How to Reproduce Fine Art Vintage Prints
Many people appreciate fine art, and those people have a desire to both preserve and make available examples of vintage works by the artists of past generations. By investing in some of the computer-aided desktop scanning and printing equipment available today, you can make your own quality vintage fine art reproductions. Reproducing these vintage prints of wonderful fine art just may become a new hobby.
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Things You'll Need
- Large-format Scanner or Digital Camera
- Large-format Printer and Ink
- Paper Stock
- OR Access to a Graphic Reproduction Shop
Instructions
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Determine that your vintage Fine Art is not covered by copyright. Most truly vintage art produced in the U.S. before 1923 is in the public domain. For a comprehensive listing of copyright guidelines, refer to the link on Copyright Information in the Resources section below.
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Gain access to a large-format scanner by either purchasing the equipment or using a graphics reproduction shop. This can be found by looking under "Reprographics" in the Yellow Pages. A large- format scanner is the best way to capture a high-resolution, faithful digital image of the vintage artwork. (If you are considering purchasing a scanner, refer to the "Comparison of Scanners" link in the Resources section below for more information.) (Vintage works can also be photographed with a digital camera, but good results are a bit more difficult to achieve.)
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Scan the artwork at a resolution of 600ppi (pixels per inch) or above. (Increasing the resolution of the image captures more detail, however, the file size increases as does the time it takes to run a print.) 600ppi is usually sufficient for most purposes. Inspect the image visually on-screen. If you are unable to make adjustments to your satisfaction, consider having the image inspected by a professional graphic artist who can color-balance and enhance the image using computer software.
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Run a test print of the digital image of your scanned artwork. If you intend to use you own printing equipment, you will need to invest in a large-format printer, ink cartridges and paper stock. There are many desktop large-format printers available today. (Refer to the link in the Resources section below for Comparison of Printers.) Purchase a type of paper recommended by the Printer's manufacturer.
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Print a short test run of your image on the paper stock you intend to use. Check to see that the ink is compatible with the paper and that your image is reproducing faithfully. It is sometimes necessary to make adjustments to the print setup or to the color balance of the image. A professional graphic artist can help with the adjustments if the print does not meet your standards. If it then passes inspection, you are ready to mass-print your reproductions!
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Tips & Warnings
Don't reproduce any art without checking on its copyright, laws and ownership.
