Our process
I started Ellipress as an experiment to see if I can make prints and sell them, while sticking to some basic principals: I only sell things we like, and I use the best quality tools and materials I can find. Most prints are made to order.
I make most of the prints using Epson inkjet printers with Epson Ultrachrome HD inks. These pigment inks have a really long life and a wide colour range, especially when used with top quality archival art papers.
Some people call these kinds of prints giclée but I think this is a made up word to try to make the inkjet process appear artisanal. I just call them archival prints. This website is giclée free!
Giclée
Giclée is just a fancy French term for inkjet. Originally it was ascribed to output from Iris printers but now includes any archival inkjet large format printer.
Papers
The papers I use have a very small amount of surface texture and give excellent colour rendition, making them perfect for illustrations and graphic art. Some of these papers contain a small amount of Optical Brightener Agents*, which help boost their white appearance by reflecting UV light, just like you might add to your washing machine.
Hahnemühle Photo Rag is my favourite premium archival 100% cotton artist paper. It’s smooth and white with just a tiny amount of texture. It’s available in 308 and 188gsm weights. I tend to use the heavier weight.
Canson Rag Photographique is an another archival 100% cotton artist paper. It has a slightly flatter, smoother appearance than Hahnemühle Photo Rag and is ideal for really detailed reproductions. I use the 310gsm weight.
Printing
Each sheet and roll of cotton art paper is hand brushed before being loaded into the printer. This removes any loose dust or paper particles. Prints are left for a few hours to dry. Most prints will also get a couple of coats of Hahnemühle's UV protective spray so they are easier to handle.