To make art prints from an original drawing or painting, you first need a clean digital copy of the artwork, then prepare that file for printing, choose a printer and paper, make test prints, and adjust the result until it matches the original as closely as you want.
I think the easiest way to approach art prints is as a series of small decisions rather than one complicated production process. Get the digital file right first. Then choose one paper. Make a test print. Compare it with the original. Adjust from there.
This page is my overview of that entire process. I have separate guides for printers, paper, giclée prints, pricing, signing, packaging, and shipping when you need to go deeper into a particular step.
How to Make Art Prints Step by Step
The basic workflow looks like this:
- Digitize the original artwork.
- Clean and prepare the digital file.
- Decide what size you want to print.
- Choose a printer or printing service.
- Select the paper.
- Make a test print.
- Compare the print with the original and make adjustments.
- Print the final copies.
- Sign, package, and price them if you plan to sell the prints.
You do not need to solve every step at once. I would rather get one reliable combination of file, printer, and paper working well than constantly change materials while trying to diagnose why a print looks wrong.
1. Digitize Your Original Artwork
The first step is turning the physical artwork into a digital file that contains enough information to make a convincing print.
Depending on the size and surface of the original, you can either scan it or photograph it.
Scanning Artwork
A scanner can be convenient for smaller, relatively flat artwork because it gives you consistent lighting and keeps the image square to the artwork.
Drawings, ink work, colored-pencil pieces, and other flat originals can work especially well with this approach when they fit comfortably on the scanner.
Photographing Artwork
Photography becomes useful when the original is too large for a scanner or has a surface that needs to be captured differently.
The priorities are even lighting, accurate focus, keeping the camera square to the artwork, and avoiding reflections or unwanted color casts.
I cover that process separately in my guide to photographing artwork for prints.
2. Prepare the Digital File for Printing
Once the artwork is digitized, I look at the file before worrying about printers or paper.
The goal is not to make the digital version artificially perfect. I want it to represent the original artwork accurately enough that the print feels like the same piece.
I check things such as:
- cropping and alignment
- overall brightness
- contrast
- color balance
- dust or distracting marks introduced during digitizing
- whether the file has enough detail for the print size I want
This is one reason I prefer making test prints before producing multiple copies. What looks right on a bright monitor does not always look the same once ink is on paper.
3. Decide What Size Your Art Print Will Be
I decide on the intended print size before I start producing final copies.
The proportions of the original matter. If the artwork and final print have different aspect ratios, you will need to crop the artwork, add surrounding space, or choose a different print size.
I would rather solve that deliberately than discover during printing that an important part of the image needs to be cut off.
4. Choose Between Printing at Home and Using a Print Service
You can make art prints at home or send the digital file to a professional printer. Neither choice is automatically better for every artist.
| Printing at home | Print service | |
|---|---|---|
| Control | You can adjust and reprint immediately | You depend on the printer’s workflow and options |
| Testing | Easy to make individual tests | May require ordering proofs or samples |
| Equipment | You supply and maintain it | Handled by the print provider |
| Small quantities | Convenient for printing as needed | Depends on the service |
| Larger production | Requires more of your own time | Can reduce hands-on production work |
If you want to produce prints yourself, I have a separate guide to choosing the best printer for art prints at home.
5. Choose Paper That Fits the Artwork
Paper changes the way a print looks and feels more than I think many artists expect when they first start.
The surface affects contrast, color, fine detail, glare, texture, and the physical impression of the finished piece.
I would start by choosing one paper that suits the artwork and making several tests before buying a large amount.
My guide to the best paper for art prints goes deeper into paper choices.
Matte vs. Glossy Art Prints
One of the first decisions is whether you want a surface with little reflection or a more reflective finish.
I would make the choice based on the artwork rather than assuming one finish is universally more professional. Texture, dark values, subtle color, and the way the print will be displayed can all affect the decision.
If you’re comparing the two, see my guide to matte vs. glossy paper for art prints.
6. Make a Test Print Before Producing a Batch
This is the stage I would not skip.
Make one print and compare it with the original artwork in good light.
I look at the image as a whole first:
- Does it feel too dark or too light?
- Have subtle colors shifted?
- Are the darkest areas losing detail?
- Do light areas still contain the information I want?
- Does the paper complement the image?
- Does the print still feel like the original artwork?
I would make one change at a time when correcting a print. If you simultaneously change the file, paper, printer settings, and size, it becomes difficult to know which adjustment actually helped.
7. Understand What a Giclée Print Is
You will probably encounter the term giclée when researching higher-quality reproductions of artwork.
It is worth understanding what the term does and does not tell you before using it to describe your own work.
I explain the terminology and what buyers should understand in my guide to what a giclée print is.
8. Decide Whether the Print Is Open or Limited Edition
If you’re making prints to sell, decide whether you intend to continue producing them or limit the number.
That decision affects how you present and document the work. If you create a limited edition, establish the edition before you begin numbering copies and keep your records consistent.
For the practical details, see my guide on how to sign and number limited edition prints.
9. Price the Finished Art Print
Once I know what the print actually costs to produce, I have a much better starting point for pricing it.
The physical print is only part of the cost. Depending on how you sell, there may also be packaging, transaction costs, shipping materials, replacement prints, and the time involved in preparing orders.
I cover that separately in how to price art prints.
If you’re building the larger business around the work, my selling art online guide covers the broader strategy.
10. Package Art Prints Without Damaging Them
A good print can still arrive looking unprofessional if it gets bent, scratched, wet, or crushed during handling.
I think about packaging as part of the finished product rather than something to solve after a sale comes in.
Start with my guide to packaging art prints for shipping. For the shipping process itself, see how to ship art prints without damage.
Can You Make Professional Art Prints at Home?
Yes, making art prints at home can be a practical option, particularly when you want direct control over testing and smaller production runs.
The important part is consistency. Once you find a combination of file preparation, printer settings, ink, and paper that gives you the result you want, keep notes on that setup so you can reproduce it.
I would not start by buying every paper and changing settings constantly. Build one repeatable workflow first.
How Do You Make Prints Look Like the Original Artwork?
I approach this as a chain. Every stage can introduce a difference between the original and the finished print.
- The scan or photograph has to represent the original accurately.
- The digital file has to be prepared carefully.
- The printer has to reproduce that file consistently.
- The paper changes how the printed color and contrast appear.
- The final print needs to be evaluated under sensible viewing conditions.
This is why test prints matter. I don’t expect the first print to automatically be the final one.
How to Make Art Prints Guides
The guides below go deeper into individual parts of the process, from creating the reproduction to preparing the finished print for a buyer.