When I started out choosing how to print my work I was v overwhelmed and frankly still am, mainly because I’m very ADHD and I really want to try doing them all myself! I’ve put together a quick cheeky guide to understanding your prints!
Digital Prints
Digital prints are basically any print that has been printed from a digital file, so most of these would fall under digital print. More commonly digital prints are classed as designs printed using inkjet or laser printers. They’re crisp, versatile and can capture a wide range of colours and details. They can be produced quickly and in many sizes making them a great way for artists to make their work accessible and keep costs low while still keeping the quality high.
Giclée Prints
Oh la la! Giclée prints are a type of digital print but with a little extra fanciness. They’re made using archival-quality inks and papers, giving them a richer finish and helps the colours stay vibrant for decades. The texture of the paper often adds a fine-art feel that makes giclées stand out.
Screen Prints
My fav to do (so much I got a degree in it) Screen printing is a more hands on process. Ink is pushed through a mesh stencil (the screen), one colour at a time onto paper or fabric. This gives screen prints their bold, layered look. Because each colour is applied separately, you often get variations between prints, making every piece feel one-of-a-kind.
Risograph Prints
Risograph printing sits somewhere between screen printing and photocopying, but with its own very distinct style. Riso machines use soy-based inks and drum rollers to layer colours, often resulting in bold, slightly offbeat effects. The colours are vibrant, the texture is tactile and the little imperfections (like misalignments) are part of their charm. I would LOVE to do some risograph printing, so I anyone knows of anywhere in London I can go and make my silly little prints please hit me up.
CMYK vs RGB
The painful moment you realise you’ve accidentally done your illustrations in RGB and now you have to convert everything to CYMK and nothing looks quite right is something I am sure most digital artists can relate to.
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CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black/Key) is used for print. It mixes inks to create a full spectrum of colours on paper.
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RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is used for screens. Colours on your phone or laptop often look brighter because they’re made with light, not ink. This is why a design might look slightly different on-screen compared to the printed version.
Anyways, hope this helped!!
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