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A Guide To Buying Fine Art

Print Production Processes

Print Production Processes

Printing demands special care and attention. Our Fine Art prints are produced only through premium processes, some old and some new.

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Print Production Processes

Framing & Displaying Fine Art

At Rock Paper Photo we offer a variety of framing options that will guarantee the longest possible life for your prints, so you can enjoy and display them with confidence.

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Print Production Processes

Caring for Fine Art Prints

There are some important points to keep in mind when handling, framing or archiving your fine art print.

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Silver Gelatin Process

Silver Gelatin Process

Silver Gelatin prints are black and white prints in the classic photographic sense. This traditional process has existed since the 1880s and has remained as the standard black and white photographic process to this day. These prints are produced from original negatives and from digital files. They offer consistent and neutral image tone with no cast, as well as strong blacks, detailed highlights and a superb tonal range in between. Our Silver Gelatin prints are produced on fiber-based paper and processed in traditional black and white chemistry. We choose Silver Gelatin production for black and white images that are truly timeless. These are museum-quality archival photographs that will last well beyond a lifetime.

 

Translation: Silver Gelatin Prints have a glossy, fiber-textured surface. The prints are never flat as they are organic and processed wet, then left to dry naturally.

Archival Chromogenic Prints

Silver Gelatin Process

Archival Chromogenic prints are produced by exposing an image on photographic paper and then processing it through methods of photographic chemistry. This process was developed by Kodak in the 1940s and became a photographic standard soon after. These prints can be produced from original negatives or from digital files. The resulting prints offer superior color saturation and fidelity. This process optimizes the enlargement capacity, resolution and contrast of the image, and offers an extended color gamut for rich colors and attractive skin tones. Our Archival Chromogenic prints are produced on photo papers with matte, glossy and metallic finishes. Photo exhibitors and galleries worldwide hold Chromogenics in high regard for their lifelong archival qualities and vivid print characteristics. We choose Archival Chromogenic production for color and toned images that have a “photographic” feel to them. Archival Chromogenic prints may also be referred to as C prints, Digital C prints and Lambda prints.

 

Translation: Archival Chromogenic Prints are photographs that have a similar look and feel to a set of 5×7 photographs that have been freshly developed at your local photo shop.

Silver RC Process

Silver Gelatin Process

Silver RC prints, or Silver Resin-Coated prints, share production characteristics with Silver Gelatin prints and Archival Chromogenic prints. They are produced from both original negatives and digital files. This process exposes the image on black and white photographic paper. The image is then processed in traditional black and white chemistry. These photos have a pearl finish, no color cast and are truly neutral black and white. Silver RC prints offer rich blacks, bright detailed whites and an unprecedented range of grey tones. We choose Silver RC production for images that have a distinctive black and white photo feel. Silver RC prints share the same archival qualities as Silver Gelatin prints. They are sometimes referred to as Black and White C prints, RC prints or Black and White RCs.

 

Translation: Silver RC Prints are true black and white photographs that have a similar feel and finish to those of Archival Chromogenic prints. They maintain the full tonal range of a Silver Gelatin print without the wavy fiber finish.

Archival Pigment Prints

Silver Gelatin Process

Archival Pigment prints are printed with archival pigment inks on archival Fine Art paper. They are produced from digital files and offer continuous tones, smooth transitions and a vibrant, true-to-life color range. The process originated in the late 1980s and is respected by Fine Art experts, world-renowned galleries and passionate collectors. Since the inception of this process, technological advancements have led to higher resolution prints, highly archival pigments and inks, and a more environmentally-friendly print process. Prints are produced on Fine Art paper with matte and baryta finishes. We choose the Archival Pigment process for color and black and white images that warrant a more artistic approach to printmaking. Archival Pigment prints may also be referred to as Inkjets, Iris prints or Giclées.

 

Translation: An Archival Pigment print has an artist’s feel, as it is created with inks. Its appearance is closer to that of a painting than a photograph while maintaining the energy and life of the image.

Framing & Displaying Fine Art

Framing & Displaying Fine Art

Fine Art not only stimulates the eye, but the mind as well. It needs to be observed, analyzed, discussed, reflected upon and, of course, preserved. We want your Fine Art prints to last and to bring years of enjoyment.

At Rock Paper Photo we offer two framing options: standard and conservation framing.

STANDARD FRAMING

Our standard framing option features high quality black wood frame with precision-cut conservation matting. It is finished with clear acrylic plexiglass to ensure protection of the Fine Art print.

CONSERVATION FRAMING

This is the ideal framing format for Fine Art photography. Our conservation frames are made of specially milled premium hardwoods. They are hand finished with natural dye, ink and wax, and produced with acid-free white matting and backing. They feature museum-grade UV plexiglass to ensure harmful light has a minimal effect on the artwork and prolong the life of the archival photography. Their clean, black look adds character to the finished product while not drawing attention away from the image.

PLEXIGLASS

When framing, there is always the choice of what glass to use. The most common is clear acrylic or glass. As a standard, we use UV Conservation Acrylic in all our frames. This UV-filtering, museum-grade plexiglass ensures harmful light has a minimal effect on the artwork. Choosing plexiglass over glass is beneficial in that it is both lighter and safer. Heavy glass can crack and break, and pose danger as a result. It is important to note that, for caring and cleaning, do not use glass cleaning sprays or dry cloths as they will damage and scratch the surface of the acrylic. Harmful light has a minimal effect on the artwork.

MATTING

All matting and backings are 100% acid free, fully archival conservation materials. There are less expensive, non-conservation options available that provide a similar look but do not guarantee the print will remain unharmed or meet archival standards. We take pride in offering conservation materials. Our matting is white and specially chosen to work within the tonal family of the paper being used for the print.

AUTHENTICATION

Authentication takes several forms: hand-signed by the photographer, estate-stamped or embossed with an official seal.

Each print we sell has been authenticated by the copyright holder – in most cases, directly by the individual photographer who captured the image. The copyright holder can also be a legal representative of the photographer, such as his or her or estate, a music label or a photo agency. Each print we sell is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

Caring for Fine Art Prints

Print Production Processes

When you order an unframed Fine Art print from Rock Paper Photo, we want you to enjoy it in sound conditions for many years to come. Once it leaves our hands and enters yours, there are some important points to keep in mind when handling, framing or archiving your fine art print.