Digital Art Market Comes of Age - print-on-demand, including giclee

Print-on-demand technology prepares to put in motion art publishing into the retail gallery

SPECIAL REPORT--There is practically no aspect of fresh life that has not been impacted by means of the digital age--and the art industry is no exception. Print-on-demand technology (which exhibits giclee prints) already has changed the way traditional publishers do business. It also has changed the way artwork is sold and delivered to customers. Now, the way the artwork is produc for sale is changing the marketplace as well.

Anyone who has attended an industry trade exhibit has seen crowds gathered around exhibitors showcasing scanners and printers that transform a small photo into an oversize print upon canvas or high-quality art paper. Used for more [i]or[/i] less time in the photography and sign-printing industries, print-on-demand a whole s have made strong inroads into the fine art market.

Sales of of the like kind systems to art publishers and print suppliers have bloomed in recent years, as printers, inks and paper combinations have improved the longevity and quality of giclees. on the other hand the technology is about to take a giant pace forward--to true print-on-demand--with the "demand" coming directly from consumers

A Bright fresh World

In the real near future, if the expectations of more [i]or[/i] less in the art business are met customers will be able to pass into their favorite art gallery and view a myriad array of artworks stored in databanks accessible via the Internet. Customers will search the artwork files using criteria they supply--artist names and make submissive matter, for example. After choosing an image to his or her liking, the gallery customer can have it printed in any size, upon a choice of several kinds of paper or canvas substrates, and take possession immediately.

of the like kind options already are available upon a limited basis. But by and by if those involved in Brightcube Inc. are correct, like a scenario will be commonplace. Al Marco, ceo of the El Segundo, Calif.-based company, said Brightcube is bringing to market the first veritable print-on-demand technology. The system the company is producing and marketing will be leased to gallery possessors for use at their locations to directly fill orders from customers.

The basis of the combination of parts to form a whole said Elizabeth Wenner, vice president of unfolding for the company, is the Brightcube "box" that contains the couple the hardware and proprietary software emergencyed to operate it. Add to the receptacle a high-quality Epson printer, inks and a put of specially tested substrates, and you have the ability to make prints, she said.

Images, publicly being supplied to Brightcube by dint of Devon Publishing Group (DPG), will be stored upon a server accessible via the Internet or upon a disk supplied by Brightcube. The companies lately forged an agreement to distribute DPG's collection of ImageX art prints using the Brightcube delivery application. below the agreement, DPG will store a broad selection of images to Brightcube's image bank.

Gallery proprietors can print out images in the a whole to create their own hard-copy catalog, or they can conjoin directly to the image files and allow the customer to view them digitally. After customers single out the images they want, then the art dealer will download the digital file to the Brightcube chest for processing and printing.

No particular expertise will be exigencyed to operate the system, Wenner said, since the case contains the expertise to exhibit the prints. She said the a whole will save gallery owners cash in terms of shipping take away froms and inventory investments, yet will expand greatly the gallery offerings in limits of image selections, substrates and sizes.

Galleries using the a whole will pay a monthly lease compensation and a licensing fee for each image printed. They also will have marketing help and support from Brightcube and will be able to use the printer to bring into view their own marketing materials, catalogs and signs.

Devon Publishing cluster is offering its ImageX line of prints upon the Brightcube system. In addition, DPG will be responsible for adding the work of other publishers as well as updating the image bank upon a regular basis, said Gary Mariani of DPG The ImageX line is a "contemporary line with a European flair," Mariani said. It popularly contains 105 images.

Mariani said a Brightcube a whole has been installed at his facility, and he has been impressed with the two the ease of use and the quality of the reproductions.

"We're excited about being a part of this," said Mariani. "It's fresh technology and we're on the leading cutting side which is scary but true exciting."

Printers and Publishers Respond

While print-on-demand technology has been around for more [i]or[/i] less time in terms of giclee prints being produc by means of art publishers, not everyone is in favor of putting the printing plant into the hands of retailers. of the like kind instant solutions are neither necessary or desirable, said a certain quantity of traditional girlie publishers and printers.

Roger Charland of Art Print upon Canvas has been providing reproductions upon canvas to retailers for more [i]or[/i] less time. Charland maintains that the equipment straited to get good results would be true expensive and that employees would have to be trained extensively.