The print
How a print is made.
Every Plakat print is made the same careful way: two papers, one printer, and one person checking each print in daylight before it ships. Here's how it works, from start to finish.
Make a print · three inks
Drag the squeegee down the screen. A slow, even pull lays the most ink.
Finished proofs hang here to dry.
SaffronKlein blueBlackVermilionFluoro pinkTealLemonDone. Your print is hanging up to dry.ink
Two papers.
We use two papers: a thick cotton paper for the paintings, and a smoother matte paper for photos and gradients. Both are acid-free and made to last.
Cotton rag
- Weight
- 310 gsm
- Surface
- Matte, textured
- Base
- Bright white, acid-free
A textured surface, good for deep reds and blacks. Used for the paintings, like Monsoon Terrace and Night Bouquet.
Archival matte
- Weight
- 240 gsm
- Surface
- Matte, smooth
- Base
- Soft white, acid-free
A smooth surface that keeps gradients clean and edges sharp. Used for photos, colour prints and renders.
What is a giclée?
Giclée (say "zhee-clay") is a high-quality inkjet print. It uses twelve inks instead of the four a normal poster printer uses. The extra inks give smoother colour with no stripes.
Before a full run, we print one test copy. We compare it with the original under a daylight lamp and adjust the colour until they match. Then we print the rest.
Every print is checked twice, once for colour and once for dust or stripes, before it's signed. Any that don't pass are recycled, not sold.
Framed or unframed.
Prints ship flat and unframed by default. Most people have their own framer, and flat prints travel safely. If you'd like yours ready to hang, we can frame it for you. Try our three frames:
All frames are solid wood with anti-glare glazing, cut to your size. Add 5-7 days to dispatch.
What “edition of 90” means.
Numbered editions
Paintings are printed in a fixed number of copies, like 60, 90 or 150. Each one is signed and numbered in pencil at the bottom. When the last one sells, we never print it again.
Open editions
Colour prints and some photos are open editions. They're printed when you order and aren't numbered, but they use the same file and paper.
Signing
Every print is signed by hand. Numbered prints show their number. Open editions show the year they were printed.
Sold-out prints
We sell eight prints at a time. When one sells out, it's gone for good and a new one takes its place.
Looking after your print.
Shipping, returns & the studio address- It arrives flat in a stiff envelope, so there's no curl. Lift it out by the edges.
- Frame it behind glass or acrylic to keep off dust and fingerprints.
- Keep it out of direct sunlight. The inks last a long time, but strong sun will fade any print.
- Hold it by the white border. The 6 mm edge is there so you don't touch the picture.
- Hang it away from bathrooms and kitchens. Damp is bad for paper.