Three Artists, Three Reproduction Approaches at Printlab

For nearly four decades, Printlab has reproduced fine art for collectors, institutions and artists on Chicago’s West Side. One of the city’s longest-established fine art printing facilities, the shop operates with a five-person team that includes reproduction specialist and printmaker Xander Fischer.

Fischer manages the process from capturing the original artwork through printing the final piece. Each project requires decisions about color, detail, texture and materials, including which substrate will best support the characteristics of the original.

Paper can affect how colors appear, how deeply dark tones are rendered, and how viewers perceive texture and detail. According to Fischer, the right choice depends on the artwork, its intended use, and how the finished print will be displayed.

Among the papers he uses regularly are Canson® Infinity Rag Photographique II and ARCHES BFK Rives® Pure White. Each offers different qualities that Fischer matches to the requirements of a particular project.

Evaluating Color and Texture

One of the first factors Fischer considers is the paper’s white point. A neutral white provides a different foundation for color than a warmer-toned paper and can simplify the color-profiling process.

Fischer also considers whether a paper contains optical brightening agents, which can affect how a print appears under different lighting conditions. Papers without optical brighteners often have a warmer cast, he noted, requiring that warmth to be considered during profiling.

“Usually, if it doesn’t have optical brighteners, it will be very warm,” Fischer said. “Why start from the wrong spot?”

For projects requiring a smooth, neutral surface, Fischer often chooses Rag Photographique II. When surface character is an important part of the original artwork, he may use BFK Rives, which has slight tooth.

“That extra texture isn’t distracting or overbearing, and it gives the print a little more body,” Fischer said.

Other considerations include color gamut and DMAX, a measure of how deeply and richly a paper can reproduce dark tones. Fischer evaluates these qualities in relation to each artwork rather than relying on one substrate for every project.

Julia Hagen: Supporting Color and Brushwork

Chicago artist Julia Hagen paints the city’s iconic hot dog stands on wood panels. Fischer ops to reproduce her work almost exclusively on BFK Rives.

Hagen’s palette includes deep ultramarines and purples that Fischer described as “notoriously difficult to reproduce, especially on matte papers.” The paper’s bright, neutral base helps those colors remain vivid and accurate, while its subtle texture complements the visible brushwork in the original paintings.

Stef Ross: Letting Visual Complexity Take the Lead

Fischer chooses to reproduce Chicago artist Stef Ross’ cut-paper works on Rag Photographique II. Her intricate compositions are assembled from thousands of individually punched and pinned paper elements.

Because the artwork already contains considerable visual complexity, Fischer uses a smoother paper that does not introduce additional surface texture. This allows the details of the composition to remain the primary focus.

Lighting is another consideration. Ross’s prints are sold and displayed in a variety of environments, making color consistency important.

“Having a paper with optical brighteners can shift color in unpredictable ways when viewing the work near a window or under traditional illumination sources that contain UV light,” Fischer said.

Scott Gustafson: Producing Color-Accurate Proofs

Fischer also uses Rag Photographique II for the highly detailed varnished wood-panel paintings of Scott Gustafson. In this case, he does not believe the substrate needs to introduce additional character.

“His work is really clean and extremely alluring on its own,” Fischer said. “There’s no need to bring it anywhere else.”

Much of Printlab’s work for Gustafson is not intended for sale as direct reproductions. Instead, the prints serve as color-accurate proofs for offset book production, where precision is critical. The proofs allow the artist and printer to evaluate color without transporting the original painting to the press. For this application, consistency and color accuracy take precedence over replicating the physical texture of the original surface.

Matching the Approach to the Artwork

The three artists demonstrate how reproduction requirements can vary from one project to another. A textured paper that complements the brushwork of one painting may add unnecessary surface character to another. A print intended for display may also require a different approach from a proof created for offset book production.

Fischer considers the neutrality of the white point, color gamut, DMAX, surface texture, lighting conditions, and intended use of each print. The substrate is selected to support the qualities already present in the artwork.

The underlying principle is straightforward: the reproduction approach should begin with the original work and the purpose of the finished print.

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