| MUSEUM QUALITY GICLÉE PRINTMAKERS |
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| We offer: |
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• State of the art. equipment including the Better Light® camera system and Epson wide-format Ulatrachrom® printers |
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| • Only the highest quality canvas and fine art media available today. |
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| • Precice tension canvas stretching and gallery wrap with available side reproduction. | ||
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| • Studio and location highest resolution direct digital art scan. | ||
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| • A wide array of package pricing |
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| • Local artist discounts. |
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MUSEUM QUALITY FINE ART COPY
TRUE GICLÉE PRINTING
We are committed, both in skills and technology, to reproducing fine artwork by the giclée process, from the French, “gicler” meaning to spritz. As for its origins some twenty years ago, the name “giclée was reputedly pulled out of a French dictionary by rock musician (and painter) Graham Nash to anoint the then-new Iris inkjet printer ($50K and up) as a tool for fine artists who could afford it. Whatever it’s origins, the term stuck to the point where even the French are using it.
The giclée process reached maturity (and affordability) only in recent years. Previously, artists producing a limited edition were obliged to use lithography in which an entire edition (usually hundreds) had to be printed, signed and numbered, then properly stored, all at great expense. With the giclée process, a more modest portion of the edition (even one) can be printed initially, with more on demand. As for quality, the giclée process wins hands-down with higher resolution and more brilliant color, all on a wide range of media from the bumpiest watercolor block to real artist’s canvas.
Unfortunately, there are many claiming to be “giclée master printers”, some using equipment and materials that do not meet today’s standards in color brillance, resolution, and longevity. The Giclée Printers Association, of which we are a member, is a group of master printers founded to maintain standards in the field, as well as evaluate new materials and equipment as they become available.
PHOTOGRAPHIC ART COPY
The giclée process involves first and foremost the creation of a high-resolution digital copy of a work of art. It is important at this point to distinguish a good portfolio shot of a work of art and a digital file of that same work that is usable for reproducing the art in a way that is indistinguishable from the original. Where “highlights” on brushstrokes my be fine for the former, they become unwanted noise in a file to be reproduced. Ambient light flair seen by eye on a painting in a museum is tuned out by our brain, but not by the camera. In short, there is no “one-size-fits-all” rule for lighting and photographing art, which is in itself as much art as science. We use experience tempered by judgment and the artist’s input to evaluate how best to capture each image. And then for the science part, we use a direct-digital copy system employing state-of-the-art lenses and cameras including the Better Light camera system, a tool of some of the finest museums, that can produce extremely high-quality files of art.. Additionally, our direct-digital photography eliminates the generational loss (in image sharpness and color accuracy) of first copying the work onto film, then digitizing the film via drum-scanning.
HOW BIG IS YOUR ART?
We routinely shoot works up to 4' x 7' and can, by arrangement, shoot up to 8" x 12" canvases at FULL PRINTING RESOLUTION! (240 dpi for really huge works). If you'd like to see our approach, look at really big paintings.
FINE ART COPY We offer art copy priced in two versions:
COPY ONLY, which includes the photographic session, a CD of the full-resolution ( 300 PPI) digital file and an uncorrected 8” x 10” first proof on high-quality paper.
COPY/PRINT PACKAGE, which includes the copy photo session, the 300 ppi file on CD, an uncorrected 8” x 10” first proof on high-quality paper, and a full-sized giclée print on a variety of watercolor/fine-art papers or waterproof canvas.
ART COPY PRICES
| SIZE OF ORIGINAL | ART COPY ONLY | COPY/PRINT PACKAGE |
| UP TO 20” X 30” (160 mb file) | $90 | $70 plus print price (see below) |
| UP TO 30” X 40” (320 mb file) | $125 | $95 |
| UP TO 40” X 60” (600 mb file) | $175 | $130 |
Copying of more than 5 paintings can be bid on an hourly basis, bringing the price down substantially. Call for estimate..
Gallery Wrap Sides:
Sides/top of canvas can be created in black (or any solid color): no charge.
Digitally creating sides in Photoshop to seamlessly blend with the front of the painting: $50 (sides only) See examples here.
PRINTING FOR PACKAGES:
We adhere to the highest giclée printing standards, using the Epson Pro 9600 and 7600 with Ultrachrome Inks offering a longevity of 80 - 100 years. For our canvas prints, we use a variety of the finest materials from Bulldog Green Dot, Breathing Color Glamour, and Premier Waterproof in either matte or gloss finish. For watercolors and fine art papers (for pencil and pastel originals), we offer various papers from Arches and Hahnemühle, two of Europe’s oldest and most experienced companies. All of these papers, when used with the Ultrachrome inkset claim longevities in the hundred year area. Additionally, we unconditionally warranty our prints against any defect or fading for the first year.
PACKAGE PRINT PRICES
Please note that the dimensions are for the entire surface. For canvases to be stretched on a standard (3/4") stretcher, please add a border of 2” on all sides for stretching. If the canvas is to be "gallery wrapped" on heavy stretchers (i.e. with the painted sides showing), please add an additional 3" on all sides. For example, a 24" x 36" image size: add 2" of image on each side, plus an additional 1' of unprinted canvas for stretching, producing a final canvas size of 30" x 42"
In art paper and watercolor, a border of 1” is to be added in calculating the final size. Please note that if your pring size is odd, it will be calculated at the next largest price on the table below. Print prices for copies in excess of 5 are available on request.
| PRINT SIZE | FINE ART CANVAS | WATERCOLOR/FINE ART PAPER | ||
| 1st Print | 2-5 prints | 1st Print | 2-5 prints | |
| 8 x 10 | $37 | $29 | $31 | $26 |
| 11 x 14 | $43 | $35 | $35 | $29 |
| 16 x 20 | $58 | $45 | $44 | $36 |
| 20 x 24 | $72 | $56 | $55 | $46 |
| 24 x 30 | $92 | $72 | $69 | $56 |
| 24 x 36 | $108 | $88 | $75 | $62 |
| 30 x 40 | $132 | $120 | $108 | $84 |
| 36 x 40 | $138 | $110 | ||
| 36 x 36 | $145 | $129 | ||
| 36 x 48 | $181 | $148 | ||
| 40 x 50 | $210 | $155 | ||
| 40 x 60 | $245 | $216 | ||
Canvasas larger than 40 x 60 are $.10/sq. in for the first print, $.09/sq.in. for 2-5 prints
Fine art paper prints larger than 30 x 40 are $.085/sq. in. for the 1st print, $.075 for 2-5
NOTE: there is a one-time only set-up of $50 for each work.
Custom Progressive Proofing:
We use state-of-the-art color management techniques including creating a unique color profile for each art scanning session. Generally, the first paper proof of the scan (included in the scanning price) is very close to the original art colors, allowing for minor variation due to dyes and media lots, etc. If additional proofs on the final media selected (i.e. canvas) are required, we recommend that they be done on smaller sizes, for example, if the final print is to be 36” x 48”, make the proofs on 11” x 14” to hold costs down.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES:
LOCATION ART COPY
Often, it is impractical to send original artwork to us for copying. To answer this need, we have designed our direct-digital copy equipment to be portable and can be brought to a distant location for copy at a minimal increase in cost. Contact us for an estimate.
GALLERY WRAP on heavy-duty stretcher bars (1.5” thick, 2" wide), stretched with precise tension control. $7 per lineal foot, e.g. a 24” x 36” print has sides that equal 10’. Please add 10% for waste.
UV LAMINATE While not required by our canvas or ink manufacturers, we recommend these excellent toppings by either Bulldog Products or Breathing Color (applied by an auto spray gun) to add additional protection to your canvas from handling and sunlight. This adds 20% to the price of the canvas.
FLOATER FRAMES for gallery-wrapped canvases in our exclusive black hardwood molding, including mounting, hanging hardware....$10/ft.
CUSTOM MATTING: We offer a limited (but cool) selection of Crescent matte-board. Price includes rear mounting board, acid-free tape.
| FRAME SIZE: | Up to 18 x 24 | Up to 24 x 36 | Up to 32 x 40 |
| PRICE: | $25 | $30 | $35 |
We accept payment with the following credit cards, money orders, or checks by arrangement.
Please note, we do not print from artist’s digital files without special arrangement
READ MORE ABOUT:
COPYING TROUBLESOME ART, PART I: NON-FLAT ART
COPYING TROUBLESOME ART, PART II: SHINY PAINTINGS
31139 Via Colinas, Ste. 204 • Westlake Village, CA 91362 • (818)707-8070 • info@penguindigitalarts.com