As inkjet canvas continues to gain popularity in the fine art and photographic digital printing industry, the multitude of available brands and varieties will persist and eventually flood the market in an attempt to take advantage of this increasingly desirable consumable. Current market research shows that inkjet canvas is selling three times more than inkjet paper, which historically, has never been the case. This swing in market trends suggests that art consumers are impressed by the aesthetic appeal and novelty of digitally printed inkjet canvas as it is a relatively new, yet logical medium for fine art reproduction. As an entrepreneur running a printmaking business, selecting an inkjet canvas that will be the foundation for your reputation and long-term success amid the array of possibilities, can be a daunting if not impossible undertaking. Nevertheless, it is the responsibility of the printmaker to understand and test inkjet canvas to source the highest quality to ensure sustainable-revenue and the integrity for their business. Therefore the purpose of this article is to provide printmakers with the proper tools to evaluate inkjet canvas based upon empirical data and measurable attributes; in an attempt to produce higher-quality, more-archival, and ultimately more sellable fine art inkjet canvas prints.

In order to properly evaluate inkjet canvas for your printmaking business, several criteria must be evaluated and considered. This criterion can be broken down into four primary categories: aesthetic appeal, longevity, production/business practicality, and brand association. Testing multiple brands and types of inkjet canvas is the best thing you can do for your business, your customers, and the fine art industry as a whole. That being said, the first thing you will need to do to get started is purchase sample material from several leading inkjet canvas manufacturers. Let this article be the guide or checklist to walk you though the important evaluation process. Aesthetic Appeal

This category has been listed above all others because it is the single most important factor for evaluating your primary, “house” inkjet canvas. The fact is that this is the fine art industry and whether you are the artist, a gallery owner, a publisher, or a printmaker, the ultimate universal goal is to sell art. Art is predominantly sold as a result of its aesthetic appeal and the emotional derivative of the image presentation. In other words, the better your prints look, the more your artists will sell, which will naturally result in more printing business. If the artists that you print for are confident that you are reproducing their work in the most visually appealing manner and this is reflected in their print sales, you can be sure they will continue to employ your services. On the other hand, if the artist decides to shop around or happens to come in contact with an alternative printmaker who is obviously producing superior inkjet canvas prints, the artist will be gone in an instant. The only way to be certain that you are producing the most visually appealing inkjet canvas prints, is to test several different inkjet canvases for color gamut, Dmax (optical density), resolution, texture, and weight. Let us carefully consider each of these attributes individually.

Color Gamut – In this increasingly competitive industry simply offering great color reproduction is not enough. You need to offer the best color reproduction. Although precise color gamut measurement tools, such as a Colorimeter or spectrophotometer can and should be used if available, the naked eye is usually enough to distinguish a superior inkjet canvas. Print a color target, which consists of several individual color patches, on each inkjet canvas that you are evaluating. Use these targets to compare each individual color to determine which inkjet canvas produces the best color gamut. It is also recommended to print the same, colorful image on each inkjet canvas and see which produces the most vibrant colors.

Dmax – Dmax is a measure of maximum density of an image’s color but more specifically its black density. Again, the most precise measurements can be taken with a densitometer, but the naked eye will suffice if this equipment is not available to you. When discussing paper and inks, Dmax is commonly defined as the blackest black possible. Black density is arguably the most discernable characteristic in evaluating the quality of ink, paper, inkjet canvas, and even printmakers themselves. Therefore achieving the blackest black possible should be the most critical concern for every fine art printmaker. In this increasingly competitive industry, as with color gamut, offering great blacks is simply not enough. You need to offer the blackest blacks possible.

Resolution – This refers to the smallest discernable dots or pixels, commonly measured as dpi or dots per inch. In relation to fine art reproduction, it is a measurement of the “fineness” of detail in a printed image. Resolution is a crucially important attribute because without “fineness” and detail, image quality is compromised. No matter how accurate your colors are or how dense your black may be if the image appears blurry up close instead of clean and crisp, you will have significantly decreased your chances of selling that print as it will negatively affect its overall perceived value. This will inhibit the artist from obtaining true market-value for his/her work, which will cause you the printmaker to lose business to a competitor who uses a inkjet canvas with superior resolution. It should be noted that inkjet canvases with excessive texture can also compromise resolution and should be avoided. The drastic peaks and valleys in the inkjet canvas texture can cause ink to “bleed”, or run, which will blur minute aspects of a printed image.

Texture – The optimal texture of inkjet canvas is one that will exude a natural inkjet canvas look, without compromising resolution or reducing the amount of viewable angels in which the art can be appreciated. The latter is caused by any type of glossy finish on a highly textured inkjet canvas. The result is a “sparkling” affect caused by light reflecting off of the glossy peaks and valleys of the textured inkjet canvas. Sparkling inkjet canvas prints no longer take on the qualities of an original painting which causes art consumers to perceive them as cheap reproductions. In an industry driven by quality and aesthetic appeal, cheap reproductions won’t sell and will be detrimental to a printmakers’ reputation. All in all, even if a inkjet canvas is a clear leader in color gamut, dmax, and resolution, it may have excessive texture which alone can compromise quality. Therefore, printmakers should test for excessive texture. This can be accomplished in two ways. First, print images with extreme detail and look for a lack of image cleanliness and crispness up close. Second, use a semi-glossy or glossy post-print protective coating and look for sparkling when light reflects off the coated surface. It is important to keep in mind that texture is primarily a subjective attribute of which everyone will have a differing opinion. As a printmaker, it is wise to advise your clients to make a texture decision based upon objective information that will improve the sale-ability of their prints rather than attempt to source unique inkjet canvas textures to appeal to every artist’s personal preference.

Thickness & Weight – These are completely subjective attributes that do not contribute to the visual appeal or the sale-ability of any inkjet canvas print. For their own reasons, usually related to their artist/customers, some printmakers have a tendency to place value on how a inkjet canvas “feels”. To the artist or printmaker (not the art consumer) perceived value can be associated with a heavier weight and thicker inkjet canvas. The fact is that it costs more to manufacture a inkjet canvas with a heavier weight and thickness, but neither weight nor thickness has any contribution to the visual appeal or longevity of a inkjet canvas print. The higher cost is simply not justified.

Once stretched, framed, and hanging on the wall in an art gallery nobody is touching or “feeling” the finished inkjet canvas print. These consumers have absolutely no way of determining the initial weight, thickness, or feel of the inkjet canvas. Therefore, these attributes are totally worthless unless of course they somehow affect your production process. For example, an excessively thin inkjet canvas might tear when stretching over frames. An excessively thick inkjet canvas might not feed through your printer. An excessively heavy inkjet canvas might senselessly raise your costs, lower your profit margins and in turn decrease your market competitiveness as a printmaker. Therefore, using a inkjet canvas because you like how it “feels” or how “heavy” it is, is just a disorganization of business priorities. Unless your customer requires a specific inkjet canvas weight or thickness, these two attributes should be considered your lowest priority. Generally it is a plus to have a heavier, thicker inkjet canvas but should not influence your inkjet canvas evaluation. Longevity

Longevity refers to how long a inkjet canvas print will last before it begins to noticeably deteriorate. This is an absolutely critical element in determining which inkjet canvas to use for your business. In order to appropriately label yourself a “fine art printmaker”, you must produce fine art prints. By definition, fine art prints are expected to maintain their constitution for several decades. Fine art prints that deteriorate in the short-term maintain almost no value and were in fact, never fine art prints to begin with. Thus, longevity must be taken into consideration in every printmaker’s long-term business strategy as selling deteriorating prints will no doubt contribute to the inevitable demise of your future business in the fine art industry.

Unfortunately, unbiased, objective longevity testing information about each inkjet canvas is not readily available. Therefore, the only real way to be confident that this longevity component is fulfilled is by choosing a reputable manufacturer with a worldwide recognized brand. These manufacturers have proven their ability to deliver and support fine art quality products to the masses. They also guarantee their products. Rest assured that if any problem does arise, most of them will be right there to fix the problem and/or reimburse you. A reputable printmaking business must have this guarantee where the manufacturer holds the risk. Printmakers should use these worldwide brands to their advantage by communicating their stability benefits to their own customer base. Nevertheless, it is important to understand exactly what characteristics affect the longevity of your inkjet canvas prints.

Acidity – One primary determinant of longevity is the acidic content within a inkjet canvas. The introduction of acid to a inkjet canvas print will cause it to quickly yellow and deteriorate. Finding a inkjet canvas that is completely acid-free and ph-neutral is extremely important in preserving the longevity of your prints. Most inkjet canvas suppliers will boast an acid-free product but in actuality they are referring only to the raw inkjet canvas material, conveniently leaving out the acidic content of the inkjet receptive coating applied on top, which completely negate the initial claim. In order to maximize and ensure longevity, printmakers should therefore make sure that a inkjet canvas has both an acid-free raw inkjet canvas base and an acid-free inkjet receptive coating.

Optical Brightener Additives (OBAs) – These are artificial brightening agents commonly used in many inkjet substrates to make them appear “brighter” or whiter than they actually are. According to the most recognized inkjet print permanence testing organization, the Wilhelm Research Institute, OBAs should be avoided because they compromise the longevity of fine art prints by causing yellowing, and by causing the colors of a print appear different under differing lighting conditions.

Color management guru David Coons of Artscans explains the difficulties in using OBA’s:

“Our main problems with OBAs are with reproducing original art with bright or pastel yellows. Since typical OBA coated media doesn’t reflect warmer wavelengths as strongly as conventional natural white watercolor papers, it’s often impossible to accurately reproduce many warm pastel colors such as light yellow.

Optical brighteners create an appearance of ‘brightness’ by inducing blue fluorescence in the presence of UV-rich light sources such as sunlight, metal halide, and fluorescent lamps. Papers coated with these brighteners tend to fight yellow inks in particular because of their bluish cast. Color management systems can help preserve relative color differences, but will never be able to overcome these physical limitations.”

In June 2005 worldwide inkjet canvas manufacturer Breathing Color, Inc. out of Orange, California (www.breathingcolor.com) released the first ever optical-brightener free inkjet canvas and since, the product segment has grown in popularity at a very fast pace within the USA and is spreading to other regions of the world. Printmakers using this product are taking advantage of the credibility and competitive positioning it offers.

Water-Resistance – History has proven that inkjet canvases without sufficient water-resistance are fragile and increasingly susceptible to damage by humans and the environment (humidity).

Although they can be protected and enhanced with solvent-based coatings, generally it is best to avoid them simply because they are more of a liability and increase longevity risk. Solvent-based coatings, which are mandatory with non-water-resistant inkjet canvases, also have a tendency to chip, crack, and flake over time and/or the sduringtretching process. Some manufacturers who have not yet been able to develop a truly water-resistant inkjet canvas have resorted to marketing semi-water-resistant inkjet canvases as water-resistant. Beware of these. Although there is no documented industry standard for water-resistance, printmakers can easily test this on their own. Run a print and allow it 24 hours to dry. Once the ink has completely dried simply poor a glass of water over the print. If a inkjet canvas is not water-resistant, the ink will run and smear immediately. Some highly water-resistant inkjet canvases can withstand this test even immediately after printing. Printmakers using truly water-resistant inkjet canvases also enjoy the added benefit of the ability to use a water-based post-print coating, which in most cases is much more durable than the solvent-based alternatives.

Post-Print Protective Coatings – Commonly sold in gloss, semi-gloss, and matte options, these post-print protective coatings are most commonly used to preserve and protect inkjet canvas prints from abrasion and harmful ultraviolet light. They are also used to enhance color and increase the visual appeal of a inkjet canvas print.

Printmakers should evaluate a coating for the following: First, it must sufficiently protect a inkjet canvas print from abrasion. This means that if anyone were to accidentally touch, scuff, hit, or spill anything onto the printed surface – nothing will happen. The integrity and value of the print is essentially preserved. Second, a giclee coating must protect a inkjet canvas from harmful ultraviolet light. Although it should always be avoided, this means that the inkjet canvas should not fade or yellow if it were to be in direct or indirect sunlight for extended periods of time. Third, a coating should be able to enhance color in order to increase the visual appeal of the inkjet canvas print. Fourth, a coating should not provide any sort of yellow cast over the image. This is a negative side effect that compromises the integrity and value of a inkjet canvas print. This yellow casting issue can be tested by simply comparing a coated and uncoated piece of unprinted inkjet canvas. If the coated portion appears yellow, then this coating is working against the quality of your reproductions and should be substituted with a more reputable product from a fine art manufacturer. Finally, the coating should not crack when stretching over frames. If the giclee coating cracks you are unnecessarily decreasing the quality of your inkjet canvas reproduction. All reputable inkjet canvas manufacturers have information on coatings that is compatible with their products. Selling prints that crack when stretched is unacceptable in this industry where public information about coating compatibility is readily available for all printmakers.

Only use fine art giclee coatings from reputable manufacturers that produce products specifically for the fine art market — not to be confused with coatings made to protect signage or other surfaces and are erroneously marketed by many suppliers as fine art coating substitutes. Beware of these untested products with no history or track record. Production

Now that we have discussed the most critical aspects of selecting an inkjet canvas in aesthetic appeal and longevity, let’s shift our focus production, more specifically, “how does this inkjet canvas work with your operational flow?” Production can and should be shaped around a high-quality, archival inkjet canvas, rather than finding a inkjet canvas that works with your current production flow. I say this because many printmakers are forced to make this decision when they encounter a problem with a inkjet canvas or supplier. “Do I select a new inkjet canvas that works well with my current system and flow or do I select the best inkjet canvas I can find and adjust my production flow around it?” Though the latter may be more difficult in the beginning, this decision will no doubt pay off in the long term. Nevertheless, there are some inkjet canvas characteristics that are more suitable for every printmaker’s production flow and should be sought after. Consistency – Roll to roll consistency is a vitally important issue for every printmaker, especially for high production environments. A lack of consistency can cost your business a lot of time and money in defective prints and material waste. It can even cost you customers.

Any inkjet canvas manufacturer can tell you that inkjet canvas manufacturing is by far the most difficult inkjet product to consistently produce. No inkjet canvas is perfect, and at some point in time every printmaker will receive faulty inkjet canvas that they must return. For the most part, some inkjet canvases tend to be more consistent than others and these are the ones you need to find. If you choose a inkjet canvas that is very consistent your business and customers will enjoy smooth production without hassles. This is where the actual make-up of a inkjet canvas becomes relevant.

The two most common fine art inkjet canvas options are 100% cotton inkjet canvases and poly/cotton blend inkjet canvases. 100% cotton inkjet canvases used to be the first choice amongst the majority of fine art printmakers because of its perceived higher quality and natural look and feel. These days, after years of manufacturing inconsistencies, 100% cotton inkjet canvas is avoided by the majority of the market and hardly any manufacturers produce them anymore. The inconsistencies include shrinking (when coated or when subject to a high humidity environment), expanding (long after being stretched and framed, causing the print to sag and appear off balance on one side), and the presence of visible, black cotton seeds. These black cotton seeds end up in the middle of prints and can make them look dirty or defective. They also have a tendency to fall off, leaving white voids in your print. Collectively, it is for all these reasons that 100% cotton inkjet canvases are not widely used by fine art printmakers any longer.

Instead, consistent and high quality polyester-cotton blend inkjet canvases (or “polycotton inkjet canvases”) have become by far the most widely used inkjet canvas base in the fine art industry. Poly/cotton inkjet canvases are of not inferior in print or longevity quality, but do lack the natural look or feel of the 100% cotton inkjet canvases. However, polycotton inkjet canvases are typically free of cotton seeds and do not shrink or sag after long periods of time. Ultimately, the crucial importance of roll-to-roll consistency has fueled the demand for polycotton inkjet canvases over the years. Until consistent 100% cotton inkjet canvases are introduced, these poly/cottons will continue to drive the market.

It is important to understand that roll-to-roll consistency of polycotton inkjet canvases also vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Roll-to-roll consistency really comes down to a given manufacturer’s quality control. Larger companies always have better quality control because of how costly this process is. There are always defects in inkjet canvas productions and the primary role of quality control is to isolate the defects so that they do not reach the marketplace. Some manufacturers do this better than others. As a general rule, it is better to stick with a larger manufacturer, provided of course that they have the best product with regard to aesthetic appeal and longevity.

Stretch-Ability – As stated earlier, a finished, coated inkjet canvas print that cracks or tears when stretching over frames significantly loses value and also appears cheap in the eyes of consumers. To avoid this, printmakers can test a inkjet canvas by coating piece of it, allowing it 24 hours to dry, folding it backwards, completely in half, and then firmly pressing the fold to make a crease. If the inkjet canvas does not crack in the creased area, it will most likely not crack or tear when stretched. Nonetheless, the only way to be sure is by sending a print to your framer (unless you frame yourself) who can provide reliable feedback.

Cost – This is the final determinant of a printmakers’ market competitiveness. Specifically, what level of quality does he/she deliver relative to the asking price. In order to be the most competitive, a printmaker must use the highest quality product available at the lowest price, but not if price compromises quality. In this industry, price does not always determine quality. This is because the distribution methods of manufacturers are the primary determinant of the end user price. Most manufacturers use regional distributors who in turn mark up the cost of the product and sell it to end users. This is the traditional distribution method of this industry. Contrastingly, a few select worldwide manufacturers sell direct to the market, eliminate the regional distributor, and are therefore able to offer fiercely competitive pricing directly to the end-users. By researching manufacturers and their pricing structures, printmakers can gain a good understanding of what each has to offer. The goal is to maximize quality and minimize cost.

It is also important to consider buying inkjet canvas or other substrates in bulk. Many manufacturers and distributors will offer volume discounts on inkjet canvas. Therefore, businesses can drastically lower their overhead, simply by buying in bulk and stocking their best selling products. Buying in bulk will also lower overall shipping costs by ordering once every 3 months for example as opposed to once per week. Bulk-buying will also ensure that you have sufficient inventory to promptly begin and deliver urgent print jobs. Brand Association

As if it hasn’t already been stressed enough, printmakers need to know as much as possible about the manufacturer before they start printing on their inkjet canvas. First, printmakers need to distinguish between a true manufacturer and a private-labeler.

Private-labelers are companies who conceal the original manufacturer by applying their own names to a product. Due to the exponential growth of this industry there is an overwhelming abundance of private-labelers. Every single regional inkjet supplier who brands their own inkjet canvas is private labeling. If they tell you otherwise, they are not being honest with you. It costs millions upon millions of dollars, not to mention rare expertise, to produce and support even one high quality fine art inkjet canvas, which is why very few manufacturers really exist.

Many re-branded inkjet canvases on the market over the past few years have been produced at a very low cost from unreliable inkjet canvas mills in countries where labor costs are low (i.e. China). The problem with these manufacturers is that they lack the financial wherewithal to support a fine art inkjet canvas and will turn their back on the first sign of a problem. They have no brand, they are not interested in building a brand and they have nothing to lose. A manufacturer without extreme care of a brand in the delicate fine art industry is a very bad sign and should be avoided at all costs.

The less-informed, poor inkjet canvas choices made by regional inkjet suppliers and their printmaking customers have plagued the local markets at times. A recent issue involved a particular inkjet canvas that was being marketed and sold within Australia as a “fine art inkjet canvas of the highest quality”. To the dismay of its users, this inkjet canvas began to turn yellow on the walls of its buyers only eight months after it was printed and even coated. This resulted in massive returns, lawsuits, bankruptcies, and ruined the credibility of many of the businesses involved. Normally a bad inkjet canvas choice will simply result in a loss of competitive positioning, but the point of this example is to stress how bad it can get.

The only way to be certain is to choose a inkjet canvas that comes from a widely recognized worldwide brand with a public reputation. You can confirm this by visiting the manufacturer’s web site and reading about their company. Read about their products, their values, and their mission. Read their press releases and see if and how long they have been covered by the media. If posted, read their customer testimonials and do further research on the reputation and history of these customers. Then, contact the company directly and speak to a representative who should be interested in starting a relationship with you. Make a small purchase of a sample kit or anything else that will allow you to evaluate how the Company delivers. Take note of the marketing materials they provide, the look of their packaging, etc. Gather some influential industry publications and look at the company’s advertisements. There are far less than ten worldwide inkjet canvas manufacturers and through this research they will be easily distinguishable.

Reputable printmakers simply do not even waste their time even trying inkjet canvases that do not come from long-standing worldwide brands who have been in the industry for years. By conducting some research one can conclude that the more reputable the printmaker, the more likely it is that they strictly use long-standing worldwide brands. Chances are, they have learned “the hard way” at some point in time. Conclusion

In this rapidly expanding industry, printmakers lose or capture business daily as a direct result of customers demanding individual inkjet canvas attributes. The higher volume the customer is, the more sophisticated and knowledgeable they will be, and the more significance each inkjet canvas attribute will have to them. Higher volume customers learn faster and earlier than the rest of the market, but eventually, the rest of the market catches up. Therefore, the only long-term strategy is to master knowledge of these attributes and offer the best inkjet canvas that the industry has to offer. The best inkjet canvas, in and of itself, will always be a subjective analysis but by prioritizing these attributes one can interject a certain level of objectivity into it that customers will understand and trust.

Teddy Blah of MFA Talon Graphics of El Segundo, who uses Epson 9800, Epson 7800, and says “MFA Talon Graphics has been a one of the largest worldwide fine art printmakers for nearly 20 years now, and to uphold our leading reputation, our substrate decision making process from inkjet canvases to papers is extremely intricate and involves many people. The ultimate decision comes from an accumulation of years and years of learning experiences, coupled with constant tests and evaluations of new products, to discover what will continue our reputation and propel MFA Talon Graphics to increasing levels of quality. We know where to find the best materials, we know how to test and evaluate them, and we only use what is logically determined by us to be the absolute best that we can offer our customers. It is a never ending process and by treating it this way we improve our quality every single day.”

Finding the best inkjet canvas for your business will result from an accumulation of inkjet canvas knowledge as brought forth by this article along with your continual research and pursuit of maximum quality. We hope that printmakers all over the world save this article and use the information presented within it, to better their businesses and to better the fine art printmaking industry as a whole. ABOUT BREATHING COLOR, INC.

Breathing Color™, Inc. is a leading designer and supplier of award-winning digital inkjet media and post-print protective canvas varnish. Breathing Color is focused on the fine art and photographic markets with products for Epson® Printers that lead the industry in color and longevity. Breathing Color’s customers benefit from the highest quality at competitive prices by buying direct.

Giclee printing is the process of making fine art prints from a digital source using inkjet printing. Original paintings being out of reach of most of us because of their exorbitant pricing, a lot of people are going for reproductions. Reproducing artwork and at the same time keeping as close to the old image as possible, is becoming increasingly popular. Giclee prints are very popular for recreating images and creating new ones because the quality of the production is very high. Giclee prints are used as wall decorations and they go a long way in making a bland room look warm and inviting. If you are one of those who hate blank walls but at the same time don’t have a huge purse, giclee printing is the right option for you.

The term “giclee” is used as a fine art term. A lot of times, fade-resistant ‘archival’ inks are being used to create these prints which mean that you won’t have to worry that your wall decoration will fade away with time. The inkjet printers use the CMYK color process which is of very good quality. Moreover, they are equipped with multiple color cartridges. The color gamut and the apparent resolution also go up giving the image a smoother gradient transition. You can also choose from a huge variety of substrates which include various finishes and textures such as watercolor paper, matte photo paper, artist textured vinyl or cotton canvas. In fact, there is a whole different production going on for the medium on which giclee printing can be done!

Giclee printing is also a perfect choice for painters and artists. The task of painting or creating is long and arduous. A lot of time and effort goes into it. But they can be sold only once. Now, a painter or an artist can sell his work of art more than once by giclee printing his original work. He can thus multiply his revenue a few times. Giclee prints are very sophisticated.

There are a number of sites online which will create a photo canvas for you using giclee printing. You can either provide them with an image or create you own work using Corel Draw or Photoshop. In case you will be providing them with a photo, make sure it is a digital one which has been clicked with a camera that is at least 4 mega pixels. All you have to do is upload the photo to their site and order a photo on canvas. You can opt for re-coloring the photo too. Once you have ordered, they will create the photo canvas for you and even get it delivered at your doorstep.

Preserving a beautiful moment has become so much easier with giclee printing. Now you can proudly display your work of art for others to enjoy. You will not only have created a beautiful wall,

When Jack Duganne coined the term “Giclee” (circa 1990) to define the printing of art on archival paper with the Iris line, very few artists could afford the high costs of
having their work reproduced. The inkjet Iris machines such as the 3047 model easily cost over $100,000 and had very expensive maintenance contracts. Once inkjet technology progressed, namely with Epson introducing the
Pro line of printers, both quality and prices have decreased. As other big name companies like Canon and HP also came to the market with archival printers, the field is now filled with printers vastly superior in all aspects to the now defunct Iris.

When paper and canvas manufacturers realized there was quickly growing demand for giclee printing substrates, a great variety of choices and different quality grades has come to market. The gamut of offerings ranges from the finest papers with archival ratings of more than 100 years to
others with more modest pedigrees.

It is important to make a distinction between what constitutes fine art giclee printing and decor giclee printing.

Fine art giclee printing

Only the finest brand name papers and inks are chosen; very skilled printmakers with decades of experience in the field and an artistic background handle the whole process. The result is a print that will last
tens of years and will have the best color accuracy possible. The market for fine art giclee printing aims at professional artists, collectors and people who want to buy art that will occupy the walls of designer homes and high end offices.

Decor giclee printing

Many purists have an issue with even calling decor printing a form of giclee printmaking. Because decor printing is done with lower grade substrates and inks, archival ratings are much lower; not as skillful people are preparing the digital files and not as much time and care
are put into file preparation. Chinese manufacturers have invaded the market with cheap low grade canvas and papers often costing one third of their European and American counterparts. Although many low cost
printers use these materials, for a few dollars more better papers and canvas specifically designed for the decor market can be used. These substrates are made in the US and Europe and do not carry the uncertainties associated with Chines made goods.

Whether you are looking for inkjet decor or fine art printing make sure to ask questions before proceeding; a skilled printing company should be able to answer any questions in a clear manner, including what materials are being used and how color proofing is done.

For further information please visit our giclee printing site.

If you are looking for a special gift what will wow the recipient, you should undoubtedly consider a photo canvas portrait which utilizes canvas photo printing techniques! Whether you refer to it as giclee canvas prints, photo canvas, photo printed on canvas, photo restoration, printing on canvas, digital photo restoration, giclee on canvas or canvas giclee; it all points to the perfect gift!For the perfect wedding gift, birthday gift, anniversary gift, baby shower gift, graduation gift, retirement gift, going away gift, Mother’s Day gift, Father’s Day gift, Christmas gift, Chanukah gift or to remember a great vacation, a canvas portrait using canvas photo printing techniques can not be beat!For family portraits on canvas, baby canvas photos, children’s canvas portraits, or pet portraits on canvas, you will be giving the gift that will be admired and appreciated for years to come!Canvas photo printing techniques have become so sophisticated that the canvas portraits and giclee canvas print results yield a work of art that you or anyone will be proud to hang in your living room or any room for that matter. I can recommend a photo printed on canvas, photo restoration canvas, digital photo canvas restoration, or canvas giclee to anyone who would appreciate a special memory.There are several canvas options to be aware of when looking for a good online canvas ordering solution. Comparison shop and find an online store that offers many different border options, canvas picture techniques, sizes, and has a great portfolio of quality work. Borders can also make a big difference for your desired Photo Canvas look, and several border options may be available such as Gallery wrap(natural), Black frame, Antique, Gold, and Walnut. Picture Canvas techniques to be aware of that can improve your photo may include photorealistic, Light BrushStrokes, Black to White conversion, Conversion to Sepia, Photo restoration, Colorization, Collage, Background replacement, and retouching! A wide range of sizes should also be available to suit your needs. Also, look for examples or a portfolio of different photo canvas examples. These may include Pets on canvas such as dogs, cats, and even horses on stretched photo canvas, or family on canvas such as kids, vintage, wedding and anniversary, vacation, and outdoor fun photos.The “wow factor” when a guest sees your canvas portrait, will be something that will evoke comment and praise. Most people who order giclee canvas prints, had previously received one as a gift or seen one in someone’s home. Yes, photo canvas or canvas giclee makes a lasting impression!

If you are interested in making canvas prints from your photos, then you should consider using giclee prints. Loosely translated from French, the word giclee means a spray or a spurt of liquid. These prints may connote such the elevation in print making technology and canvas pictures produced this way can be seen generated from smart resolution digital scans of a still photo or directly from a digital photo and printed as well with highest quality inks onto different mediums or substances. The most common of these mediums, and what we will concentrate on here, is canvas, but the others are photo-based and fine art paper. These prints are created typically using professional 8-color to 12-color ink-jet printers today, but the process started a long while ago in 1989 and various methods have been used on and off since then. One of the major advantages of making canvas prints over photos using this method is that this process produces better accuracy colors than any other tool of reproduction and so they are of very high quality.Another advantage of giclee prints is that the technology has spread all over the world and the major printing companies such as Epson, MacDermid Colorspan, & Hewlett-Packard have created printing solutions just for these prints and this has helped in reducing costs due to the high competition. The companies doing this work are also many and this has also led to reduced costs. Another advantage of making canvas pictures using this method is that because you are not interested in mass production of your work, these prints will work well for you because they are usually on-demand. Even if you decide that you want more than one copy, a digitally archived image can be reproduced with minimum effort and at reduced cost, this image does not deteriorate in quality as film, and negatives do with time. Mass production is very expensive because of the upfront costs. Another advantage of canvas prints over photos using this method is that digital images can be reproduced to any size that you may wish, your only restriction were cost and personal preferences. For those interested in selling these canvas pictures for a profit, you can test market your art before committing to large production runs using this method.With this method, you do not need a set for color separation, which was very time consuming in other methods. Giclee prints also allow you to adjust color, contrast, brightness and color saturation and this ensures that the final product is as good as the original image if not better. You get the option of editing off such things as shadows, blemishes and bad lighting from the original photo and so the final product may actually end up being better than the original.An important advantage of this method is the time taken to do the work. Since only printing is done, the time from submission of photo to delivery at home can be as little as four days. Another advantage is that this art form is starting to attract art investors and who knows – maybe your work will be a collector’s item one day.

In the circumstance of effective marketing schemes, it has been proved that wholesales acquire further earnings and return of revenue than retail sales. While the rank of render for wholesales is quiet little equated to retail sales, the return of net worth for wholesale constitutes steady and honest across retail sales. Once the cosmopolitan loose selling was likewise shopped by a lot of the industrial countries in the Earth, China has become one of the biggest, if not the most bountiful suppliers and traders. The reality that labor in China constitutes cheesier likened to opposite areas is a analytic principle why they are capable to make sleazier products. There are practically numerous China products that are out in the world market nowadays.Among its general products is the anoint paintings. The art of oil painting has started way back in the beginning of modern-day Europe. The operation of oil painting applies numerous pigments that are formed to brut with oil. The paintings which are produced from oil paintings display life like and sheeny emblazons. These oil paintings nonetheless are irksome to generate and are thus appearingly costly and expensive. Moreover, the underived art parts that were generated by famous painters are most likely in the museum, or in roughly loaded man’s solicitations. Therefore, the thought of acquiring control of a copy of these art works seem quiet challenging. Although, there have constituted a mint of products in the market today that are replicas on canvas. China offers one of the gaudiest of these replicas. The art nibbles look like the master and each nibble of the imitation is like a replica to the master one. The amazing matter about these products is that they can be viewed and purchased in the internet.There are many of internet web hosts that boniface varied China imitations of oil canvas. The costs for these reproductions are astonishingly humble, and are cheaper as one gets large quantities. Apart from the information that the items are gaudy, the caliber is not compromised as well. There are in addition to several variances to the sizes of the art nibbles concording to the customers’ choices. Moreover, the paintings could also come with painting bods. A smaller art piece can even be bestrode on a image framing. These abodes vary in pattern and mode. The buyers can assign their orientations in the internet and can do the buying online at whatsoever time of the day. There are a number of websites that extend free deliverance of the obtained reproductions. Around some of the oil painting replications contain images, renowned masterpieces, art deco, and giclee prints. The mo marketable ones are the products of Da Vinci, Amorsolo, and Van Gogh. Consequently, obtaining a replica of one of the famed art pieces of these awing maestros is no longer unachievable if there are many China duplicates around.

If you are unfamiliar with the term “Giclee” pronounced “zhee-clay” means, it comes from the French verb “gicler” which ultimately means printing high quality images on canvas, in other words a fancy French word for giclee canvas prints. We have come a long way since the first usages in 1990 and it has become an increasingly popular printing technique. It can be used for reproducing original art or photography.The way the process works is first starting with images that are generated from high resolution digital photos or scans and printed with fade resistant archival quality inks onto various substrates including canvas, and photo-base paper. The giclee prints process provides better color accuracy than other means of printing reproduction.The major advantage of this technique is that it’s a pretty inexpensive option to reproduce your own photos and turn them into art. Digital images can be reproduced to almost any size with various printing and editing techniques and further customized with various framing options so you can create a very unique print for a specific style photo and personal preference. Giclee on canvas production is for both art reproductions and personal digital uploading techniques.How Giclee prints are produced – the process begins with the inputting of a scanned or digital image. Once the file is inputted, the image can be adjusted and edited for the best output quality possible. The high resolution images are printed with long lasting or archival quality inks and printed on canvas. The giclee on canvas printing process provides much better color accuracy and quality than standard photo reproduction techniques. Giclee prints are created using professional 8-Color to 12-Color ink-jet printers from the major manufacturers.Giclee canvas prints can refer to art printed on canvas or personal photos uploaded for producing a photo canvas. If you are looking for Giclee prints of art, you may have the best luck searches for a term such as ‘giclee prints art’. However, if you are upload personal photos to be printed on canvas, your best chances for finding reliable online ordering websites that feature giclee prints, are to search for terms such as – photo canvas, or canvas photos.Giclee on canvas is another search phrase which will help pull up websites for both art work on canvas and solutions for uploading personal photos. Giclee canvas prints provide lasting artistic and emotional memories not to mention the ever increasing Giclee prints options these days….These giclee prints options lately include a wide variety of picture manipulation techniques, framing techniques, and different sizes for your finished product. Just make sure that the website you choose for giclee canvas prints offers all of these options!! If it does not, make sure to back out and choose one of the few websites that have become very popular and offer the most options for your giclee prints.

Most individuals would have come across the phrase Giclee Prints! Giclee is actually a French verb describing “gicler” determining the supreme quality of canvas prints. Right from 1990’s, the improved techniques and advancement has always been a commanding factor to professionals involved in canvas prints and photography. Well, when describing the quality of canvas prints, you can ensure the absolute quality and pixel-free print to canvas resolution they offer. Giclee prints never compromises with quality stuff and they bestow complete happiness to the photography professionals involved. When quality is high and top-class, most of individuals will consider about the cost the Giclee prints as a first remark.

The cost of Giclee prints used in print to canvas is ultimately flexible and inexpensive. Giclee prints that is used in canvas prints will help you producing excellent photos and thereby make you to achieve the best desired result. Undoubtedly they produce reflecting color quality, rather when compared to any other print to canvas. With all unique and refreshing techniques, photographers can handle versatile editing and printing techniques while canvas prints. The best and widest benefit of Giclee prints is that, they are featured to be used in both personal and art reproducing techniques. Doesn’t it an excellent benefit that is being offered by Giclee prints? Absolutely everyone should admit the use and benefits of canvas prints.

You all might have a query that, how print to canvas is developed through Giclee prints? Here is a detailed explanation about Giclee prints and its use in developing canvas prints. The process of Giclee prints starts right from inputting the image that is digitalized or scanned. While the moment when the photographer inputs the image to his desktop PC, the images could be quickly edited and archived. The Giclee prints that are developed as canvas prints will be absolutely standard and moreover the excellence of accuracy could never be explained with word of mouth.

Giclee prints for canvas prints are developed with the use and implementation of 8 to 12 ink-jet printers being offered by industry brand-masters. If you are in deep hunt to find the best quality Giclee prints to develop print to canvas, then try your good luck in searching the best branded Giclee prints over the web. Giclee prints that are developed for print to canvas definitely leave a pleasing remark to your memories and emotions. Initially, Giclee prints that are formulated for canvas prints are less featured and moreover you cannot master over it! Now with the advancement and development in Giclee prints in canvas prints, photographer can develop pictures handling framing techniques, picture manipulation and several other more.

Yet another interesting feature of Giclee prints in developing print to canvas is that, any novice photographer can also produce results like photography professionals. Doesn’t it impressing? Ultimately best and moreover people with little photography knowledge can leave an excellent remark through Giclee prints while developing canvas prints.

Art was once religious art thus commissioned by the church and its benefactors.  Later portraits were also commissioned by well to do families or individuals. In the last century art was commissioned to advertise holiday locations by the railways in many European countries.

However in the last 30 – 50 years the number of talented practising professional and amateur artists has increased dramatically.  Accessibility and affordability of original art has also increased to the point where many people can afford to collect pieces of original art.  At the same time the value of the works of the old masters, sometimes bought for next to nothing in the lifetime of the artist, has increased to the point where only museums and billionaires can afford to own them.

When you are buying a painting in a gallery you may experience the subtle and sometimes not so subtle pressures of the seller not unlike those of a car salesman, a clothing shop assistant, or a real estate agent.  Having a fully understood reason for purchase and how it complements your aspirations can make you resistant to unwelcome pressure from salespersons.  They may seek to determine your budget and assess your social status.

A painting you show interest in maybe promoted on the basis of the importance of the artist, it complementing your home, as a long term investment, or on the merits of the art itself, depending upon how the salesperson may perceive he can succeed.  How you are dressed when you enter the gallery and what you reveal about yourself in conversation will affect their approach.

The art purchaser needs to be aware that galleries have high overheads which are paid for by sales, and the salesperson may receive a commission.  The amount that the artist receives from a gallery sale for his work will be much less than the sale price since the gallery will deduct both its commission and any taxes on the total cost that may be due.  Beforehand the artist will often have had to pay for the framing if it is a painting or some other display cost.

All artwork for sale should display at the very least technical competence by the artist in using the selected medium to portray its raison d’etre.  Professional rather than student materials should be used.  Some knowledge on the buyer’s part of the underlying difficulties in using the particular medium can bring an appreciation of the artwork simply on a technical basis.  Lack of knowledge may easily be exploited when a prospective art purchaser visits a gallery.  Just because something has a high price doesn’t mean it is good art, or that you will like it on your wall.

Each medium in which paintings are produced involve the use of pigments and for all of them lightfastness is a must, if the painting is to have any durability.  This property can vary according to the quality of the paint, with student quality paints being produced from cheaper, and less lightfast pigments.  The best light fast pigments are the same for all the media – watercolors / watercolours, oil, gouache or acrylics, pastel etc.  Besides lightfastness the use of cheaper student paints, due to the use of fillers, cannot achieve the same clarity and tonal range which can be achieved with professional artist quality paints.  However, each medium may make different demands of the pigments which leads to the visual differences between them, such as the difference between oil and watercolour / watercolor.

The support medium, for a painting also needs to be considered. Canvas made of linen is more expensive than cotton. 100% cotton watercolor paper is more expensive than a cellulose medium.

The variety of sculptures available today reflect the wide range of materials that are available and which can allow the artist more freedom in putting in place his conception.  From traditional stone, clay, and bronze to filled resins, other metals (wires or plates), found materials and plastics that are now available and the tools used in producing the artwork have revolutionized traditional sculpture.   However the basic techniques used are ancient, being basically carving from a block of material, or modeling and casting.

A purchaser needs to be aware of these different production methods since it may bear upon the uniqueness of the piece, and the difficulty in creation and time taken to create it.  If the piece was produced by casting, the number of replicas made from the original model should be considered. Other forms of art that may be considered as forms of modern sculpture or 3D art are glasswork, jewelry, textile art or even millinery.  However, works in these form need to have moved beyond simple craft to something particularly original and creative.

The alternative to buying an original is to buy a printed reproduction, but it is not uncommon to find that those of well known artists are sold at a relatively high price.  Giclee printing while very good is a very expensive process.  No printing process can reproduce the full quality of an original unless the artwork itself was produced by a print process.  Thus ultimately it could be argued that the image is worth little more than that of the paper upon which it is printed.  The only exception is when the artist has had a limited print run of his work and each is signed and authenticated as such.

The main question to consider when buying art is “Do you like it?”

If you don’t like it, then don’t buy it! The purpose of a piece of artwork is to speak to you. If the painting you are looking at makes you feel suddenly sad, happy or emotional, then it’s working! If the piece speaks to you, sends a message and you like it, then you should consider buying the painting.

A piece of art that you like, can give you a thrill every time you look at it and it can inspire you in unexpected ways in your daily life.

Buying,collecting or Purchase of Artwork for Sale from an Online Gallery

Giclee Canvas Prints is an approach of well painting, which incorporates the use of modern day printers, predominately various color ink jet printers and digital art work. This process become more popular now-a-days because of it reflects the original artwork. It also helps the artist to work in a limited budget. Artists are also able to reprint copies of the digital original on demand consequently less wastage. The Giclee style is also being used to produce improved prints of older original artwork, which is digitally scanned as a starting point of the process.The exquisiteness of Giclee Canvas Prints is that it can reproduce any type of digital artwork on the different media as well as Canvas by a giving very specialized appears. Currently printer’s offer enormous flow of coloring & surface is very smooth as well as give an outstanding end compare with the old dot patterns.In UK & Europe Giclee Canvas Prints become a fashionable way for interior design of people’s house. The patterns and designs used are what define and make canvas prints special. People like this prints because its are available at a cheaper price as well as it is graceful & can easily attract anyone to that painting. UK canvas prints are fast become a quick and effective way of making a statement, the best part is that canvas prints are available in a vast array of printed medium. From digitally printed canvas prints to the traditional yet impressive, off set printing based canvas prints, almost all major art works have been reproduced using canvas prints. In UK all type of customers including artists & interior designers show a preference for large UK canvas prints available in full color or black and white. Unique and personalized large art prints create a wonderful ambience in your homes and offices. If you are looking for special gifts for your friends or family, attractive large canvas prints would be a good choice. Besides this, these can be used both indoors and outdoors as posters, banners and signs. Large canvas prints are perfect solution for an impressive gift idea or an interior decoration masterpiece. Super chrome, digital printing services provider focuses on delivering quality canvas prints for various purposes like advertising, tradeshow displays, interior designing, and galleries.Before a canvas print reaches the beautiful and arty finish that you see, there are a few steps that are taken to ensure that the canvas you view is prim and perfect. Once the canvas and the method of printing is selected, the photograph is first analyzed to gauge the feasibility of the print, although almost all photographs and images, can be converted into canvas prints, however all professional canvas printers make sure that they let the customer know if there are going to be color and quality variations. You should be prepared for minor color and quality variations if you are told so by the printer. Large canvas prints are truly effective advertising tools as these make possible a striking projection of your products and services in the eyes of large audiences. Make use of the most innovative digital printing technology available in the digital print market to create huge wall art prints from your own photos or wonderful pieces of artwork. The most up-to-date canvas printing methods are utilized to print high resolution photo images on to canvas. Canvas is the most popular medium used for printing as it has the capability to print anything in large format at high resolution. Printing on high quality canvas offers many benefits such as:• Prints remain crisp and vibrant for years • Images are available in high quality • Superior fades resistance with UV inksUK Canvas Prints can be transferred to any style & format of fine art, it particularly established for humid regions, with Hawaiian Giclee prints becoming much sort after in the art world. While initially the Giclee format had received a like warm welcome from the more traditional of the art world, it has now taken a firm place as a modern day art form. Galleries are now accepting Giclee artwork into their shows, and the collectors are showing a real interest, resulting in the emergence of a Giclee market place.Giclee canvas printing is widely renowned for its fine reproduction of original artwork in a variety of styles and colors. This printing technique makes use of modern technology to reproduce the original artwork without sacrificing its quality. Giclee canvas printing can be customized according to your requirements.Printing techniques Printers today have come a long way; earlier offset printing had its limitations, however with digital printing solutions available, and with the onset of specialized printing techniques like Giclee. There are basically two major methods that are used to create canvas prints, the first method is called Dye Sublimation and is similar in technique to thermal printing, dye sublimation ensures the colors are as close to the original, an additional advantage of thermal sublimation is that the colors are resistant to strong lights and temperature variations.The second technique for printing on canvas is using inkjet printers, the name Giclee is used for inkjet printing, inkjet printers add a more realistic touch to the canvas prints, however inkjet colors fade if they are exposed to light and temperature extremes over a long period of time.Advanced scanning techniques and multicolor detection are utilized for Giclee canvas printing and the image is processed in the computer in order to capture every shade of the original artwork. In Giclee canvas printing, the digital image that has to be printed is scanned in the computer and printed on the canvas using a wide format printer. The wide format printer uses water-soluble dye based inks which are devised specifically for fine art production. Finally, after drying, the canvas is stretched and fastened over wooden bars. Printing experts believe that Giclee canvas prints have excellent color accuracy that enhances the beauty of the printed images. The important aspect of printing is that the color scheme should remain accurate through the entire processing and serve the needs of customers.