andre Schelinger Gallery in LA, Briarcliff Gallery, Pace U, NY, as well as numerous local establishments. She was commissioned to participate in three public art projects recently: 2005 SJMA Pumas on Parade, 2006 Denver International CowParade, and 2007 Catn’ Around Catskill projects. Most recently, together with author A.John Graves, she has illustrated and published an adult book of humorous poetry entitled “Animal Verses for Grown-Up Children” (soon to be released).
