LOCALLY OWNED IN LAHAINA, MAUI, HAWAI‘I SINCE 2011
Art Editions
Color
A word or two about color. At full depth, this would be a very intense discussion. Color is a complex issue when it comes to print reproduction and the steps that lead up to a final print. This discussion will keep it all simplified so that the reader who has no knowledge of this topic can learn enough to understand and appreciate the challenges posed by the process. We're going to start with some definitions.
COLOR MANAGEMENT
This refers to how devices are managed throughout a workflow of scanning/photographing art, color balancing on a monitor (soft proofing), print proofing and then printing on a substrate in order to achieve the most accurate color rendition of the original. It's important to know that we work hard to achieve a balance between each device in the process, but each has it's own set of standards and characteristics and each painting we do can have a unique response to those standards and characteristics. It keeps us on our toes!
COLOR GAMUT
Refers to the spectrum of color the digital world can theoretically "see." The triangles represent the portions of the Theoretical spectrum different device "Color Working Spaces" can handle within the theoretical range. Clearly there is a lot left out. The Adobe RGB (1998) is commonly used in printing and is the color working space we use here. sRGB is the typical color space for the web.
COLOR GAMUT CHART
DYNAMIC RANGE
This refers to the range of gradations from darkest to lightest as represented by a grayscale step chart as shown below. This characteristic is commonly discussed in relation to photography (films, imaging sensors and printing papers). In the context of what we do here it becomes an important consideration when it comes to paper choices as the dynamic ranges of, for instance, a soft watercolor paper vs. a glossy photo paper, are very different, particularly when it comes to shadow details in the printed image.
GRAYSCALE STEP CHART
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
The primary take-away from all this is we strive to meet customer expectation when it comes to color accuracy of paintings reproduced as art prints. Sometimes they're so good you can't tell the difference between the print and the original. Sometimes we hear, "The print looks better than my painting!" Be assured we work hard to be at least 95% accurate to the original. Given the fact painters can create endless variations of color and when there are subtle shade variations (especially with transparent watercolor layering), reproducing the subtleties can be a challenge. Colors that fall outside the Adobe RGB triangle will challenge our technical skills but in the end we'll find the best compromise to achieve a satisfactory result.
We firmly believe you'll be pleased with the end result of our efforts and if there is ever an issue we work without hesitation to meet or exceed your expectation.