So, you’re an artist and you’re looking to share your creations beyond the original canvas? Making art prints is a fantastic way to reach a wider audience and generate income from your work. One of the most common questions I encounter is, “How do I make art prints?”. It can seem daunting at first, but with the right approach, it’s totally achievable without breaking the bank. Let’s dive into the process of creating beautiful art prints of your work.
Capturing High-Quality Images of Your Art
The foundation of any great art print is a high-quality digital image of your original artwork. This is a crucial first step, as the quality of your print will directly depend on the quality of this initial image. You have a few options here: professional scanning, professional photography, or scanning it yourself.
Professional scanning offers the highest quality and color accuracy, but it can be quite expensive. Similarly, hiring a professional photographer to capture your artwork is another excellent option for quality, but also comes with a higher price tag. For many artists, especially when starting out, scanning your own artwork is a practical and cost-effective solution.
When I began creating prints, I used an all-in-one inkjet printer and scanner. It worked for a while, but I soon realized its limitations, particularly with capturing vibrant and fluorescent colors accurately. Standard scanners sometimes struggle with these types of pigments, resulting in washed-out or distorted colors in the digital image.
This led me to invest in a dedicated scanner, and after research, I chose the Epson Perfection v600 scanner. Years later, I’m still incredibly happy with this scanner.
The Epson v600 offers several advantages:
- Speed: It scans quickly, which is essential when you have multiple pieces to digitize.
- Image Quality: It produces high-resolution images with excellent detail and color accuracy, crucial for art prints.
- Compatibility: It’s compatible with both Mac and PC, making it versatile for different setups.
While the Epson v600 is a bit more of an investment than a basic all-in-one, the jump in quality is significant, especially if you’re serious about producing high-quality art prints. If you already own a scanner-printer combo, you can certainly start with that and see if it meets your needs. However, if you’re looking for a dedicated scanner specifically for artwork, I highly recommend the Epson V600.
Producing Your Art Prints: DIY vs. Outsourcing
Once you have a high-quality digital image, the next step is to actually produce the art prints. You essentially have two main paths: printing them yourself (DIY) or outsourcing the print production to a professional service.
In the beginning, I attempted to print my own art prints using my inkjet printer on cardstock paper. While seemingly cost-effective at first glance, this approach quickly became frustrating and, surprisingly, more expensive in the long run.
The challenges of DIY printing included:
- Paper Costs: High-quality art paper can be expensive, and experimenting to find the right type adds up.
- Ink Waste: Inkjet printers can be ink-hungry, and achieving accurate colors and print quality often required multiple test prints, wasting ink and paper.
- Quality Inconsistencies: Maintaining consistent print quality at home can be difficult, leading to variations in color and detail across prints.
Realizing the limitations and costs associated with DIY printing, I decided to explore outsourcing options. I initially looked into local print shops, but most focused on large bulk orders, which wasn’t suitable for my print-on-demand needs. This led me to online print-on-demand services.
I experimented with a few platforms, including Redbubble.
Redbubble offers a wide range of products, including art prints, and boasts excellent print quality. However, the artist’s profit margin on Redbubble is quite small. It might be a viable option if volume is your primary strategy, or if profit isn’t your main concern. I appreciated Redbubble’s card options, which came cello-wrapped and with envelopes, but the branding on the back of the cards wasn’t ideal for my brand.
After Redbubble, I transitioned to iPrintfromHome, and I’ve been using their services ever since.
iPrintfromHome has proven to be a fantastic solution for my art print needs. Here’s why I highly recommend them:
- High-Quality Prints: They produce exceptional quality prints on various surfaces, including fine art papers, ensuring your artwork looks its best.
- White Border Option: They offer prints with a white border, which provides a professional and gallery-ready look.
- Drop Shipping: This is a game-changer! iPrintfromHome handles the printing and shipping directly to your customers. When someone orders a print from my online shop, I simply place the order with iPrintfromHome, and they take care of production and delivery. This saves me a significant amount of time and effort, especially as a busy artist.
- Excellent Packaging: Customers consistently praise iPrintfromHome’s shipping packaging, ensuring prints arrive safely and in pristine condition.
- Bulk Ordering: iPrintfromHome also supports bulk orders for art fairs or exhibitions, offering cost savings for larger quantities.
- Human Touch: Unlike some large corporations, iPrintfromHome has a personable and responsive customer service. They have a friendly presence on social media, and even send a personal anniversary card each year, making you feel valued as an artist.
While iPrintfromHome doesn’t currently offer matting, cello-wrapping, or international shipping directly (outside of US and Canada), the overall quality, convenience, and customer service make them my top choice for print production. For international orders, I have prints shipped to myself and then handle the international re-shipping.
Choosing the Right Path for Your Art Prints
Ultimately, the “best” way to make art prints depends on your individual needs, budget, and priorities. The key takeaway is to find a method that is both affordable and sustainable for you. If your chosen method becomes overly stressful or financially draining, you’re less likely to consistently create and sell prints.
Consider these factors when making your decision:
- Budget: How much are you willing to invest in equipment and supplies (for DIY) or per-print costs (for outsourcing)?
- Volume: Do you anticipate selling a high volume of prints, or is it more of a side income stream?
- Time Commitment: How much time do you want to spend on print production and fulfillment?
- Quality Expectations: What level of print quality are you aiming for?
- Control vs. Convenience: Do you want complete control over the entire process, or do you prefer the convenience of outsourcing?
There’s no single “right” answer, and it’s perfectly okay to experiment with different methods until you find what resonates with you and your art business.
If you’re an artist who creates prints, I’d love to hear about your process and any recommendations you might have in the comments below. And if you’re just starting out with art prints, what questions do you still have? Share them in the comments, and I’ll do my best to answer them!
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