Frequently asked questions
What does colour correction involve?
Colour correction at Dragonfly Imaging & Printing is the process of creating a giclée that is a beautiful colour match to the original work of art or the artist’s vision. A full colour management system and custom-built ICC profiles for every printer, ink and paper combination are required to attain this objective. At Dragonfly, we build our own profiles and colour-manage our processes from the digital capture through to the final print to ensure that we meet our client’s needs. The giclée printing process provides brilliant and superior colour to all other methods of art reproduction. There are some colours outside the printable gamut. The colours found in art and photography are rarely a challenge to the giclée process, but the extremely saturated primary colours that can be present in graphic design may require adjustment. We work closely with artists, photographers and designers during the proofing process to ensure the print is the best possible colour.
What is a proof?
Proofing is a joint venture between the service bureau and the artist to determine the look and feel of the final print. Digital capture rarely renders accurate colours and tonality on the first go; our colour experts determine the necessary adjustments to the image in Photoshop. Once we are satisfied, a colour proof is created on the substrate of choice for the client’s approval. The proof is usually an 8 1/2 x 11 inch print of the art. For large prints, we may do a section of the final print at full resolution. The artist’s input helps us to ensure colour excellence that will please the most discriminating. We can also work with an artist to creatively alter the image as desired.
Can I prepare my own files for printing?
Yes, you can prepare your own images for Giclée printing and not incur set-up costs. You can also pay us 'a la carte' to do only the service you need, for example, proofing. This is a good option for photographers and digital artists who are comfortable doing their own colour work in graphics software. We recommend profiling your monitor to a standardized colour space to have predictable colour in your final prints. Please refer to the section on File and Proof Preparation.
When do I need the set-up service?
Set-up includes digital capture, clean-up of scratches, dirt and other artifact, colour correction, print file preparation and proofing. Knowledge and proficiency in graphics hardware and software are needed to create a print-ready digital file that can be used for a successful fine art Giclée. Artists who are doing reproduction of their original works of art and photographers who prefer to be in the field shooting rather than sitting at their computer usually find this an economical choice. The set-up is a one-time per image, then we continue to use the same digital file for each subsequent print. There are no additional set-up charges for re-prints.
Do I have to print my entire edition at once?
Most artists request prints as they need them. This allows them to ascertain the salability of a print and to keep minimal inventory. We keep all client files on hard-drives and backed up on CDs and DVDs.
What printer do you use? What resolution do you print at?
At Dragonfly, we print on the Epson 9600 and 9800 printers. Both printers were designed in collaboration with some of the world's best-known photographers and printmakers and is becoming the standard in Giclée printing everywhere. The MicroPiezo DX3™ print head is capable of producing a resolution of 2,880 x 1,440 dpi. The continuous-tone image quality at 1440 dpi means you cannot see dots in the print. This printer has received wide acclaim, which we believe is well deserved. The printer is designed for seven-colour printing using UltraChrome pigmented inks. The brilliantly pigmented inks combine with our fine art substrate selection to produce saturated colour and sharp images. The prints have incredible detail and texture in the highlights, mid tones and shadows.
What handling concerns are there with giclée prints?
Giclée prints, like all artwork, should be treated with care. They need to be protected from water, including damp hands, and airborne pollutants. Prints on paper substrates should be framed and mounted behind glass.
Giclée prints on canvas must be treated with a coating before being stretched on a frame. The interleaving sheets we provide protect your print against abrasion. Please use them until the print is framed or sprayed with a protective coating. The Epson UltraChrome inks have archival ratings between 60 and 100 years when the prints are behind glass and protected from direct sunlight.
Are there any special points to consider in framing?
Giclée prints can be framed using standard techniques with archival materials. The use of UV protective glass is recommended. Giclée prints are often mounted to show one half inch or more of the paper border in the mat window. This facilitates signing in the lower border and displays the artistic qualities of these fine watercolour papers.
When should I put a UV coating on my print?
Giclée prints on paper or canvas that are exhibited without glass must have a UV protective coating.