Fine Art Paper Printing – Frequently Asked Questions

Fine art paper printing is a professional printing process that uses specialised papers and high-quality pigment inks to produce detailed, long-lasting reproductions of artwork, illustrations and photography.

Often referred to as giclée printing, this process is ideal for artists and photographers seeking a premium finish suitable for exhibitions, collectors and limited-edition prints.

Gallery 8 offers a selection of premium papers designed for different artwork styles and photographic finishes.

Smooth Cotton Rag 310gsm

A premium 100% cotton fine art paper with a soft, natural matte finish. Ideal for original artwork reproductions, illustrations, photography and limited editions.

Gold Fibre Gloss 310gsm

A premium gloss fibre paper offering rich blacks, excellent contrast and beautiful tonal depth. Particularly suited to fine art photography, bold colours and detailed photographic prints.

Smooth Pearl 310gsm

A smooth photographic paper with a subtle lustre finish. Ideal for portraits, landscapes, wedding photography and vibrant photographic artwork.

Studio Matt 235gsm

A versatile matte paper with a smooth finish, suitable for illustrations, posters, creative artwork and general art printing.

Each paper has a different surface finish and visual character.

• Cotton Rag: Soft matte finish with a natural fine art appearance.

• Gold Fibre Gloss: Glossy finish with deep blacks and strong contrast.

• Smooth Pearl: Subtle lustre with vibrant colour and refined photographic detail.

• Studio Matt: Smooth, non-glossy finish for versatile art printing.

The best choice depends on your artwork, preferred appearance and intended presentation.

Our Ilford Galerie Smooth Cotton Rag 310gsm is an excellent choice for reproducing paintings, watercolours, drawings and illustrations.

Its soft matte finish and natural surface help create a refined fine art appearance without the reflections associated with glossy papers.

For highly detailed or vibrant artworks, our team can also recommend alternative papers.

The ideal paper depends on the style and appearance of your photograph.

Gold Fibre Gloss is particularly suited to dramatic landscapes, black-and-white photography and images requiring rich blacks and strong contrast.

Smooth Pearl is ideal for portraits, wedding photography, landscapes and colourful photographic prints.

Cotton Rag provides a softer, more traditional fine art finish, particularly suited to artistic photographic editions

An archival-quality print is produced using specialised materials selected for their durability, colour stability and resistance to deterioration.

At Gallery 8, we combine premium fine art papers with professional Epson pigment-based inks to create prints designed for long-term display and collection.

Actual print longevity depends on the paper, ink, lighting, framing, handling and environmental conditions.

Absolutely.

Our archival fine art papers are ideal for artists and photographers producing limited-edition giclée prints.

Gallery 8 can assist with high-resolution artwork scanning, colour matching, fine art printing and Certificates of Authenticity to support your limited-edition releases.

What file format should I supply for fine art printing?

For the best results, we recommend supplying a high-resolution, print-ready digital file.

Preferred file formats include:

• TIFF – preferred for professional fine art printing

• High-quality JPEG

Your file should contain sufficient detail for your chosen print dimensions.

We recommend 300 DPI at your intended print size for optimal quality.

The actual pixel dimensions of your image are important. Simply changing the DPI setting does not increase image detail.

If you're unsure whether your file is suitable, Gallery 8 can assess it and recommend an appropriate print size.

Colours may vary between a digital screen and a physical print.

Screen brightness, monitor calibration, colour profiles, lighting and paper surfaces all affect how colours appear.

Gallery 8 uses professional colour-managed printing workflows to achieve high-quality, consistent reproduction.

For projects requiring close colour accuracy, we recommend our professional colour matching service.

Yes.

Gallery 8 provides colour matching and digital file preparation for artists and photographers who require accurate fine art reproductions.

We can assess supplied digital files, adjust colour and tonal balance, and produce test prints where required.

If you have an original artwork, we also offer high-resolution scanning and print-ready file preparation.

Colour matching and retouching are additional services unless included in your selected package.

Yes.

Gallery 8 can print suitable digital artwork, illustrations, photography and images created using digital or AI-assisted creative tools.

We assess files for resolution and print suitability, and can recommend suitable papers and print dimensions.

Customers must have the necessary rights or permissions to reproduce the images supplied.

Can I order custom-sized fine art paper prints?

Yes.

Gallery 8 offers standard and custom print dimensions, subject to paper availability, printer capacity and the quality of your digital file.

We can produce small-format art prints, large photographic prints and oversized exhibition artworks.

Contact our team if you require an unusual size or a large-format printing quote.

In many cases, yes.

If your digital file contains sufficient resolution and detail, we can enlarge your image for printing.

The maximum recommended print size depends on your file quality, original artwork dimensions and the level of detail required.

Our team can review your image before production.

Yes.

Gallery 8 offers optional white borders for fine art paper prints.

White borders create a classic gallery-style presentation and provide space around the image for framing or signing.

Available border options include 1 cm, 2 cm and 3 cm, where offered for the selected product.

The border is included within your selected finished print dimensions.

For example, an A3 print with a 2 cm border will have a smaller printed image within the overall A3 paper size.

Yes.

Many artists choose to hand-sign their limited-edition fine art prints.

Our Cotton Rag paper is particularly popular for artist editions, and you can request a white border to allow space for a signature and edition number.

Yes.

Gallery 8 offers professional A5 Certificate of Authenticity printing with a 1000gsm recycled backing board and acid-free protective sleeve.

Certificates start from $10 each, with discounted pricing available for larger quantities.

Custom certificate design is also available for a one-off $25 design fee.

How do I order fine art paper prints from Gallery 8?

You can order selected fine art prints through our online upload-and-print service or submit an enquiry for custom printing requirements.

Simply choose your preferred paper, print size, border options and quantity, then upload your digital file.

Our team will review your order and contact you if any significant file adjustments are required.

es.

Artists and photographers can join our Gallery 8 Artist Membership, which is free to join and provides access to our Instant Print Quote Calculator.

This allows you to explore pricing across different printing materials, sizes and finishing options.

Standard print-only orders generally take approximately 3–7 business days, depending on quantity, file preparation and current production workload.

Large print editions, colour matching and custom finishing may require additional time.

Our team will confirm the estimated turnaround once your order details are approved.

Yes.

Gallery 8 can arrange professional packaging and delivery throughout Australia.

International shipping is also available for suitable orders.

Shipping costs depend on the print size, packaging requirements, destination and delivery service.

Yes.

Our artwork drop shipping and print fulfilment service allows artists and photographers to have their prints produced, packaged and dispatched directly to their customers.

This service is particularly useful for limited-edition releases, online art stores and artists selling prints throughout Australia.

To help preserve your prints:

• Handle them with clean, dry hands, preferably by the edges.

• Avoid touching the printed surface.

• Keep prints away from prolonged direct sunlight.

• Avoid excessive moisture, heat and humidity.

• Store unframed prints flat in appropriate archival materials where possible.

• Use suitable archival framing and glazing for long-term display.

• Avoid cleaning the printed surface with water or household cleaning products.

Proper handling, framing and display will help maintain the appearance of your fine art prints for years to come.