
"You get better control over layout with multiple prints on a page and better control over ink use.
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"The other point is that I use a RIP, which is invaluable as an accessory," he adds. It also means you can swap media as you like for specialised projects." You can pay someone to make a profile for you from a test print, but it's very much easier and faster to do it yourself. All of it is necessary if you want accurate colour matching and good reproducibility. I have a lot of profiling and colour-control equipment here. Another key challenge is colour management. If I go away for a few weeks, I have someone come in and turn the printer on for a while every few days to stop the heads clogging. "I hear this all the time, from people who buy a medium or wide-format and don't understand how much work is needed to get the most from it. For niche markets such as fine art and photographic printing, the results can be worth it.Īs Cooper explains, there's more involved than just buying a printer and installing it in a corner of the studio.
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Professional printers are unlikely to take the same kind of care over someone else's work, so for this approach to be successful, the prints have to be exceptionally good, and the target audience has to be visually and technically aware enough to appreciate them. This only works because custom printing can be used as a showcase for both print quality and visual skills. The printing itself isn't a money maker, but it's a useful tool for PR as much as for direct revenue."Ĭooper's approach isn't unique, but it is unusual - instead of thinking of print as the final and least interesting stage of the design process, custom prints can become part of a local viral marketing campaign.

I put a name and URL on all of my prints, and potential clients see them. "As a commercial photographer, I find that the prints are extremely useful for getting me known. So why make the effort? Aside from quality, there are other advantages to working in-house. It's cheap to get A1 or A0 prints made at a print shop, but if you want precise colour with a wide gamut, it's a hell of a job, and it's very difficult to make any money on it." "Even with colour calibration, I know how much effort I put into getting prints right for myself - and I'm only relatively picky. "To be honest, wide-format is an absolute minefield if you only know a little about it, especially if you're aiming to produce a quality product," he says. He uses Epson large-format printers to create poster-sized examples of his work, which he then sells to a variety of clients for a range of applications, from promotional stands where the prints have been laminated onto foamcore, to interior design and art printing where prints are framed and hung. Keith Cooper is a commercial photographer and designer. It's not just the cost - I'm running a graphic design company and I'd rather spend my time working on a design than managing a print run."Įlsewhere, small-scale design and print can work, but is often limited to relatively small niches. As far as I know, all of the other local small design studios tend to outsource. If I need that service I go to local printers who specialise in it. To be honest, the outlay for high-end printers is outside of our remit. Both of those get a fair amount of use doing proofs and concept material for clients. I have an old Epson 1290 here and also a newer R1800. "I'll outsource anything over A3, or a run over about 10 or so. Nick Pye runs Agent8 Design and he doesn't see printing as an essential service for clients.
