What is Giclée printing?
What is print-on-demand?
What media types are available for print-on-demand?
Is there a border on paper prints?
What is a print on canvas?
What materials are used for canvas prints?
What is Gallery Wrap?
What is PGW?
How are Premium Gallery Wrapped canvas commissions set?
What is Custom Framing?
What are United Inches?
Why do I occasionally see errors in the frame engine that say things like "Image too big to be framed" or "You cannot use this frame for this image, the resulting dimension is too large. Please select another frame." ?
What are the frames made of?
What kind of mats do you offer?
What types of Glass and Acrylic do you offer?
What is the difference between Glass and Acrylic?
What is Giclée printing?
"Giclée" means fine art ink jet print. The term was coined to differentiate fine art prints from commercial proofs made from similar equipment.
Giclée differs from other traditional printing methods. Posters are usually produced using offset lithography, which uses 4 colors of differing size dots to produce the colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). Newspapers are produced the same way. Giclée prints have the different colors of ink mix on the surface of the paper, so the colors are bright and uniform, even when examined close up. Our Giclée printers use 8 colors of ink (cyan, light cyan, magenta, light magenta, yellow, black, light black, and light light black), so we are able to produce a wider spectrum of color than a traditional print can. For more information on our inks and papers, click HERE.
Traditional prints take a longer time to set up, and generally require a large amount of prints to be made at one time to make up for the cost. One of the benefits of Giclée prints is that they are Print On Demand. The prints are not made until you order them, so you can order them one at a time or many all at once. Giclée prints are especially convenient for artists who would like to offer prints, as they do not need to purchase a large quantity up front.
Giclée prints are the perfect choice for those seeking a quick turnaround time and low overhead costs, but not sacrificing detail and quality.
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What is print-on-demand?
Print-on-demand is a service that allows Imagekind members to easily and inexpensively create fine art prints from their uploaded images. Whether you want prints made from your latest vacation photographs or wish to create fine art prints from your digitized artwork, it's all possible with print-on-demand. All Member Art is available for print-on-demand. Imagekind offers black and white and color printing on a variety of papers and canvases to meet your needs. Prints are made using the Giclée printing process with archival quality, pigmented inks, and acid free media to ensure that with proper care, they will look as good 70 years from now as they do today. We use the finest fine art printers available for production of these products.
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What media types are available for print-on-demand?
We have seven different media types available for print-on-demand, including Enhanced Matte Poster, Premium Photo Glossy, UltraSmooth Fine Art, Hahnemuhle Torchon, Hahnemuhle Photo Rag 308, Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl,
Compare Printing Papers with the IMAGEKIND PAPER SAMPLE KIT
We offer an Imagekind Paper Sample Kit, a sampling of all our printing papers, so you can see and feel the difference between them. Similar papers have the same image to make this even easier. Our Kit sells for $15, and includes a coupon worth $15 on your next print order, so it's essentially like getting the paper samples for free. You can order it here.
Here is a detailed description of each of our Print on Demand papers:
Enhanced Matte Poster
For artists and photographers seeking a flat matte surface, EPSON Enhanced Matte Paper is the ideal choice. This bright white paper is perfect for images that do not require gloss. It yields highly saturated images, while maintaining excellent highlight and shadow detail. Professional photographers, digital artists and amateurs alike will find EPSON Enhanced Matte Paper a remarkable choice for any project.
Premium Photo Glossy
Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper offers the highest gloss level of any Epson resin coated photographic paper. Producing vivid life-like images that rival those of traditional silver halide prints, the ultra glossy finish, coupled with a 10 mil thickness and extremely wide color gamut, make this paper a favorite among discerning photographers. Its instant drying and non-cockling characteristics make use, handling, and display of the finished output trouble-free. It creates highly saturated prints by offering maximum ink coverage and high D-Max for true photographic reproductions. This paper can also be easily laminated to provide protection from light and moisture.
Premium Photo Luster
Wedding and portrait photographers have traditionally used luster paper for their photos. This popular surface is now available to digital printmakers via Epson's Premium Luster Photo Paper. This instant drying paper produces vivid, lifelike images that rival those of traditional silver halide prints. Premium Luster Photo Paper delivers highly saturated prints by offering maximum ink coverage and a high D-Max for true photographic reproductions. Its 10-mil RC base gives prints a photographic feel, and keeps the paper cockle-free. Ideal for use with all Epson Inks.
UltraSmooth Fine Art
Artists and professional photographers require true archival print media in a variety of weights and surface textures for their digital fine art and photography. Epson UltraSmooth Fine Art Paper is a 100% cotton hot press paper that is coated on both sides and is not only acid, lignin, and chlorine free, it is also pH buffered with calcium carbonate for a true archival sheet. This paper is engineered to give you the highest resolution and color saturation possible.
Hahnemuehle Torchon
Torchon by Hahnemuhle, is an acid free cotton rag watercolor paper with a parchment or pastel paper surface. Especially suitable for reproductions of oil, watercolor and pastel paintings. The printed side of this paper has been specially coated for excellent image sharpness and optimum color graduation. The coating also offers a very high level of water resistance. Common applications include fine art reproduction, business cards, greetings cards, post cards, novelty applications, certificates and presentation prints for display purposes.
Hahnemuhle Photo Rag 308
A smooth bright white 100% rag based paper specifically designed to meet the need of photographers or artists using digital photographic output. The heavier 308 gsm paper provides the weight of an art paper with a smooth calendared surface, which picks up every detail captured in the photograph. The coated side of this paper provides excellent image sharpness and optimum color graduation. The coating also offers a very high level of water resistance. Common applications include photographic and fine art reproduction, business cards, greeting cards, certificates and bookmaking. It is also ideal for computer generated artwork.
Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl
FineArt Pearl 285gsm is a triple coated, lignin free, 100% alpha-cellulose paper. The result is an age resistant paper with a surface that is remarkably similar to a traditional silver gelatin double-weight photo paper. Hahnemühle FineArt Pearl proved to be significantly superior in D-Max, white point and surface structure.
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Is there a border on paper prints?
All fine art prints are trimmed to include a 1/4" border. You may request prints be borderless or "trimmed for full bleed" in the Special Instructions in the Checkout process.
If you want a wider border than 1/4", the border needs to be included in the image file prior to uploading. We don't add or edit borders of artist image files so please make sure the size of the border is accurate at the print size you are ordering.
*Please be advised: Adding borders to a rectangular image may change the aspect ratio of the image and it's important to take this into consideration when adding borders to images.
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What is a print on canvas?
The print on canvas option allows you to select an image from your personal digital files and print it on to high quality canvas. Prints on canvas are water resistant, require no glazing and can be stretched or ordered as a rolled canvas (without stretcher bars). Canvas prints use archival LUCIA EX pigment 12-color ink system, artist grade canvas, archival inks, wooden stretcher bars, and UVB protective coating designed to last for over 100 years.
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What materials are used for canvas prints?
The canvas material is a proprietary blend of cotton and polyester to create an artist grade canvas. The stretch bars are made from reclaimed wood. The canvas prints are printed used archival LUCIA EX pigment 12-color ink system, and UVB protective coating designed to last for over 100 years in a household environment.
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What is Gallery Wrap?
Gallery wraps are traditional canvas prints.. The canvas is folded over the edge of a wooden stretcher frame and is attached to the back. We offer 3 types of borders for the wrap: black, white, blurred border, and image wrap. The image wrap presents a continuous display of the image over the sides of the stretcher bars.
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What is PGW?
PGW is Premium Gallery Wrap is the lightest and strongest canvas wrap we've ever made, at 1.25" thick. The canvas is adhered to a solid surface and comes with a finished black matboard back, which acts as a dustcover and adds support so there is no risk of your canvas warping or loosening over time. Premium Gallery Wraps are only printed in a few select sizes but because of their high quality patented design, we are able to offer a two year quality guarantee.
Currently availability limited to certain marketplaces and only in certain sizes.
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How are Premium Gallery Wrapped canvas commissions set?
Premium Gallery Wrapped canvases use the same commission markup that applied to all other canvas prints.
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What is Custom Framing?
We offer over 160 frames and 140 mats from the best manufacturers in the world. Only the highest quality products have been selected for each grade of framing. Materials are available in both conservation and non-conservation categories, so that you can choose from a rich selection of components that will fit both your style and your budget. We are not selling pre-made frames with low -grade materials like those you may find in department or furniture stores. We provide a broad range of options so that your art is just as unique as you are. Now you can imagine it, and create it!
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What are United Inches?
United Inches is a unit of measure used to determine costs of certain framing materials such as moulding. To calculate united inches simply add the width plus the height of the unframed print. An unmatted 8x10 image would have 18 united inches.
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Why do I occasionally see errors in the frame engine that say things like "Image too big to be framed" or "You cannot use this frame for this image, the resulting dimension is too large. Please select another frame." ?
Errors are generated by our framing engine for a variety of reasons. For example, shipping requirements limit the size of glass. Acrylic must be used instead on larger items to prevent breakage. Some mats are only available in smaller sizes. When the mat size limit is exceeded by a design, a message will let you know to use smaller mat borders, or to select another color option. Errors also pop up to let you know you must select a different frame. Smaller wood frames in particular are not designed to be used with larger pieces of art. Over time the stress of hanging and the weight of the components can cause a frame to break apart in the corners. The maximum size for a piece to be framed is 84 united inches (image and mat), so an error may be generated because the size exceeds what may be custom framed. The bottom line is that we want to make sure that your framed art not only arrives in great condition, but that it also looks great and is built to last!
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What are the frames made of?
Our frames are made of wood, metal and wood composite materials. Some have elaborate hand finishes, embossed textures and even metal leafing. The large variety of materials, colors and styles guarantees that you will find just the right selection to complement every framing design.
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What kind of mats do you offer?
We offer over 140 different mats to choose from, including rag, conservation and acid free paper mats.
Rag Mats
When the highest degree of conservation is required, consider only rag matboard. Rag mat is made from cotton fibers which are naturally acid and lignin free. It is the matting and mounting material preferred by museums and preservationists. Affordable and beautiful, rag mat has a smooth surface with solid color from the surface through the core. Bevel cuts on window openings have an uninterrupted flow of color. Eight-ply rag mat has an especially luxurious deep bevel.
This mat is created with technology to slow paper degradation, neutralize acid by-products and protect against damaging pollutants. It is also fade and bleed resistant. Rag mat is recommended for use on original art, fine art prints, historic or valuable documents and photographs.
Conservation Mats
Conservation matboard provides a standard level of conservation quality and is available in a wide range of colors and textures. Each is made from 100% alpha cellulose, and is fade and bleed resistant. Alpha cellulose is produced from buffered wood pulp specially treated to remove acids and lignins.
The conservation mat collection offers an extensive selection of design elements. Fabrics, metallics, patterns, vivid and soft hues add color and textural interest. This range of options allows greater flexibility to create a unique look which complements the art while reflecting your personal style.
Conservation mat is recommended for use on fine art prints, limited edition prints, precious documents or photographs.
Acid Free Paper Mats
Acid Free Paper is an excellent choice when conservation is not an issue. A buffered core keeps bevels on window openings white, and slows damage caused by acids and lignins. Available in a wide range of colors, Acid Free Paper is an attractive and practical mat to use in creating distinctive designs for replaceable, interchangeable or decorative art.
The Acid Free Paper mat collection is only recommended for open edition prints, and posters.
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What types of Glass and Acrylic do you offer?
We offer six different choices of Glass and Acrylic for your framed piece: Glass, Non Glare Glass, UV Glass, Acrylic, Non-Glare Acrylic, and UV Acrylic.
Glass
Premium clear is a non-conservation glazing that is made from the highest quality grade of regular glass available. It is a standard general purpose glass and blocks 45% of harmful UV rays. This glazing is recommended for use on open edition prints, interchangeable or replaceable art. No special cleaners are required.
UV Glass
UV glass is conservation glazing that offers additional protection to help shield art from harmful UV rays. This glass has a 98% UV blocking capability, and minimizes fading. Both indoor and outdoor light sources emit UV rays, and cause irreversible damage. Conservation glazing can be used to protect not only original, limited edition and sentimental pieces, but should also be considered for use on decorative art to preserve color. Only ammonia free cleaners should be used on conservation glass.
Non-Glare Glass
Non-glare glass reduces distracting glare and makes art easier to view in high light settings. Light can also create mirror like reflections, especially with darkly toned art or mats. Using non-glare glass allows you to view your framed art without glare distortion. The etched surface of this glass can reduce the visibility of fine detail when used with multiple mats. It is not recommended for use in designs with more than two 4-ply mat layers, or one 8-ply mat.
Acrylic
Acrylic is lightweight, durable and resists breaking. It also blocks 80% of harmful UV rays. A solution of warm water mixed with liquid detergent may be used to clean premium acrylic. Do not use any cleaning products that contain ammonia. Use only soft cloths that are free of debris when cleaning acrylic to prevent scratching.
UV Acrylic
UV acrylic is conservation quality and blocks 98% of harmful UV rays. It is lightweight, durable and resists breaking. Conservation acrylic may be cleaned with ammonia free glass cleaner. Use only soft cloths that are free of debris when cleaning acrylic to prevent scratching.
Non-Glare Acrylic
Non-glare acrylic reduces distracting glare and makes art easier to view in high light settings. Light can also create mirror like reflections, especially with darkly toned art or mats. Using non-glare acrylic allows you to view your framed art without glare distortion. It is also lightweight, durable and resists breaking. The visibility of fine detail is reduced when non-glare acrylic is used with multiple mats. It is not recommended for use in designs with more than two 4-ply mat layers, or one 8-ply mat.
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What is the difference between Glass and Acrylic?
Both glass and acrylic are used to glaze (protect) your framed prints. Glass is heavier and more scratch resistant than acrylic and is only available for framed pieces up to 20" x 24". Glass can be micro-etched to provide anti-glare properties and coated to provide anti-reflective properties and UV protection which keeps your art from fading.
Acrylic is much lighter than glass and is shatter resistant. Standard acrylic also has greater UV blocking capabilities than standard glass. UV coated glass and acrylic have the same UV filtering ability. Acrylic is optimal for art that will be hung in areas where safety is an issue such as children's rooms, boats, motor homes or public venues.
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