Prints

A giclée print is the best way if you are only interested in having a small print run. Lithography involves more expense to set up initially, but of course works out considerably cheaper per print. The factor here is that you would need a much larger print run, say anything from a couple of hundred as a minimum - this process is geared up for huge volume printing. The other method that comes to mind is fine art silkscreen printing. This is a very expensive process though and generally only used by professional artists, the great Fred Cuming being one of those. The quality of print is exceptional and makes them more collectable/desirable. So yes, better to go with a giclée. There are a great many papers or canvasses which a good digital/giclée printer will have to hand, there are a number of adverts in both The Artist and Leisure Painter magazines each month advertising their services. For reasons of quality, it's always better to reduce an image, obvious really. Size wise, that is up to you, but better to keep them a standard size to fit into an off-the-shelf frame I always think. Certificates of authenticity, unless you are a recognised professional is in my opinion unnecessary - but that's up to you. But on a limited edition run, do add the edition number and print run, along with the title and signature underneath the print, and always in pencil. If you need more details on how to set this out correctly, just shout up. Finally, I hope that this has been useful information, others may have something to add also. Please let us have some feedback and comments in a short while, often we don't get any acknowledgement from new members, although you have written before as I recognise the 'name'.

Looking at your painting, you may be better running with paper rather than canvas, cheaper as well. The printer that I have used in the past is Salt of the earth Giclée print service. They advertise in both magazines each month and are one of the best around for quality etc. If you go to their website www.salt-of-the-earth.biz you can fill in a form requesting samples and a price list, and read about the service that they offer in general. A word of caution with digital printing - don't be tempted to print off your own, the image will gradually disappear over a short time. The method, machinery and ink that a good digital printer uses are stable and light-fast, not so with your home printer.

Quick thought - I wouldn't recommend this at all, but I wonder if one had a colour laser printer, as opposed to inkjet, would that be any more lightfast....? I have been thinking of buying a mono laser for multiple printing of documents, but colour isn't THAT much more expensive these days - and I just wondered. If I were making serious prints for sale, rather than just knocking out a few Christmas cards, I would go the giclée route with a professional company. But has anyone any thoughts about whether laser prints would last?

Probably Robert. The ink is transferred to the paper via a different method, almost fused I think but I am pretty sure that it would last much longer than inkjet. The quality of paper is important with LaserJet also, acid free would be advisable. The major companies such as HP would be able to help of course if one was interested enough to speak to their technical bods. It still won't compare to a giclée print mind you, and not a route that I would go down if I was selling them - too risky by far!