Fine Art Printing FAQs - Chicago Printing On Canvas & Fine Art Prints, Custom Picture Framing, Plaque Mounting, Metal, Wood & Fabric Dye-sublimation

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1 : What is Color Gamut?
In color reproduction, including computer graphics and photography, the gamut, or color gamut (pronounced /ˈɡæmət/), is a certain complete subset of colors. Most commonly, this phrase refers to the subset of colors which can be accurately represented in a given circumstance, such as within a given color space or by a certain output device. Another sense, less frequently used but not less correct, refers to the complete set of colors found within an image at a given time. In this context, digitizing a photograph, converting a digitized image to a different color space, or outputting it to a given medium using a certain output device generally alters its gamut, in the sense that some of the colors in the original are lost in the process.
read more about Color Gamut on WIKI.

and on YouTube: Color Theory, Color and Gamut

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Q2 : What is Rag Paper?
Rag paper is made out of cotton fiber instead of wood. Cotton fibers are longer than wood fibers, thus leading to a stronger paper that is more durable. Used for archival quality prints, cotton is naturally PH neutral, which helps sustain the life of photographs and art prints. Many of our Fine Art papers are made from cotton rag.

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Q3 : How thick is a mil?
A mil, also known as a thou, is a unit of length equal to one thousandth of an inch (0.001 inch). The mil should not be confused with a millimetre (0.001 meter). Roughly 40 mil = 1 millimetre

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Q4 : What is Hahnemuhle?
Hahnemühle FineArt, Inc. is a paper manufacturing company in Germany. It is the world's leading producer of coated papers for ink jet printing. They have been in business for over 450 years.

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Q5 : What does torchon mean?
The term torchon comes from the French and is associated with a very coarse linen structure. Papers with this designation have a distinctive, undulating surface structure. Paints flow differently on these papers than on the other watercolor papers. With wet in wet, most colours bleed a lot and produce prominent halos. In addition, in torchon papers the color is integrated into the sizing, creating brilliant pictures. Torchon papers are not suitable for beginners, but are ideal for experienced painters.

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Q6 : Are all Hahnemühle papers acid free?
Yes! All Hahnemühle papers are:
* neutrally sized, and therefore acid free
* possess a pH value between 7.5 and 9.5
* at least 4% calcium carbonate(CaCO3), buffered against air pollution
* wood-free
* made from chlorine-free (tcf/ecf) bleached pulp and/or rag fibres
* lightfast
* extremely age resistant – more than 100 years (highest life expectancy category) View our Fine Art Papers.

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Q7 : What does the term 'fine paper' mean?
The term 'fine paper' is a classification for high quality papers for different applications. Paper containing wood that yellows quickly suffices for the mass market, where long life expectancy is not an issue. Wood-free papers produced from bleached pulp offer improved quality. Fine papers distinguish themselves from bulk papers due to their light constancy and resistance to aging.

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Q8 : What does GSM mean in regards to paper?
The gsm (or g/m2) is a measure of the weight and means Grams per Square Meter. Regular copy paper, like you would use in a copier or printer (also called #20) is typically about 75 gsm. Color copy or laser paper (#24 stock) is generally about 90 gsm. To read more about paper weights click here.

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Q9 : What is a deckled edge paper?
A deckled edge is the feathered edge effect all around a piece of fine art paper. It is often seen on antique or vintage images, or those intended to look antique. Noticeably different from the typical machine-cut straight edge, this hand-crafted look gives prints a truly traditional appearance. To read more, see our article on creating a deckle edge.

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Q10 : paper weight standards: lbs vs gsm
To convert from Standard American English Pounds (lbs) to Metric Grams/Square Meter (gsm) see below:
1lb. of Text paper is equal to 1.48 gsm so multiply each pound of text paper by 1.48.
Please note Cover paper is different that Text paper, see this FAQ for the details,

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Q11 : Text paper vs Cover paper
Two of the most common paper types are Text and Cover.
Text is a high quality paper type and it is often used in booklet printing like annual reports and printing where the highest quality is required.
Cover is most often used as the cover for a book or booklet. It is also a great paper type for things like menus, posters, or flyers.

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Q12 : Do you print on previously coloured fabric?
Yes, that can be arranged. For more information please contact orders@keenartmedia.com.

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Q13 : Are you are able to print on handmade deckle edge paper that I supply?
No unfortunately. We use inkjet printers when printing and all papers we use have a special coating to receive inks. Some printers using Flatbed UV cured inks are able to print directly on any media without any coating.

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If you don't find the answer you're looking for here, please contact us.