What is an art print?
An art print (or “fine art print”) is a print made with very high quality materials (archived pigment inks, acid-free cotton or baryta papers), with the aim of guaranteeing exceptional longevity (often 100 to 200 years without notable degradation) and a faithful reproduction of the colors and details of the original work.
It is generally produced in a limited edition, numbered, signed by the artist and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. This is what distinguishes a simple poster or a classic print from a real work intended for collectors and galleries.
"Hibernation" Limited edition photographic art print 2/3 | 50x60cm
Canson® infinity etching RAG 310g matte paper
How are my photographs printed?
This is the question I get asked most often at exhibitions, just after “How do you make a painting look like?” ".
So here is the answer!
Each photograph you buy from me comes out in the form of a real art print, and not just any paper: I have only used one paper for five years, Canson Infinity etching Rag 310g matte. Why this paper specifically?
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100% cotton rag (the same type of fiber as museum watercolor papers)
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Ultra-matte surface, zero reflection, even in the harshest spotlights
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Weight 310g which gives an immediate physical presence
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Deepest black on the market on matte paper: my black backgrounds and shadows remain truly black, not charcoal gray.
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Certified longevity > 200 years on display, > 350 years in the dark (Wilhelm tests)
"Tomber dans les pommes" Limited edition photographic art print /20 | 50x60cm
Canson® infinity etching RAG 310g matte paper
Where are my photographs printed?
Everything is printed locally in France, less than 30 km from my home, by a single professional laboratory that I chose after dozens of tests.
This is not an anonymous online lab, nor a distant industrial printing press.
This is "Univers Parallèle", an independent fine art printer certified Canson®, one of the few in France to have successfully passed the very demanding Canson® tests (colorimetric control, consistency, longevity).
Why do I refuse to have it printed elsewhere?
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I can come to the lab whenever I want, no delivery time.
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Together we adjust the live image so that the print is identical to what I see on my screen.
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Zero color or contrast surprises when the customer unpacks the work.
"Avoir les jambes en coton" Limited edition photographic art print /20 | 50x60cm
Printing by "Univers parallèle" on Epson SureColor SC-P9000 - 44
Result: the print you receive is exactly the one I validated in person.
The black is abysmal, the details are perfect, and the texture of the cotton paper is sublime.
In short, my photographs do not travel 3,000 km by truck only to return yellowed or poorly calibrated: they were born digitally at home, and they come to life physically a few minutes away, in the hands of experts.
Art Reproductions:
For accessible reproductions (edition /100, low price), I chose Ilford Prestige 230g paper also printed by the Univers Parallel laboratory.
Here's why in 5 points:
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Authentic silver barium look: warm, slightly textured surface.
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Ultra-deep blacks despite only 230g.
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Ideal Weight: Light enough to be affordable and easy to ship, stiff enough when framed.
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More than 100 years of durability with pigment inks (Wilhelm tests).
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Low production price → I can offer you a signed 30×40 cm for less than €100 without blushing.
"Louis XIV" Limited Edition Art Print /100 | 30x30cm | Ilford prestige paper 230g
Conclusion:
When you purchase one of my surreal photographs or fine art reproductions, you are not purchasing a "photo print".
You are purchasing a collector's item that has been designed, assembled, printed and signed to last several centuries.
Questions about the prints? Send me a message, I respond to everyone.
See you soon,
Bettina Dupont
