The exercise asks the student to search for different companies which offer inkjet and C-Type printing. Then take note of the prices and choices available from each company and then create an imaginary order for a print, preparing the image exactly as specified by the print company.

I decided that the working concept for a print, that a standard A2 size would be suitable for the presentation of an image within an exhibition. I then searched the internet for viable companies who would be able to provide what I wanted.

 

Company	Paper Size	C-Type	Cost	Giclee Print	Price per Print
Spectrum Photo	A2	Fuji Matt	£23.06 ex VAT	Not Available	N/A
Just GICLEE	A2				£20.00 ex VAT
Peak Imaging	A2	Satin Matt	£11.80 ex VAT	Hahnemuhle Photo Lustre 260gsm	£19.84 ex VAT
Loxley Colour	A2	Lustre	£9.94 ex VAT	Hahnemuhle Bamboo 290gsm	£22.58 ex VAT
The PrintSpace	A2	Matt	£16.42 ex VAT	Hahnemühle Bamboo	£20.84 ex VAT

Given the required durability of the work, as it will be touched, the Giclee prints will have to be highly durable. Given that Giclee prints on Bamboo are fairly delicate, I have reviewed the process and would consider using Haemulid Pearl instead as it is reputed to be highly durable.

PrintSpace offered a sample pack for £6 plus £3 delivery which contained a sample of C-type and Giclee prints on different papers. On receiving the pack I was surprised at the quite subtle differences certain papers had over the quality and definition of the image. I do feel at least a little better informed on their paper quality and print quality.

Coming from a fairly technical background, I was, and at times still, are unconvinced about the quality of inkjet prints. During an exhibition of work at the National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh, I noticed that one or two of the Giclee inkjet prints which showed line marks and imperfections within the print on display. This appears to have been down to the paper selection used when printing for the exhibition.

I prepared two files using the instructions provided by the PrintSpace company, converting the final image to their print profiles which I downloaded from their website. Following the instructions provided on the website,

https://help.theprintspace.co.uk/articles/1885931-how-to-prepare-your-file-for-print-upload

The first is a C-Type Print – Concorde. It is prepared as 300ppi, A2 Paper Size, 1 Inch Border, Colour Profile is C-Type Kodak Metallic. The final image is shown below (figure 1.)

 

I chose this print type as it provided a very smooth, shiny surface print which made metals really clear.

The second is a Giclee Print – Church. It is prepared as 300ppi, A2 Paper Size, 1 Inch Border, Colour Profile is Hahnemuhle Pearl. The final image is as shown below (figure 2.)

I like the harder smoother surface the Pearl provides

Can inkjet be treated as a photograph? Yes, it can, while it is distant from the original processes of development and printing, it provides a modern alternative for printing an image.