I love creating fine art prints from a selection of my mixed media originals. I started my journey into creativity through photography and then digital art. I think that is where my love of prints stems from. For me it is part of the journey of my art, the final step in my creative process.
The knowledge I gained from photography and digital art definitely helps in the creation of my own prints.
There are lots of parts of the puzzle that have to come together to create the final outcome.
The planning begins before the original is made available for sale, this is the time to capture the photograph which will be used at a later stage to create the print. I have to remember to photograph it prior to any framing or varnishing which could create a sheen preventing a clear image being captured.
Camera settings, lighting and sharp focus are the next important steps. When happy with the quality of the image, I download it from the camera and make sure it is backed up in two places, one of which is not on my computer. Once the original has sold there will be no further opportunity to get these images so I like to make sure they are safe.
I edit my images in photoshop and I try not to get too caught up in comparing it to the original, my main focus is on creating a beautiful print.
One of the final steps in the process is choosing the best paper for a particular print. The example I am showing here is Memories of You which recently sold.
The photo above shows two prints of the same image, one has a slightly warmer tone than the other. The only difference is the paper they are printed on. Below you can see samples pf the paper, both papers are matt but one has a slight cream bias the other is bright white. The cream undertone produces a warmer image then the bright white.
There is nothing wrong with either print but it is useful to know the effect different papers can have on the outcome. I chose the more neutral grey for my final print. See below.
Final print of Memories of You
I’m very pleased with the result and how it looks in a mount. It is now available in my print shop (unmounted) in various sizes.