Tips - Creating Fine Art Prints

July 09, 2016

Whether it is for your first exhibition opening or for your own personal use, creating your own art prints need not be complicated. Here are our top 10 tips for creating your own set of art prints. Showcase them proudly in your home or in a gallery.
1. Computer screens only require 72dpi to view your images; however the quality needed for printing sharp and high-quality images is 300 dpi. Effectively, the larger the print, the more pixels you need. 2. Change your settings in your camera’s menu to the highest resolution and image size possible. This will give you the freedom to adjust and crop your image without losing detail or reducing the quality of your print.
		Photo by Keith Anderson
	3. Wherever possible, you should set your ISO to 100 or 200. When shooting without flash in low light, increase your ISO within the range of 400-1600, to allow for faster shutter speed and reduce blurring. Note: a higher ISO can result in discoloured pixels or “noise” appearing in your image. Get to know your own camera and how far you can push the ISO before noise becomes unacceptable as each model is different. 4. Use Creative modes and stop relying on the standard Automatic mode, to give you more creative control over your camera’s functions and the resulting image. For example, shooting in Sports mode to freeze the action, or dragging the shutter on full manual mode to emphasise movement.
Photo by Matthew Gee
5. When your background is brighter than your subject, it is best to adjust the settings manually to get the best exposure by choosing the right combination of shutter speed and aperture. If shooting in shutter or aperture priority mode, use spot or centre-weighted metering to ensure correct exposure on your main subject.
6. Content is always king. When it comes to selecting your subject, choose a person, place or thing that has meaning to you. Choose images that capture gesture and decisive moments. Think about what the photo is saying. When creating a series of photographs, it is important to have a unifying theme, whether related to subject, composition or colour.
	7. Composition-wise, don’t be afraid to experiment, whether it is playing with scale, lines, or the rule of thirds. A diagonal line (whether straight or curved) creates a dynamic feel to the image by leading the viewer's eye through the frame. There is also a lot to be said for simplicity and leaving some things up to the viewer's imagination. 8. The printer is just as important as the camera if you are want high quality prints, so it may be worth investing in a dedicated photo printer. Factors that come into play are paper size, ink, and of course, price. Alternatively, seek advice from our fine art printing specialists.
	9. Another factor is paper. There are a wide range of choices available, all which create different effects. Consider matte or glossy stock paper, watercolour, fine rag or even canvas. Note: For longevity, it is always best to choose your printer, paper and ink from the same manufacturer. 10. Last but not least - sign your print. Limited edition prints are normally signed and numbered in pencil by the artist. For example 1/5 - the first number indicates the number of the print itself and the second number is the overall prints in the series that you plan to print of that image. Be sure to only number your prints if you are absolutely certain of the quantity of prints you will offer!