Our printing studio is built on a collaborative relationship between the artist/client and the master printer. While we can and often do work through the mail, we want to meet you! We recommend coming in to meet your imager and to discuss your project in person.
When you begin a project, you will meet with the imager who will be working on your images. We will show you paper/material options and review our process so you will know what to expect and what will be most suitable for your vision. We will discuss your general aesthetic, the details of your project, and what you’re looking for out of your images, also taking into account your final presentation. After our initial meeting, we will work up proofs for your images. When they are ready, we will meet again to review the proofs together and discuss any changes that might be needed before we print finals.
Imaging and print-production are labor-intensive processes, especially because everything we do is customized. Beautiful prints take time. Depending on the printing process, the material, the print size, and the quantity of images and/or prints, your job can take anywhere from a week to a month, or longer. A few small prints on paper can take 1-2 weeks, while large prints, editions, gallery shows, or unusual materials can take much longer. Once we have the specifics of your print order, we can give you a more accurate turnaround time. Let us know your deadline in advance and we will do everything we can to accommodate it.
Technology and Inks
The UV printer is a flat-bed printer (with a roll-to-roll option) that uses inkjet technology and pigment ink suspended in a liquid polymer. The ink is cured with UV light during printing. The printer uses an 8-ink system to produce a very wide color-gamut. The ink adheres to the surface of the substrate. Because of the physicality of the inks, the printed image can have a dynamic, almost embossed quality.
Size Limit and Materials
Because it is a flatbed printer, we can now print on a range of rigid substrates. If the surface is compatible with the ink and the material is flat, smooth, and under 2” thick, we can print on plexiglass, aluminum, dibond, paper, fabric, wood, rubber, etc. Material permitting, we can print 98×160″ on rigid substrates. With roll media (paper, canvas, etc), we can print 98″ x however long (assuming the material is available in that size). We welcome experimentation on new materials, subject to compatibility with the printing process.
Durability and Strengths
The UV-curable ink is generally considered the most permanent ink available today. The ink has a slight physicality to it which is more noticeable on rigid substrates than on soft substrates, but which also contributes to it’s durability and resiliency. The ink is water-resistant. This is a great choice if you want to display your prints without glazing or other protection, want to use a lightbox, an unusual material, or unusual type of display.
Selection of Rigid Materials:
Aluminum: up to 60×120″
Plexiglass: up to 80×120
Dibond: up to 80×160″
Birch Plywood: 48×72″
Selection of Soft Materials:
Linen/Canvas: 96” in the short dimension
Cotton Rag Paper: 90” in the short dimension
Poly fabrics/wallpaper: 54”-90” in the short dimension
Technology and Inks
The pigment printers use inkjet-technology and pigmented aqueous inks to print directly onto paper or other substrates. The ink sits on the surface in the ink receptive layer. Our printers use a 10-color ink set, including three shades of black, to produce a wide color-gamut.
Size Limit and Materials
We can print up to 64” in the short dimension on a variety of cotton rag papers (both matte and glossy) and other materials such as Japanese papers, fabric and canvas, film, vinyl, etc.
Durability and Strengths
Pigment prints are generally fragile. You should avoid touching the surface (before and after printing), as some materials are easily scratched, scuffed, dinged, etc. There are a wide variety of papers/materials available, which appeal to artists of all mediums. Some are more resilient than others, but generally these prints are not water resistant.
Technology and Inks
Photographic prints use traditional dark room paper that is exposed with lasers and processed through dark room chemistry. The image becomes embedded in the emulsion surface.
Size Limit and Materials
On the Durst Lambda we can print up to 50” in the short dimension x however long. With the Lightjet XL5000 we can print 72×120”. There are several RC (resin-coated) papers available from deep matte, pearl, matte, and glossy, to metallic and high gloss FujiFlex, as well as clear and translucent films.
Durability and Strengths
The glossy surfaces are more susceptible to scratching. The matte surfaces are a bit more resilient and suitable for display without glazing. Both are suitable for face-mounting.