Getting the most out of your Artwork

Creating a piece of art doesn’t end when you click Finish in ArtMaster or ArtMasterPro. There are several things to take into account at this point, which we’ve summarised below.

Printers and Inks

To reproduce your work in a way that does it justice, it’s vitally important that you have a good printer. Here at Fo2PiX we use a variety of printers. We have an Epson 10600 for canvas and larger format printing, an Epson 4000 and 2100 for A3/A2 printing and various other smaller Epson desk-jet printers. The giclée process, as inkjet printing is known, gives an artist the same degree of flexibility as paint, whilst losing none of the vibrancy or accuracy of colour. We also generally find that, because Epson use Piezo Quartz technology, every drop of ink is where it should be and there is no bleeding or blurring.

The inks you use in your printer are likewise very important and we also recommend Epson UltraChrome inks.

Paper

If you’re using a good printer as outlined above, although the colours are excellent, they are not necessarily identical first time to those viewed on your PC. We therefore recommend running a number of test prints on A4 paper before embarking on your final print.

Choosing your paper is important and there is a wealth of speciality fine art papers available – from Archival Matte to Somerset Velvet, there will be one to suit your art. For example, a non-textured paper may complement an ink or pencil drawing, whilst the best paper for a watercolour print is usually a watercolour white paper. This will often add an authenticity to your prints that will be the final touch for your work. For many of our own artworks, we have printed straight onto A3 textured fine art paper. Glossy papers and canvas papers (should you have a large printer), also give tremendous results when the highest quality print settings are used.

General

• Keep a library of your work.

• Consult a professional framer about the best frame and mounts to work with your picture.

• Try to bear in mind how you intend to print whilst working on your image. For example, if you know that you intend to print out at A3, bear in mind that what you see on screen will be blown up and easier to scrutinise, so try to use softer, more believable lines.