REPRODUCTION by Roger Howe

As a Graphic Designer for most of my working life, I have had the privilege of earning a living from the visual arts. During this time I have managed to get to grips with technologies old-school and new and it is with this in mind that I offer some titbits to other creatives. If you are easily offended by profanities do not read on... Giclée or not to Giclée . . . Giclée to put it simply is just a French word describing a method of print - ‘inkjet’. It sounds all mysterious and full of promise - it’s supposed to! It’s not like cramming your work into a photocopier and screaming 500 copies please, Giclée prints take time and effort to get right and unlike Lithographic printing it will last 75 - 100 years supposedly - so that is your unique selling proposition when you come to sell them. The quality of these prints can be phenomenal, that is why they are preferred by museums and Art galleries the world over. Lithoprints on the other hand fade fast, you remember seeing those reduced items in seaside shop windows with the packaging all faded, that’s because the ink is not lightfast and degrades in ultraviolet light, pretty and enticing the packages they maybe but they aren’t meant to last forever - people are supposed to buy them! I personally use an Epson machine to reproduce my work - it’s reliable and has a wide colour Gamut giving genuine photographic results every time. Epson also guarantee their substrates and K3 ultrachrome inks for longevity that is why my machine will never be run with anything less. Before embarking on inflicting more of the ‘same old’ upon the world ask yourself a couple of questions. 1. What image do I choose? 2. Will it sell? 3. Where / how can I sell them? 3. Can I afford to stare at it for a while if it doesn’t sell? I suppose in terms of cost for a short run or one-off Giclée offers an excellent method and fits the bill for most - especially as you can print onto canvas and a of variety textured substrates. I use semi-gloss photopaper for mine because it suits my images and gives great detail. Canvas prints are ideal for reproducing acrylics or oils and they can be hand embellished by the Artist for a more authentic look. Don’t just have them stapled over some rough-cut timber you dragged out of a pile of crap in the shed - put some effort in and go where they put them on stretcher bars (a lot of mass produced tosh is done like this for retail chains - yours will be better!) - it will make a difference and the image can be re-tensioned by pushing the wedges in. This is an issue in centrally heated environments as humidity and temperature will affect the tension. How to get them done The first step is to get that painted stuff into flat digital format, this can be done in a couple of ways: 1. Have it photographed 2. Flatbed scan 3. Drum scan Ask where you’re getting them done and work with them - if they can’t input your work then they will know some other professional who can. I suppose if you’ve got this far you're probably going to go ahead so here goes: Test prints are a must and make sure that their monitors are calibrated regularly it is important so that colours are constant! Don’t forget to get your resulting image deleted off their system and saved onto disc - it is yours! Above all work as a team it will pay off in the end. Tip: Get several quotes and beat the buggers down with them - some may do a deal on set-up costs but in my experience go to an outlet you can trust - you don’t want unauthorised reproductions of your limited editions now do you? If in doubt get them to sign an agreement. Tip: when marketing your prints offer them mounted and wrapped and in different sizes, offer them framed too - it helps to give the customer more choice. Do not forget to have certificates of authenticity produced and catalogue all ‘limited edition’ sales diligently as it will ad value to your operation. Tip: Be careful if you decide to let an on-line operation print and sell for you - you will lose control. Yes I do reproduce stuff and hope to offer a full package of options to fellow Artists in time but that is not why I did this post - If you need advice drop me a line; if you need prints go back to the beginning and make sure. ©2008 Roger Howe art-on-line.biz PS: if this has been helpful then why not post a link on your site for: http//www.art-on-line.biz ?! email: r.a.howe@btinternet.com