The Complete Guide to Fine Art Scanning and Giclée Printing

Sep 11

How to Digitise, Reproduce and Print Your Artwork

If you are an artist, photographer or creative looking to reproduce your artwork, professional fine art scanning and giclée printing can turn an original piece into a high-quality digital file and beautiful physical prints.

At Lilypad Fine Arts in Lutterworth, we offer professional artwork scanning, post-editing and fine art giclée printing to help artists and creatives preserve, reproduce and share their work.

Whether you want to create prints to sell, prepare artwork for an exhibition, keep a high-resolution digital archive or reproduce an original painting, professional scanning and printing can give you much more control over the final result.

What Is Fine Art Scanning?

Fine art scanning is the process of creating a high-resolution digital reproduction of an original piece of artwork. The main aim is to reproduce the detail, colour, texture and tonal qualities of the original as accurately as possible.

Fine art scanning can be particularly useful for:

Paintings
Drawings
Illustrations
Mixed-media artwork

At Lilypad Fine Arts, we carefully digitise original artwork to create high-resolution files that are then professionally edited and prepared for reproduction.

Why Should Artists Have Their Artwork Scanned?

There are many different reasons an artist may want a professional digital copy of their work.

Create Prints of Original Artwork

One of the most popular reasons for scanning artwork is to create reproductions. Instead of selling only the original, an artist can use a high-quality digital file to produce prints.

This can create additional opportunities to sell the artwork, often at more affordable prices for their customers.

Create a Digital Archive

A professional digital file provides an important record of your artwork.

Digital files can be used for:

Your website
Social media
Artist portfolios
Exhibition applications
Marketing
Print reproduction
Archiving

Having a high-quality master file also means that you don't need to repeatedly photograph or scan the original whenever you need a reproduction.

Reproduce Artwork for Exhibitions and Promotion

High-resolution artwork files can also be used to create promotional material, catalogues, postcards, cards and other printed products.

What Happens During Professional Fine Art Scanning?

A good scan involves more than simply pressing a button.

At Lilypad Fine Arts, our process includes high-resolution scanning followed by professional post-editing and colour correction. It takes patience, time and a keen eye for detail.

1. Your Original Artwork Is Carefully Scanned

The artwork is digitised to capture as much detail as possible.

The objective is to create a digital file that accurately represents the original artwork.

2. Post-Editing and Colour Correction

Post-editing is an incredibly important element of producing a quality reproduction. Colour correction and tonal adjustments can be made to help the digital file accurately reflect the original artwork.

This part of the process is really important because the colour you see on a screen, the colour of the original artwork and the colour translated by a printer can all differ and will require some adjustment to make the print as good a match to the original as possible.

3. The File Can Be Prepared for Printing

Once the digital reproduction has been checked and edited, it can be prepared for fine art printing. This might mean adding wording, cropping and adding borders - it is very much up to the artist how they would like their finished product to look. It is at this point that we would send a digital version of the scan to our artist, and advise that they come to visit to see the initial proof print.

What Is Giclée Printing?

Giclée printing is a professional fine art printing process used to produce high-quality reproductions of artwork and photography.

It is particularly popular with artists because it delivers prints with excellent colour accuracy, detail and depth.

At Lilypad Fine Arts, we offer professional giclée printing using a selection of premium fine art papers and finishes to suit the artist’s tastes.

The right paper can make a significant difference to the appearance of a print.

What Is the Difference Between a Standard Print and a Giclée Print?

A standard commercial print and a fine art giclée print are not necessarily produced for the same purpose.

Giclée printing is designed for high-quality fine art reproduction, with particular attention paid to colour, detail, paper and the characteristics of the original artwork.

For artists producing prints for customers or exhibitions, these details are very important.

A good fine art print should look and feel like a considered reproduction of the original—not simply a copy produced on an ordinary office or commercial printer.

Which Paper Is Best for Fine Art Prints?

There isn't one paper that is perfect for every artwork.

Different papers can produce different visual results.

For example, an artist may prefer:

A textured fine art paper for a traditional painting
A smoother paper for detailed artwork
A particular finish to complement photographic work

At Lilypad Fine Arts, we offer a selection of premium fine art papers and finishes and can help you choose materials that complement your artwork.

We are also proud to source our papers from Dupli, a local supplier supporting the creative industries.

How Can Artists Use Fine Art Prints?

Professional scanning and printing can open up several opportunities for artists.

Your artwork can potentially be reproduced as:

Limited edition prints
Open edition prints
Exhibition prints
Portfolio pieces
Cards and other printed products

For artists who want to build a sustainable creative business, reproducing artwork can provide an opportunity to make an original piece available to a wider audience.

Can You Scan Artwork Before Printing It?

Yes - artwork needs to have a high quality scan, in order to be able to ensure that the print created is as close to the original art work as possible.

The process can be thought of as:

Original artwork → high-resolution scan → post-editing → colour correction → print-ready file → giclée print

We use this staged process in order to allow the digital version to be carefully checked and adjusted before producing the physical prints.

Why Is Colour Correction Important?

Colour is one of the most important aspects of reproducing artwork. It can also be a challenging process!

An original painting will often contain small but subtle variations in colour and tone. These will need to be accurately represented in the digital file.

The work that is done on colour correction helps bring the digital reproduction closer to the original.

At Lilypad Fine Arts, post-editing and colour correction form part of our scanning and printing service. It is imperative to us that the artist receives as close a reproduction of their artwork as possible.

Is Fine Art Scanning Expensive?

Prices for scanning your artwork is based on size of the piece. Up to A3 size is £35 and A2+ is £45. This cost includes our post editing service, and a proof of the print, once we have completed the job. We will also email you the final file, so that you have that as a copy for your own use.

You are, of course, welcome to come along to our workshop to work with us on the post editing. Please just ask when you bring your art work in to us, and we can sort out a mutually agreeable time to have you visit us.

Fine Art Scanning and Printing in Lutterworth

Lilypad Fine Arts provides fine art scanning and giclée printing in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, serving artists and creatives from Lutterworth and surrounding areas including Market Harborough, Hinckley, Rugby, Coventry and Leicester.

We are based at:

Lilypad Fine Arts
Unit 5, The Archway Gallery
1 Market Street
Lutterworth
Leicestershire
LE17 4EJ

We are open Tuesday to Saturday, 9am–4pm.

Why Should You Choose Lilypad Fine Arts?

At Lilypad Fine Arts, scanning and printing is part of a wider range of creative services that we have on offer.

This element of our business combines:

Professional fine art scanning
High-resolution digitisation
Post-editing
Colour correction
Fine art giclée printing
Premium paper options
Personalised advice
Local, independent service

Quite simply, it is our aim to help artists and creatives move from an original piece of artwork to a high-quality digital reproduction and finished print. That way, they can expand their sales potential and offer a wider range of price points to their customers.

FAQs About Fine Art Scanning and Printing

What is fine art scanning?

A fine art scan creates a high-resolution digital reproduction of an original piece of artwork, capturing its detail, colour and tonal qualities.

Can I make prints of my original artwork?

Absolutely. A professional scan can be used to create a high-quality digital file which is suitable for producing fine art prints. It can also be used for your website, as the quality of the image is of a very high standard.

What is giclée printing?

Giclée printing is a professional fine art printing process which is used to reproduce artwork and photography with high levels of detail and colour accuracy.

How do I choose the right paper for my artwork?

The best paper depends on the artwork, desired appearance and intended use - the choice is yours! Different papers have different textures and finishes, so it is worth discussing your vision with us.

Can my artwork be colour corrected before printing?

Yes, of course. Colour correction is a part of the process with fine art scanning - at Lilypad Fine Arts, we work hard to ensure that the colours are as close to the original that we have scanned as possible.

Can I use my scanned artwork for my website?

Yes, of course. A high-resolution digital copy can be used for websites, portfolios, social media and other marketing. Once your image has been scanned and post edited, your image will be sent on to you digitally for your own use.

Is it expensive to have art work scanned and printed?

The scanning of art work depends on the size of the piece - up to A3 size is £35 and larger than A3 is £45. This includes all of our post editing, a digital copy of the scan and a final proof print for your records.

Our printing prices depend on size, and range from £8 for an A5 to £55 for A0.

Where can I get fine art scanning and printing in Leicestershire?

Here at Lilypad Fine Arts, we provide a professional fine art scanning and giclée printing service. We serve artists and photographers in the Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire area.

If you're an artist in Lutterworth, Leicestershire or the surrounding area and you'd like to discuss reproducing your artwork, get in touch with Lilypad Fine Arts to discuss your project.