Since I have not had any experience with having my work reproduced commercially, are there colors I should [avoid]? Do you work a piece differently if you know it is being reproduced? What are some of your techniques so that the final image is more defined and clear.
Thanks so much. I live rurally in Texas where there is not a group of botanical artists to commune and learn from, so this opportunity is exciting.
Sandra Wall Armitage
I have never had a problem having work reproduced, although I find that Alizarin Crimson and Raw Umber are not good for flat washes. If I am working to a brief to exact scale, I find it easier to do all my drawing and corrections on tracing paper and then transfer the drawing onto the right support. This avoids any rubbings out or raising the grain of the paper.
Susan Christopher-Coulson
So far I have not had to work a piece differently for reproduction – for me, the colour and image in the original artwork needs to look “right”. However, the way you work will depend on what your brief or purpose for the work is. Inevitably with reproduction, there will usually need to be some adjustments made at the proofing stage so that the printing process can match the colours you have used but is impossible to second guess what these will be since printing processes and equipment vary. It is therefore important that the artist can cast a critical eye at the proofing stage if possible and indicate any adjustment to colour that they feel necessary. As the artist, you need to be happy with the final result and that it is as true a representation of the original as possible. This can take time and may involve a degree of compromise, which may depend on the end use of the reproduction – for example if it is, say, for a scientific journal or perhaps for product packaging? (Which I think may be the case here and may have specific colour requirements – possibly associated with branding for example).
Susan Dalton
I do not have much experience with having my work reproduced commercially, but I would suggest that you avoid using black. I have also heard that yellow does not reproduce well, but my painting in The Art of Botanical Painting of the Paeonia lutea (Yellow Tree Peony) is a good reproduction of the original colours. As I have never produced a painting that I know is going to be reproduced, I am unable to comment on whether I would work differently – my paintings that have been reproduced have all been fine, but perhaps I’ve just been lucky!
Susan Hillier
Work for reproduction should have extra “graphic bite”, you need to learn about methods of reproduction and any alterations in size.
Jennifer Jenkins
Regarding commercial work, I know of no colours you should actually avoid, however, it is best to be aware that green shades are not always printed exactly as painted. For reproduction work I ensure that the entire image is very clearly defined, especially the edges and serrations of leaves. They need to be really crisp and the paper should be spotless with no sign of any pencil or eraser marks etc. All must be pristine as the printing process is unforgiving.
Kay Rees Davies
I find that the glowing pink/red of Quinacridone Red (W&N) (perfect for red camellias) is darker when reproduced. I always try to have very clearly defined edges whether for reproduction or not. I examine them closely through a magnifying glass and correct any slight errors using a no. 2 brush with a perfect point, and using the same colour – don’t make it look as if it is outlined.
Margaret Stevens
I have never found it necessary to avoid any colours when working professionally. Colour reproduction is so much better than it was years ago when the tricky colours were greens and yellows. Greens almost always turn out disappointing when reproduced by mass commercial means although specialist printers can do a very good job. When printed for a printers commercial magazine my Lily step-by-step main picture in The Botanical Palette was so accurate it was unbelievable and far better than the Harper Collins repro in the book, where the greens are atrocious. Yellows have greatly improved – there was a time when they always had a brownish tinge but nowadays some good clear colours are achieved.
Apart from ensuring that a white flower has a definite edge when it is to be reproduced I make no allowances for reproduction. I have known my original returned from the printer with a pencil line drawn in to define the edge if it was not clear enough for their taste. I am talking about The Medici Society who were the leading card/print/calendar company for many years in the UK and highly respected.
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