Researching Printers...Got an Epson

Peonies
copyright 2008 MaryAnn Cleary
(this will be one of my test prints)

One thing that I really wanted to do was be able to have control over making prints. The type of ink and paper are important to me as I wanted something that would last. After doing much research, I finally settled upon an Epson Stylus Pro 3800. Not only did I want to print quality color prints for photographs and selected pieces of my artwork, but I wanted to have a high quality black and white print. Everything that I read suggested that there would be no tinges of blue and it would be a high quality print that actually looked black and white.

Well, my printer has arrived and I have played around with it a little. It took me a day just to set it up....well a couple of hours. I did use various types of paper just to see what would happen. I also did a black and white print of one of my charcoal drawings....wow. It is nice. One reason for getting this printer has to do with the inks used. They are pigmented not just dyes. This adds to the longevity of a print. Of course, one is not supposed to hang it (or a painting) in direct sunlight unless one wants the thing to fade....it will print or painting.

Tomorrow I plan on printing out more since I purchased a variety of high quality papers to test. I want to know what it will do. I will let everyone know what my favorites are and what few I tested.

One reason for getting a printer is that I actually have ordered giclee prints in the past from an outside source. However, one thing that really bothered me and I found troublesome was the borders...1/8 inch just didn't seem sufficient to me. There is no room to sign your name and barely enough to be able to matt it. I needed control over the process.

The size that I can print is up 17 inches wide. This is sufficient for now. If this works out, I may opt to get a better or bigger printer, but for now this one is awesome and will fit my needs just fine. More on the actually printing tomorrow or the next day. I want to do some photos and I also have a few paintings and charcoals to print up.

Stay tune for more.....