Print services
I use an Epson large format printer to produce vibrant, high resolution prints. Using Epson pigment ink the fade resistance of the prints is extremely high. Combine this with an archival quality paper to make the most of the archival properties. Print media is quite different from how we usually view images on a backlit screen. We see the light reflecting off the paper, so to view a print properly you really need to light it well. However, the way the days light can play with a print can be rewarding to see.
If you need anything print related, do get in touch as I may be able to help.
If you want me to print your image or artwork
- Use the contact form to get in touch or just email or call me. I use call screening so you can enjoy talking to my digital assistant initially 🙂
- I’ll confirm details about the print job you require and I can cost it for you
- I’ll send you an invoice for the job
- If you are happy to proceed then pay the bill. You can use bank transfer or PayPal.
- When you’ve paid, I’ll print your work
- And let you know when it is ready to collect or I’ll arrange delivery if you chose that option
I will need the following information
Delivery options
The cheap option is to collect from me.
I appreciate that isn’t always possible or convenient so I have a delivery option.
Big prints are posted in 4″ tubes as this really helps reduce curl. They are expensive though. Return/recycle them to me for a discount. I do like recycling packaging when possible.
Packaging and delivery will be around £9
Mount options
I can finish off your print with a nice mount or cut a piece of mount board to your specifications. I only stock a small range of mount board so if you want something exotic you’ll have to look elsewhere.
My most popular product is mounting to the standard camera club specifications. So the mount is 50 x 40 cm with the aperture bevel cut to fit the print. I mount the print to 1000 micron backing board using photo corners and then stick the cut mount to the backing board. I like doing it this way as the print doesn’t get damaged in the process. If you’ve ever tried to take tape off the back of a print you will know what I mean. I think the finished product is pretty good. I do this by hand so any little discrepancies are part of the charm 🙂
Then again, why pay me to mount your print when you can do it yourself. If you just need a mount with a bevel cut aperture, I can do this to your specifications.
I stock three types of mountboard:
Ice White – a smooth white board
Simply White – this is a warmer, softer white which I like to use with the fine art papers
Black with a white core – a black mount board with a white core
What paper to use?
There are two types of paper I use. They all make great prints. But some prints are better than others 🙂
Yes, of course paper can make a difference but sometimes it more of an aesthetic need. Prints on fine art paper feeling fantastic with substance. However you don’t feel them when they are behind glass! There is a significant price difference and not every print may demand the best paper. If I’m giving someone a print it would be on a fine art paper.
Photo paper
– These use optical brightening agents (OBA’s) to make them whiter and these papers are white. This could be exactly what you are looking for.
Matt – Fotospeed Matt Ultra 240 – white with a very smooth matt surface
Gloss – Fotospeed Gloss 270 – white with a very smooth surface. Very glossy!
Lustre – Pinnacle Lustre 300 – white with a lustre/satin surface finish. Less reflective than gloss
Fine Art paper
– Typically these don’t use any OBA’s so are not as “white” as the photo papers. Their natural white tone is more dependent on the manufacturing process (and the “natural minerals in the water” to quote Canson). These papers are made of cotton or alpha cellulose (wood based) and are acid free. If you are looking for the highest quality and longest lasting print these are what you want. These prints are what are called Giclée prints and have the highest archival quality. Museum grade prints.
Gloss – Fotospeed Legacy Gloss – this has an “unglazed” gloss finish with a fine structure to this warmer cotton paper.
Satin – Canson Baryta 310 – alpha cellulose paper with a barium sulphate layer which helps reflect light. Deep blacks and great for colour work too. This has a satin finish
Matt – Fotospeed Natural Soft Texture Bright White 315 – 100% cotton paper that has become a firm favourite. A whiter base tone with a subtle texture
Matt – Fotospeed Smooth Cotton 300 – 100% cotton with a warmer white tone. This has a smooth velvety surface and prints with great resolution
Matt – Canson Edition Etching – 100% cotton paper. French, expensive and I love it. This has a lovely texture to it. I love how it catches the light
What size do you want your print?
Three options available
If you plan to mount your print then measure the size of the mounts aperture (width x height). You can use these numbers to crop your image to fit the mounts aperture perfectly. I’ll do a video describing the process soon.
If you leave me to print your image then I’ll print it as big as I can with the condition that…..
I will always leave a border around the paper edge. It helps you handle the print without touching the printed surface.
My border sizing and maximum print size:
A4 – 10mm : 190mm x 277mm
A3 – 15mm : 267mm x 390mm
A2 – 15mm : 380mm x 554mm
Go full bleed or printing edge to edge. I really don’t like printing full bleed. By default a printer doesn’t print full bleed, there is always an unprintable margin around the page. So the printer driver cheats to print full bleed and enlarges the print slightly so that it prints past the margins. You will end up loosing some of your composition. Then you will undoubtedly crop the image further when you put it in a mount.
A full page print does look great but you need to be careful to edit your image to take the enlargement into account.
If you really need full bleed without loosing some of the image then I can print on a bigger sheet of paper and trim to size. This would cost more,
Give me your data!
You will need to get your digital images to me.
You can use the form on the contact page to upload an image up to 20mb in size. This could be ok if your are using jpg’s.
This isn’t much use for larger files so I recommend the free option of WeTransfer to send bigger files. It’s very good. I can also handle Google Drive, Dropbox etc. Bottom line is I’ll print anything : TIF, PDF, PSD, JPG, PNG whatever.
On the subject of files.
I recommend editing your images in the largest colour space you can (especially if you have a 100% AdobeRGB monitor). Export them as 16bit TIF’s using AdobeRGB colour space to make the most of my printer.
I’m not saying that you can’t get a great print from an JPG, but you could run into the limitation of 8bit sRGB colour in certain situations. My printer can print more colour than the sRGB colour space offers, so why throw those colours away.