Hans van Ommeren is selected by EPSON Europe | Germany as a member for the Digigraphie® certification and is using the personal print-in-label within his artistic photographic fine art prints.
Digigraphie® Explained
The creation of the Digigraphie® label is relatively recent. Digigraphie® was officially launched on 13th November 2003, at the centenary of the Autumn Exhibition. But its practice is much older. For several years, photographers, sculptors and painters, as well as service providers (photo laboratories and lithographic studios), have been using the technology of Epson printers to produce prints on art paper. This in turn has opened the doors to a new discipline: the digital reproduction of a work of art.
The search for a name
But what should a high quality, digital art print created with an Epson printer be called? This question arose as long ago as 1991 in the USA, when Jack Duganne, head printer at Nash Editions, needed a generic term to describe the works of the artist Diane Bartz, produced using inkjet technology. He used the French term “jet d’encre” (inkjet) which he refined to “gicleur” (jet/sprayer) and then “Giclée” (sprayed). A new label was born. (Source “Digital Printing” by Harald Johnson, Eyrolles editions).
French artists were also faced with the same problem as Duganne. They immediately chose discard the expression “ink jet print”, which they found to be inappropriate for an art print. Some of these artists therefore decided to create their own label. This was the case for Philip Plisson, the marine artist who created “Pixographie”, or Jean-Noël l’Harmeroult, the fashion photographer who called his works “Hyperchromes”.
These two image professionals therefore used a personal label to describe their limited-edition art prints created using Epson Professional photo printers.
The arrival of the “Digigraphie®” label
Faced with these developments, Epson France registered the name Digigraphie® with the INPI (Institute Nationale De La Propriété Industrielle / National Industrial Property Institute) and the OHIM (The Institute for the registration of European Trade Marks) in 2003. The trade marks then became European. All those who comply with the usage rules may now use this label.
Epson Technology
The 8-colour Epson Stylus Pro professional printers have printing characteristics which meet the expectations and requirements of photographic and pictorial artists.
Print quality and faithfulness:
| Very high print quality = 2880 dpi |
| A wide palette of colours = 8 colours |
| Black and white printing = 2 blacks and 1 grey |
Certified Printers
| Stylus Pro 3800 | Stylus Pro 3880 | Stylus Pro 4000C8 |
| Stylus Pro 4800 | Stylus Pro 4880 | Stylus Pro 4900 |
| Stylus Pro 7600 | Stylus Pro 7800 | Stylus Pro 7880 |
| Stylus Pro 7890 | Stylus Pro 7900 | Stylus Pro 9600 |
| Stylus Pro 9800 | Stylus Pro 9880 | Stylus Pro 9890 |
| Stylus Pro 9900 | Stylus Pro 11880 |
Preservation of the work of art over time:
Pigmented inks (mineral-based) with resin ensure the longevity of the print over many generations.*
*Source: www.wilhelm-research.com/epson/
EPSON certified paper
| Epson Traditional Photo Paper 300g |
| Epson Water Resistant Matte Canvas 375g |
| Epson Premium Canvas Satin 350g |
| Epson Somerset Velvet fine art paper 255g |
| Epson Velvet fine art paper 260g |
| Epson Somerset Velvet fine art paper 505g |
| Epson Textured fine art paper 225g |
| Epson Ultra Smooth fine art paper 250g |
| Epson Ultra Smooth fine art paper 325g |
| Epson Ultra Smooth fine art paper 500g |
| Epson Watercolor paper – Radiant White 190g |
| Epson Doubleweight Matte Paper on Diasec-C process 180g |
| Epson Cold Press Bright |
| Epson Cold Press Natural |
| Epson Hot Press Natural |
| Epson Hot Press Bright |
ARCHES® Digital certified paper
| Canson® Infinity Arches Velin Museum Rag 250 g/m2 |
Hahnemühle certified paper
| Hahnemühle Museum Etching 350g |
| Hahnemühle Photo Rag® 308g |
| Hahnemühle Photo Rag® 460g |
| Hahnemühle Photo Rag® 188g |
| Hahnemühle Photo Satin 310g |
| Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Bright White 310 |
| Hahnemühle Torchon 285 |
| Hahnemühle William Turner 190/310 |
| Hahnemühle Albrecht Dürer 210 |
| Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Pearl 320 |
| Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Baryta 315 |
| Hahnemühle Photo Rag® 188/308/500 |
| Hahnemühle Museum Echting 310g |
| Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Satin 310 |
CANSON® certified paper
| Canson® Infinity Rag Photographique 310 g/m2 |
| Canson® Infinity BFK Rives 310 g/m2 |
| Canson® Infinity Edition Etching Rag 310 g/m2 |
| Canson® Infinity Arches Velin Museum Rag 315 g/m2 |
| Canson® Infinity Arches Aquarelle Rag 310 g/m2 |
| Canson® Infinity Rag Photographique 210 g/m2 |
| Canson® Infinity Arches Aquarelle Rag 240 g/m2 |
| Canson® Infinity Rag Photographique 220 g/m2 |
The advantages: instantaneous drying, smear proof.
The guarantee: Durability tests done by the independant institutes Wilhelm and LNE, from 60 to 100 years and beyond.
Check on f.e.: www.wilhelm-research.com/epson/
For more photographers? Find it on: www.digigraphie.com/layout