The archival print
Archival printing production guide. The in-house printer is fast and can take everyone, so it's both a medium in its own right and the studio's fallback.
- Machine
- In-house archival printer
- Resolution
- 300 PPI at final size
- Proofs
- Days 12–13
- Finals
- Days 16–17
- Files
- TIFF with a profile
Why a print
An archival print uses pigment inks on archival paper, made to last. It can hold what a pen can't: tone, colour, fine density and millions of marks.
Choose it because the identity's work needs tone or colour, not only because it's quick. If you're printing as a fallback for a plot or a resin piece, prepare the file early so it's ready if needed. Framing and mounting are still being arranged. To be updated
The file
Render at full resolution from your system. Never enlarge a small image.
| Final size | Pixels at 300 PPI |
|---|---|
| A4 · 210 × 297 mm | 2480 × 3508 |
| A3 · 297 × 420 mm | 3508 × 4961 |
| A2 · 420 × 594 mm | 4961 × 7016 |
- Format: TIFF, flattened, with the colour profile embedded.
- Colour: work and export in the profile the facilitator gives you for the printer and paper. Soft-proof on screen before printing.
- Vector work: an SVG can be rendered straight to 300 PPI; ask Codex to rasterise it at the exact pixel size (prompt 18 in the library).
- Margins: leave a border of plain paper unless you've agreed a borderless print.
Maximum print width depends on the printer. Confirm on Day 11
Paper
Soft and deep
No glare, a soft surface, rich tone. Blacks are less dense; very fine detail softens slightly.
Sharp and dense
Deep blacks and crisp detail, with some sheen. Shows fingerprints and reflects light.
The paper is part of the identity's position. A record of loss on a glossy sheet reads differently from the same image on matte rag. Say why in your spec sheet.
Test strips and proofs
Days 12–13. Print before you print.
- Test strip.
A narrow strip across the darkest, lightest and finest parts of the image, at full size, on the final paper.
- Look in daylight and under the exhibition light.
Do shadows block up? Do fine lines hold? Is the colour what you saw on screen?
- Adjust in the system, not by hand.
Change parameters or the colour mapping and re-render, so the final is still the system's output.
- Full proof, then final.
A full-size proof once the strip is right; the final on Days 16–17.
Handling
- Clean, dry hands, or cotton gloves. Hold prints by the edges.
- Let it dry. Leave prints flat and uncovered for a day before stacking, sleeving or framing.
- Store flat, with tissue between prints, away from sunlight and damp.
Spec sheet
Day 11, due by 3:30. Save as outputs/production/SPEC.md.
# Production spec · archival print Final size: [mm] · pixels at 300 PPI: [ ] Paper: [name, surface, weight] · why: [the identity's reason] Colour profile: [ ] · soft-proofed: yes / no Seed and parameters: [seed, params file] File: outputs/production/[name].tif Test strip: Day [ ] · notes: [ ] Full proof: Day [ ] · notes: [ ] Mounting or framing: [to be confirmed with the facilitator]
When it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause and fix |
|---|---|
| Soft or jagged edges | The image was upscaled. Render again at the full pixel size. |
| Colours duller than on screen | Wrong profile, or an over-bright screen. Soft-proof with the paper's profile and adjust in the system. |
| Shadows are a flat black | Dark tones too close together. Lift the darkest values slightly and test again. |
| Scuffs or marks | Handled before it dried. Reprint, and leave it flat for a day. |