Printing
At Upstate Light we print with archival Epson K3 pigment inks using the Epson Stylus Pro 9800 and Stylus Pro 3800 printers on a wide variety of media. Our prints, like our scanning and retouching services, are made in a collaborative atmosphere, and we go to every possible length to realize the client's artistic vision. The beauty of the fine inkjet print is not only in the richness of it's color and the depth of its tones, but in the physicality of the paper itself. Lightfastness tests have found pigment ink prints to far outlast chromogenic photographic prints (C-prints), and in some cases rival the longevity of gelatin silver prints.
Our printers can handle media from small artists' cards up to 44 inches in the short dimension (with the length restricted only by the length of the roll). We maintain a fully color managed workflow, linearizing and profiling our machines for each media in-house to ensure color accuracy from job to job, and from batch to batch of ink and paper.
About Proofing and Editions
Before ordering your exhibition print you may wish to have a proof made. Proofs for prints 16 x 20 or larger are made at half size. You may request full size crops of smaller areas to check for detail. Proofs will be marked in the image area and are not suitable for exhibition.
If you are printing a limited edition we will require a signed proof as a BAT (bon a tirer) to ensure consistency through the edition. The BAT will be imprinted in the image area and will have essential technical data printed along the edge. the BAT will be kept in dark storage and will remain the property of Upstate Light.
We will gladly supply a certificate of authenticty with every limited edition print. And of course an edition need not be produced in a single run, though single prints printed on demand will cons a little more than those printed in batches (see the pricing tables).
Our Media
For photographs, our preferred paper is Museo Silver Rag. This 100% cotton rag paper has a luster finish reminiscent of an air dried fiber glossy in black and white or a dye transfer print in color. Silver Rag has no optical brighteners and weighs a substantial 300 grams/square meter.
For images requiring somewhat more punch we recommend Epson Premium Luster or Epson Premium Semimatte. These 260 gsm RC papers do contain optical brighteners, but have been tested for excellent longevity.
For fine art prints and giclée reproductions, we stock a variety of archival rag papers in both smooth and textured finishes, plus various canvas media and backlit film.
Your media
We are often asked to print on artist-supplied media or materials we don't ordinarily have in stock, and we are happy to accommodate these requests whenever possible. However not all media are suitable for our printers and inks, and while we have profiles and linearizations for a very wide range of media, we may require several sheets of media for creating a custom profile. Profiling is time and labor intensive and will incur additional charges. Alternatively, we can print using a manufacturer-supplied profile.
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