Despite the inkjet is a recent technique, it has been successfully tested. Nowadays, more than ten years later, the most important printer-producing companies are more or less focused on this reproduction procedure, which represents an advantage for the artists with a wide flexibility of use when producing limited editions with an excellent and accurate colour quality.
The ink jet print printing (of professional quality) is a technique that may satisfy even the most demanding artists. However, many designers still deprive themselves of the highest quality graphic means because of preconceptions, and not for putting into practice a set of techniques that are easy to use.
Nevertheless, some artists make systematically a copy of their paintings in canvas (in same cases life-size copies). Despite of being unique pieces, they were lost for them till today, since they separate after the sale.
Nowadays, a photograph of a canvas is affordable for almost everybody. The arrival of the digital cameras offers a wide and new flexibility to plastic artists, who were resigned themselves to losing even the memories of their pieces. On the other hand, we should not ignore the advantages of the photographic studios and their large formats
Since the printer does not use but digital data, the artist may record, with all the necessary precautions, his/her piece with the help from a digital camera and send the memory card or CD to an art reprography studio. And later, an ink jet copy of the artist’s work will be done. Up to the present time, there exist high quality graphic canvases which are specially designed for reproducing art pieces (Copy-Canvas). These copies may be assembled over a stretcher, such in the original piece and ten times cheaper!
Some have understood all the advantages they may have and do not hesitate to make numbered and signed “micro series” of works specially designed for this purpose on the best vellum paper.
On the other hand, the avant-garde artists use this technique as creative procedure in a whole, in connection with a digital creation in graphic stations every time more powerful. Although this creative technique is still unusual here, in some other places a group such as the Pix Movement claims a modus operandi where digital help is used in a part or even in the whole creative process.
We point out some pages within the ARTactif.com website, such as the painter Kabu Kiparis (alias KABUKI) who is one of the founding members of this movement. He has also uploaded images of some copies which have been done following this process. In this case, some pictures of his works printed in glass paper.
Interview
We have met Mr. Pierre Lapide and Mr. Laurent de Carte who work for ECLO’S ART Company, which is specialized in the ink-jet reproduction in paper or in canvas. They were very pleased to answer our questions.
Gentlemen, may you present the ink-jet procedure, please ?
L. de Corte - – Yes, of course! We start working with digital data only; the pilot software with its “RIP” translates the binary data of the computing description of the pixels of the image to print which has been sent by a computer, with the ink quality to be used on a paper or on a prepared canvas. The data may be coded according to a RVB prototype or directly in CMJN mode, which is the colorimetric space in which the machine will reproduce, in any case, the ink colour at the end.
Although the ink jet printing uses its own printing method, the ink restitution by superimposing primary ink is also known as long as the offset exists.
However, this is the only resemblance to the offset, since the ink allocation on the paper, in the case of the printers, is made through the projection of micro drops of ink. In the case of the offset, the ink allocation is made through an almost direct contact with the paper, through the blanket (an intermediate surface made of rubber). In fact, the ink jet has the advantage of not needing the contact between the rims (a mobile group of micro syringes for ink projection) and the support, which allows the use of canvas and thick paper.
However, this printing method has the particularity of working line by line. Thus, any person who has printed a graphic document through the computer at work has realized that the ink jet printing is very slow when it is compared with the offset and even slower when compared with the heliogravure. Both methods are commonly known for their speed.
Consequently, the inkjet is a technique which is especially suitable for printing documents that do not need a large amount of copies, but the quality of the printing remains a fundamental criterion.
In order to counteract the slowness of their machines, the printing companies have developed distribution carriages equipped with 64 or more rims. Besides, the demand of quality on the part of their clients and artists has led to offer models which have six or even seven nuances of primary inks as well as fast drying paper especially adapted to this reproduction mode.
With this aim, what is the medium chosen by the artists who wish to reproduce or even create new works for the inkjet in particular?
With this aim, what is the medium chosen by the artists who wish to reproduce or even create new works for the inkjet in particular ?
P. Lapipe - All the mediums in paper: paper with a matt, glossy or satin finish is presently available on the biggest trademarks. There also exist canvas paper and even true canvas for the highest quality works.
I would like to add that we have developed a printing specialty on vellum paper, with a particular adjustment of our “process” which makes possible that the artists work on the same paper as the one used in traditional lithography. In order to avoid any confusion over the lithography, which is reserved to a specific technique, we prefer to talk about illustration or artistic edition, which is a more accurate definition.
It has been said that the colours may change as time goes by, is this true ?
L. de Corte -As in the rest of the inkjet procedures, we are aware of the perennial colours. However, the artists will be relieved when they know that all the varnish brands which are used on the canvas (I will not refer to any brand in particular) are, of course, U.V. proof as they are applied on the printed canvas. Besides, I would like also to say that the illustrations are hardly ever shown without a protection glass. This protection glass is fully opaque to short wavelength ultraviolet rays. The risk is thus limited to a misuse of the piece.
There exists a specific compound called “hidden ink” which fixes the pigments into microcapsules. The manufacturers when assure a life of more than one hundred years for the editions when printed on special papers. However, the range of this type of papers is more limited than other ranges of paper. This is the main reason we have not offered such a possibility which is, on the hand, more burdensome.
Is there a format limitation to your artistic editions ?
P. Lapipe - In principle, no there is not. However, according to our experience, the most requested formats remain under the limit of one meter of length as maximum. We have equipment which allows us to work with pieces of 60 cm or even 100 cm of length, so we are able to cover most of the artists’ demands. For larger orders, it is necessary to print the piece by parts and paste them all, which makes the product more expensive. I would like to say that we have also providers who work with large canvas for wide surfaces, but let me remind you that Eclo’s Art is especially addressed to artists and not to monumental advertising.
If an artist wants to entrust you the reproduction of one of his/her pieces, what should this person do ?
L. de Corte - First, the artist needs to contact us by e-mail, (since we always develop custom-made products) in order to establish the feasibility of the project. Later, we send him/her a budget and an approximated delivery time. We also need to bear in mind the postage fees for the total price. Next, we will agree in advance the type of data storage medium that he/she will send us. We will also recommend him/her some precautionary measures for the data storage. Since the better the data storage is made, the better the final printing will be.
- Thank you very much, gentlemen.
However, before finishing the interview I would like to say that Pierre and Laurent de Corte are too shy to admit that they are also painters and artists. And this fact is remarkable and it very important to be knows, especially when an artist needs to entrust his/her work to someone that knows perfectly the requirements of the artistic creation, or unless to those of us who believe so…
ECLO'S ART éditions - 7 rue A . J . B RENOUX - 91200 - ATHIS-MONS - Tél.: 01 69 34 71 94
Contact : PIX-MOUVEMENT et ECLOS'ART éditions - Tél.: 01 69 34 71 94 - Email : kabukipeintre@free.fr
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