Hey there,
It’s been a while since my last newsletter! A lot’s happened. I quit my job to work on my art full-time. I started making collage comics. I slept a lot and got really into reading again.
I get so many questions about scanning and making prints of collage art, so today I’m sharing a quick write-up that will hopefully point you in the right direction.
How to make prints of your collages
Capturing images
A photo taken on your phone is perfectly good for most small to medium collage prints. I use both my iPhone and my scanner for prints.
There are some situations where I‘ll never use my phone:
When the collage has a lot of black or dark elements. It’s really hard to get even lighting on these when you photograph them.
If I’m working with glossier paper, for the same reason as above.
When I’m trying for a larger print, and that extra quality does actually matter.
If for whatever reason the colour, contrast, or print grain isn’t photographing well.
What scanner?
You’ll need a scanner that goes up to 600 DPI or higher. This should allow you to make prints about 1.5-2x the original image’s size, and still have them look good.
I have the Canon CanoScan Lide400 scanner. It cost me around £60. From my research, it’s still one of the best value options available.
Preparing for print
I make small adjustments to brightness, crop, and colour balance before making prints. I also check for any cat hair or other debris that made it onto the scanner bed, and digitally remove them if that’s happened.
On that note, you’ll want a photo editor. I use Pixelmator Pro for this but you can also use Affinity, which is free.
Making prints
It’s very hard and expensive to get professional quality prints at home. It’s probably not worth your time trying.
I have an A3 photo printer, the Canon Pixma IP8750, which can get me results that look pretty good out the print tray, but don’t have the colour-fastness or vibrance of a giclée print.
I’d recommend finding a print shop, either local or online, that does giclée prints. Giclée prints use archival pigment ink and acid-free paper. Most printers do sample packs of different paper types, so I’d recommend trying a few before committing. The texture and finish can vary.
You don’t need giclée prints, but I’ve bought prints from art markets before and they’ve faded to the point of ruin within 4 months, and that’s just not an experience I want to leave anybody with.
I also make up semi-regular postcard packs with Moo, because their online editor is fantastically simple and you can get multiple designs within one pack. I have ADHD and this removes a lot of friction from a task I otherwise dislike, so I will pay a premium for this.
A note on colour profiles
Traditionally, printers wanted files sent as CMYK, but that isn’t always the case these days. Make sure you check the requirements of the printing service you’re using (especially before ordering bulk) as this can have a significant impact on how your prints look. For reference, your digital images will be RGB by default. Saving them as CMYK is an extra step so make sure you’re only doing it if you need to.
This should be enough to get you started. I hope it’s helpful!
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Other things I’ve loved this month
Murdoku puzzles (not to be confused with Murdle, which I strongly dislike!)
Witchcraft, a gorgeous graphic novel by Sole Otero
Having energy for spontaneous kitchen activities (this week: kimchi, marinated eggs, and vanilla cold-foam iced coffee)
Using collage comics to tell stories
Let me know if there’s anything you’d like me to cover in my next newsletter. Just hit reply!
Speak soon,
Lily
