What printers would you recommend for making art prints?

Answer 1

It depends a lot on size, media, and the type of image you want to print.

If you want to be able to print on media that is larger than 24" wide, you are looking at a plotter. Plotters are available in a number of different configurations (4 color, 6 color, etc) but one thing wide format plotters share is that they are expensive ($5000.00+). The ink ain't cheap either!

As far as media is concerned, vendors like HP and Epson offer a huge assrtment of plotter papers and media, as do other vendors who specialize in media alone.

You have probably heard of "giclee" fine art prints? Just a nice word for quality inkjet/plotter prints.

If you are looking to reproduce photos or prints on media smaller than 11x17, it's tough to beat a good inkjet printer with good quality paper, but the cost of prints can add up. The same is true of dye-sub printers...excellent quality, but not cheap to operate or buy.

As someone who has been selling printers for many years, the best advice I can give you is to focus on exactly how you want your finished product to look, versus what you are able to sell it for. It is often more cost effective, especially for limited print runs, to job it out.

Answer 2

The wide format pigmented ink printers like Epon are made for gicless prints. I own a 6 color, 60 inches wide large format printer. It will take watercolor papers, or canvass. The trick is what is called the profiles that talk to the machine. Each media has its own profile and a lot of manufacutors of the canvass will have specific profiles you can buy or they supply for a particular printer. I have a regular computer dedicated to printing, plus a server which talks to the printer. Color balancing is crucial, as what is on one screen is usually not on the other one, and you sort of have to be able to adjust the colors in photoshop to make it work for the printer.
The thing about it is, you got to be good in photoshop, really good, as well as have a pretty good understanding of computers. I see people all the time buy one of the smaller epson giclee printers and are clueless about the computer system that they will need to make it go. they run out of memeory and have no idea how to color balance.
That being said, I think you could buy a used one for around $1000 from some frustrated person who can't make theirs work.
Also the tecnology is changing and just like any other computer gadget, they get outdated fast so used ones are available.
It costs around $12-$20 a square foot to have a a company print a canvass giclee plus set up fee. You still have to have a digital scan and for a 30x40 painting that can run between $40-140. If you don't scan, then you need a really high resolution digital camera and professional lighting set up.
Iris printers are great for water color reproducitons , tend to be brighter, have marvelouse color accuracy, and fade more quickly.
Companies that make gicleee reproductions for artists are: Harvest Productions in LA. Que Imaging in Houston Texas.

Just a thought but if you submitt your art work to a publisher, they make the prints and it costs you nothing.
See Canadian Art Prints, Art in Motion, Felix Rosensties of the United Kindom, Ariel of France, Apple Jack: there are hundreds of publishers.