Fine Prints

Archival Prints

My prints are made to archival standards by using pigment ink and archival paper.

Pigment Ink

Pigment Ink prints are made with an ink jet printer. Tiny particles of solid, ground-up colored pigment are suspended in a fluid which is applied to the paper using inkjet technology.

Pigments sold at a market in Goa, India. Photo by Dan Brady.

The resulting image, when printed on archival paper, is very long-lasting; current prints from my printer are tested to last at least 70 years when properly displayed. Never expose a print to direct sunlight.

Consumer-grade ink jet prints are often made using dye-based ink. This ink can be very colorful, even more so than pigment ink. Also dye-based inkjet nozzles are relatively easy to clean and maintain. However, dye-based inks can contain chemicals that reduce longevity and are not recommended for creating archival prints.

Archival Paper

I print on three types of archival paper, selected for high gamut and deep blacks:

Mounting Board

The mounting substrate- the "board" surface upon which the print is mounted for display within a traditional frame- is very important for archival performance. The best substrates include no chemicals, such as sulphur, that can discolor or attack the print over time; the longest-lasting substrate is made with 100% rag material such as Rising Museum Board.