Using Print on Demand for Fine Art Prints
One of the questions I am most frequently asked is “How do I make print (reproductions) from my drawings [or paintings]?” This is often asked after numerous attempts at making reproductions – usually with disappointing results. Many artists think that finding a good printer is the problem, when in fact the secret is in the image preparation!
The key to getting good reproductions is the image scan & prep. You need to start with a top quality high-res image scan. This scan then needs to be edited for reproduction use via a program like Photoshop. Once that is done, the rest is easy – you can have the end result file printed through a variety of outlets – a local printer, a print-on-demand website, etc. (My current favorite source for POD (print on demand) fine art prints is Fine Art America. I have a number of my open edition Horse, Dog and Cat prints available there now.)
Preparing images for reproduction is a specialized area, and what needs to be learned & understood could not be covered in a single blog post. So, if you can find a local graphic designer that has a good scanner and specializes in pre-press work, that would help a lot. If not, you might try Fine Print Imaging. They are based out of Colorado and can do just the scan, or the editing work and even the reproductions. I used them once when I had a drawing too large for my scanner and their service was great.
Slide show courtesy of Fine Art America:
Thank you for this helpful post. I just completed an illustration of a falcon on a glove for an auction that is being held this weekend. I’m donating the art for the falconry association’s silent auction. I’d like to keep the original and have a high quality ink jet print done. Does this look as good as the original (does it convey texture, etc.)?
I forgot to ask – can you do a giclee of a black and white illustration or is this better for color artwork?
Thanks for your post Falconer’s Wife! I’m delighted with the quality from Fine Art America. I think the textures/tones, etc. are perfect, though of course much will depend upon the quality of the scan uploaded.
And you can absolutely make giclee’s from b&w illustrations – much of my work is reproduced in that manner. 
– Kelli