The Prints:
The final printed image is the peak of my efforts in creating a piece of artwork that represents my view of the world around me. I take great pride in every Print I produce and want you to be equally happy. To this day, no matter how often it happens, I still get a thrill in knowing a customer has chosen to hang a piece of my artwork in their home or office. This page is set up to inform you about how I produce my prints including the papers I use, how they are matted and then right down to the care I take in packaging and shipping the final piece to your home or office.
All of my fine art prints are produced to archival standards on state of the art Epson Inkjet Printers using the very best in archival pigment inks. The combination of light fast pigment inks and heavy-weight (245~325gsm ) fine art archival papers ensure that the print will provide lasting enjoyment and pleasure for decades to come. I produce my prints on high quality archival papers form Breathing Color. A leader in the industry of photographic fine art papers. The images I produce are done so on three of their leading papers, Vibrance Luster, Vibrance Metallic & Elegance Velvet fine art papers.
Vibrance Luster:
Vibrance Luster is a heavyweight (255gsm) photo paper, it was developed to give maximum color gamut, black level and image resolution. It has a cockle-free RC base that gives the product a true photographic feel and has a very light stipple texture to help keep reflections down. Vibrance Luster allows for maximum ink coverage and produces stunningly vivid images. A great choice for most all images.
Vibrance Metallic:
Breathing Colors Metallic paper is a unique and exceptional photo paper and the only metallic paper on the market today that can be compared to the Kodak® metallic process. It is a heavyweight (255gsm) photo paper and you'll know it's a true metallic the second you see it. Since it is a genuine true metallic this means that you can see metallic from every angle that you view the print from. Images will pop like you've never seen before on any photo paper and images will appear exceptionally clear & crisp. I tend to use this paper on images that contain lots of reflections like on water or shinny objects. Images with lots of sky color and greenery. It tends to really make these qualities of the image stand out. This is a good paper choice if you like your images to really have some "pop".
Elegance Velvet:
Elegance is a heavyweight 310gsm textured bright White fine art matte paper. It is water-resistant and made from 100% cotton fiber and is acid and lignin free. Elegance Velvet is a proprietary mould-made fine art paper that is strong and dimensionally stable. It has a very nice feel in the hand and is the "anchor" of fine art reproduction studios worldwide. Please note that when you are viewing a print made on fine art matte papers or any matte paper they will tend to lack contrast & vibrancy. As soon as the prints are framed and behind glass the images will come alive with wonderful saturated colors with nice contrast. Matte papers are a great choice if you know the image will be displayed in an area where reflections form many different light sources could interfere with viewing the image. They are also generally rated as having the longest archival life if kept out of direct sun light.
Unless asked to print on a specific type of paper I will use what I feel is the best choice to display the art chosen. If you would like to choose a specific paper from the papers listed above you may contact me via email to let me know your choice or you may do so during checkout. To do so during checkout once you have added the image to your cart, next choose "checkout now" you will come to a screen that shows you the images you are purchasing. If you click on the image you will have a chance to leave special instructions for that image. Just state the paper type, luster, metallic or matte. Then choose save and close. Do this for each image you purchase. You may also at that time leave any other instructions you may have. I print and personally inspect every one I produce then sign them on the back prior to shipment.
Disclaimers:
1. Actual print size may vary slightly from stated in some sizes, this is dependent on the mat used and it's actual opening size.
2. As you might expect, viewing art work of any kind on the internet or non calibrated computer monitor is pretty tough. As you will see the quality of the physical print will far surpass the appearance of the image viewed on a computer screen, having a tonality and level of detail impossible to capture on non calibrated monitor.
The Mat:
I use Artique by Larson-Juhl. A 4-ply museum grade conservation quality Acid free and Lignin free mat board that is Alkaline pH neutral and is calcium carbonate buffered to enhance its useful lifespan by minimizing the effect of atmospheric pollutants. My standard mat board color is black. I will use a soft white upon request. Both have a pure white Core. I’ve selected the color black with a white core for the mat because it adds a dimensionality to my prints and really sets them off. I use a 3/16" white acid free conservation Fome-Core for the under-mount/backing. In addition, I use archival quality acid free mounting tapes and fixtures to mount my prints to the matte. In fact, my mounting process ensures no adhesives touch the print surface itself, again maximizing print longevity. Each matte is also signed and titled if one has been given. I personally mat every print to ensure the highest quality is maintained throughout the production of your order.
The Packaging:
While the printing and matting of a Fine Art print is critically important so is the way it is packaged. I have successfully shipped many prints over the years and I apply the same level of care and attention to detail in my packaging to ensure every print arrives to you in perfect condition.
Every matted print is slipped into a clear plastic protective bag or shrink wrapped depending on size, and is then sandwiched between 2 rigid pieces of cardboard (4 for the larger sizes). The cardboard sheets are at least 2 inches bigger then the print all around. The protective bag or shrink wrap is then taped to the center of one of the cardboard sheets to ensure it does not move around while in transit. I then tape around the edges of the cardboard using a heavy duty packing tape to seal it up. Finally the package is clearly labeled with shipping warning labels to ensure the postman or courier knows to handle with care, not to bend or get the package wet. This approach ensures the safety of the package during transit, and that it arrives to you in pristine condition to your home or office.