Ever struggled with how to make your own art prints? Me too! It seemed like no one would give me a step-by-step tutorial of how they made their prints, There's also a lot of random bits of information out there to sort through and combine. So, here's my simple, practical, budget-friendly guide so you don't have to search any more.
I have a very tiny budget
That's okay! I'm including a few different options in this post for different price points. You will, unfortunately, need to spend at least a little money, but I'll do my best to help you find a solution that works for your budget.
Supplies
You just need a few things to get started:
Art (obviously)
Scanner
Computer/Tablet
Editing software
Quality printing option
First, decide what art you want to use for your prints. It's probably easiest to start with a small piece that will fit easily on a scanner. For extremely large pieces, many people will photograph their work with a good camera and very neutral lighting. However, since I've never done this, I won't be explaining that option in this post.
Next, you'll need some kind of scanner. When I got started making prints, I used the scanner on the cheap printer we already had at home (a Canon Pixma). It actually gave me surprisingly good results and could scan at a high resolution. So, check out a printer you already have access to for a scanning feature. I'll go into more detail of what to look for later in the post.
You'll also need some kind of editing software to clean up your art scans and a computer or tablet to run it on. This doesn't have to be anything fancy and can even be free (I'm still using a free software!). We'll talk about that later too.
Finally, you'll need some way to print your artwork on a good paper. Don't worry - you don't have to have a great printer to do this when you start out!
Scanning
The first step in your printmaking process is to scan your artwork to a computer or tablet. Like I mentioned before, you can likely use a scanner attached to any printer you already have access to. The important part of a scanner is the resolution. You're looking for a scanner that can capture your artwork at a resolution of at least 300 DPI (dots per inch). DPI just describes how many little blobs of ink go into one inch of printed material - don't worry too much about the technicalities, but remember the number 300. That will let you print your piece accurately, without losing quality or having it turn to pixels.
If you can scan at a higher resolution than 300dpi, congratulations! You can scale up your piece to a larger size. However, you'll need to do some simple math so you don't scale up too much and lose picture quality.
Let's say your piece is 5x7". If you scan it at 600 DPI, you can scale up to double the size of the original because 600 is 2x300. That would mean you could print your piece at a size of up to 10x14". If you scan at 1200 DPI, you could quadruple it.
I personally will scan everything at 1200 DPI, although I rarely print super large pieces. It lets me zoom in really well for editing purposes and makes my prints of any size crisp. This does make a very large scan file, though, so be aware that your computer might operate a little slower as it processes it.
Editing
Next, you'll need some kind of editing software to deal with imperfections like dust or hairs on your scan (we have two pets and there are perpetually dog hairs on my work). You'll also need some kind of device to run your editing software. I have a Macbook Pro and an iPad, both about five years old, but you can find options for most devices. You will need it to be new enough and with enough operating power to run whatever software you use, though.
On my Mac, I use a software called GIMP to clean up scans. It's essentially a free, less powerful Photoshop. There's unfortunately not an app version of GIMP, so on my iPad, I use ProCreate. This app is $13, but it's not a subscription and is very powerful. It's one of my favorite tools ever, honestly, and is good for a lot more than editing!
When editing your scans, you'll just zoom into your piece and look for chips, hairs, smudges, and so on. Then, you'll use tools in your software to remove them. I'll do a post in the future about how to do that in more detail!
Printing
When I first started making prints, I absolutely did not have the budget to get myself a nice printer. They're great to have, but they are pricey. Instead, I used online printing sites to make my prints. After browsing quite a bit, I settled on using Mpix. Their giclee prints have excellent detail and color quality and are very reasonably priced, even for smaller quantities. I also liked this better than a print-on-demand option because I could check the quality of the prints myself before someone bought them.
If you have the budget for it, I do love having my own printer. I don't have to remember to order prints, I can create unique sizes, and I'm just a little bit independence-obsessed and enjoy doing as many steps myself as possible.
I use an Epson Ecotank ET-8550. It can print on up to 13x19" paper and can handle lots of different printing surfaces - like I can even print my own stickers with it. It's expensive, but goes on sale fairly often. It also comes in a smaller version that's less costly.
While I haven't used them, I've heard good things about Canon printers as well. The most helpful thing I did was ask other artists what they use, then did my own research. I already knew from college that I really liked Epson printers, so that narrowed my field down a bit.
Paper
When picking a paper, whether it's from a print-ordering service or for your own printer, it gets overwhelming fast. Here's what you need to pay attention to:
Paper weight - this is measured in GSM or lb. Basically, it just refers to how thick and sturdy your paper is. I use a 300 GSM paper, which is quite thick and easy to frame, almost like canvas. Smaller GSM is less thick, while higher is thicker.
Paper material - what is your paper made of? Really nice paper is often 100% cotton. Regardless of material, though, you'll want it to be acid free so your ink lasts without fading.
Paper texture/appearance - this one is easier to understand at a glance because all the descriptions are pretty self-explanatory. You'll likely choose options that can be matte, glossy, or even pearly/metallic. Those will affect the texture - I use a matte paper that has a slight rise and fall to it, like watercolor paper. Glossy paper, on the other hand, will be very smooth.
Many paper sites will offer samples of their different options so you can see and feel them for yourself, which I'd definitely recommend!
I've had great experience with Red River Paper. They have lots of options, they're extremely high quality, and they offer support with any paper issues from shipping damage to printer trouble. Take a look at their options here - I recently became an affiliate with them, so if you purchase something, it helps me out as well!
The End
Happy printing! Send me a message or leave a comment if you have questions about any part of the process.
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