imageician - ART REPRODUCTION

Over 30 years of experience in fine art reproduction

A fine art reproduction is to create a precision digital copy of an original artwork, for giclée printing or digital display.My process begin with photographing original artwork at my studio in North Vancouver or at a location. I use 100 Megapixel Fuji professional photographic camera to capture all the details on original artwork. The reason that I choose to photograph artwork rather than scanning is, I can control strength of brush strokes and texture with my masterful illumination. This will deliver the original feeling to the reproduction print.

Two light 45 degree

Blank card to balance lighting

Single light source

When digitizing artwork most photographers use two identical light sources placed equally distanced on both sides of the artwork with a 45 degree angle. This is a good technique, it imitates the flat scanner illumination.

With this method it is easy to get evenly lit and colour accurate digital files. I used this technique when I start to work late 80’s. In my opinion this technique erases artist’s painting style and converts everything like 2D illustration.

Artist canvases are newer flat, there are brush strokes, patches of paints left deliberately with a chisel, canvas texture, some artist will use textured materials to stamp on wet paint to give a unique depth to their artwork. To deliver all those details requires different styles of illumination.

With my many years of experimentation, I found different illumination techniques to show those details on reproductions. One of the illuminating technique that I use is, illuminating artwork with one large light source from one side. This technique will deliver all details on canvas to the print, but using one light to illuminate artwork, will create uneven illumination. The side that is near to light source will be brighter than the other side, to overcome this I will photograph a blank piece of paper on painting, than I will measure the light fall on this paper using Adobe Photoshop. Using this illumination levels, I will create a digital graduated filter over my digital file. This will make illumination look even with a lot of detail.

After digital file created I will colour edit your digital file to ensure it is exact colour matching to original when printed on canvas or archival papers.

When digital file is ready, I will run test prints on archival canvas or paper for the final size that artwork will be printed. This is required as batch to batch papers and canvas will have colour variation, making test prints and my trained eye, I will make sure that colours and tones masterfully replicated.

Printing

Once I am satisfied with the digital file I will print the reproductions using best archival quality paper- canvas and pigment ink combination in my studio, using colour calibrated Epson and Canon fine art printers.

With my over 30 years of expertise and quality materials that I use, I will ensure colour accuracy and the long life of printed reproductions.