When it comes to finding a printer for producing high quality art prints, there are many factors to consider. Here at Printerland, we have chosen our top picks for the best printers for art prints to help you during the choosing process.
Finding the best printer for art prints can be a challenge. With artistic pursuits constantly evolving, choosing a printer that fully realises a project’s potential is more important than ever.
This guide will help to shed some light on the features to look out for when choosing your next printer for art prints.
What do you need to consider when purchasing a printer for art prints?
With such a wide range of models available, you need to first consider their requirements before making a purchase.
What is the minimum print resolution you’ll require?
When producing high quality art prints, print resolution is paramount.
So, what does print resolution mean? Printed text and images are made up of thousands of miniscule dots which are precisely arranged.
The higher the number of dots, measured as dots per inch (dpi), the higher the potential image quality.
For example, a printer that can produce 300 dots per inch will have a print resolution of 300dpi.
With art prints demanding the best possible quality, high print resolutions are a necessity when choosing a printer.
A printer for art prints should aim for a minimum resolution of 300dpi. For those looking to produce high quality photo prints, inkjet printers designed specifically for photo printing can boast print resolutions of up to 5,760 x 1,440dpi for breath-taking quality.
The value of print resolution becomes clearer as print sizes increase.
Whilst lower print resolutions may suffice for smaller art prints, A3 or A3+ prints will require much higher print resolutions to stand up to scrutiny.
What Size Prints Do You Intend To Produce?
A major factor to consider when purchasing an arts printer is the size of the prints required.
With such a broad range of art disciplines, print size requirements will vary drastically from user to user.
Whereas an A4 printer may be sufficient for the needs of some, for those looking to produce high quality art prints beyond the limits of A4, A3 printing offers a host of opportunities.
A3 presents a two-fold size increase in comparison to A4, allowing art projects to make more of a bigger impression.
Perfect for art installations and commercial creative design printing, A3 printers allow users create high quality banners and posters at home or in the office.
In addition to the larger, more impactful printing that an A3 printer delivers, A3 printing also allows user to cut printing costs.
With many artists needing to outsource their A3 printing, an A3 printer enables users to take back control and produce professional creative materials in-house.
For those who require prints larger than A3, an A3+ printer allows users to produce high-quality, large-scale prints.
A3+, often referred to as Super A3 is a slightly oversized version of A3 offering a 32mm increase in width and 63mm increase in height.
Allowing users to produce art prints which offer even more real estate than A3 models, A3+ models also give you the opportunity to expand your creativity when producing rough drafts.
A3+ printers allows the option to print a full-sized A3 printer complete with a blank border to add annotations and ideas to art projects making for easy brainstorming sessions or when considering redesigns.
Borderless printing is another feature which needs to be taken into consideration when purchasing a printer for art prints.
Borderless printing sometimes referred to as full bleed printing, allowing operators to print fully edge-to-edge without margins for 100%-page coverage.
Borderless printing is a valuable tool for artists looking to produce professional, eye-catching prints.
Will you be printing in colour or mono?
The ability to print in colour or mono will be a deciding factor for many users.
Colour art printers allow designers to produce high quality art projects with vivid colour and outstanding print resolutions.
Unless an art project is intentionally produced in monochrome, the ability to print in colour is essential to fully achieve an artist’s vision.
For those whose art projects do not require colour, a mono printer is an attractive proposition allowing for lower overall running costs without compromising on print quality.
Whilst printing in black and white is commonly associated with text-based printing, monochrome printers can produce the same high quality print resolutions of colour counterparts with the added benefit of comparatively higher print speeds.
Capable of printing in black only, monochrome printers are often overlooked when choosing a printer for art prints. However, mono printers can offer some advantages when compared to colour equivalents.
Designed with a single cartridge set-up, monochrome printers benefit from considerably lower running costs when compared to colour models. Additionally, mono printers for arts also have lower initial hardware costs than colour printers.
Furthermore, due to fewer internal components when compared to colour counterparts, mono printers require less replacement of components and offer improved overall reliability.
What paper weights will you be printing on?
Paper weight is an extremely important factor for artists to consider when creating a project.
Measured in grams per square metre (gsm), paper weight refers to the thickness and rigidity of the print media used.
With professional photographers preferring to print on print media of 230gsm and above, choosing a printer for arts that is capable printing on heavy print media is crucial.
Do you need to print in large capacities?
Creators looking for an art printer may need to print high volumes especially when used for commercial or promotional projects.
Generally, laser printers are better suited to printing large volumes when compared to inkjet models.
Laser printers broadly feature higher print speeds and are capable of handling larger print volumes, making them a prime candidate for high volume art printing.
Although laser printers generally have higher initial hardware costs when compared to inkjet models, long-term running costs can be considerably lower.
Laser toner cartridges consist of microscopic ink particles which are heated to melting point using high temperatures and then fused to the fabric of the page using a combination of heat and pressure to create printed images and text.
Laser toner is significantly cheaper on a cost-per-page basis when compared to the highly pigmented liquid inks used by inkjet printers.
The lower cost of laser toner cartridges contributes to lower running costs over the long term.
Laser printers can further capitalise on the cost benefits of toner by using optional high-capacity cartridges.
Providing much higher page yields than standard cartridges, high-yield toners allow artists and graphic designers to print for longer whilst further reducing their cost-per-page basis.
Laser printers are also highly scalable with a multitude of options to expand printing capacities and functions.
The addition of optional paper trays and finisher units allows you to scale your printers’ capabilities with your printing needs.
Due to more robust materials used in the production process, laser printers also benefit from superior reliability meaning less down-time and servicing needs.
Finding the right art printer for your budget
Art printers are available in a wide range of models catering to all budgets. Here are some of the best options for every price range.
Best Cheap Printers for Art Prints
For those looking for an entry level art printer that doesn’t compromise on quality, the Epson Expression Home range delivers stunning quality at affordable prices.
Capable of producing vivid, high-quality prints, the Epson Expression Home range allows you to create impressive in the comfort of your home.
Utilising individual ink cartridges, the Epson Expression Home range enables creators to replace only the colours that have been used, ensuring running costs are kept to a minimum.
To enhance ease of use, Epson Expression Home printers feature the ability to print and scan wirelessly from smart devices via Epson’s iPrint app.
Best mid-range printers for art prints
Building on the quality and functionality of Epson Expression Home printers, the Epson Expression Premium range adds additional productivity features including higher capacity paper trays and larger interactive touchscreens for easy navigation and PC-free photo printing from memory cards.
The added functionality makes the Epson Expression Premium range perfect for home and small office users requiring larger volumes of printing.
The HP OfficeJet Pro range provides high quality art printing combined with multifunction versatility.
With models boasting up to 4,800 x 1,200 dpi resolution using enhanced print, artists can produce pin sharp projects with added Scan/Copy/Fax functionality.
A host of wireless features including AirPrint and Mopria Alliance allows you to print from anywhere in the home or office.
HP OfficeJet Pro printers also include comprehensive protection with HP Wolf Security software to keep art projects safe from malicious attacks.
HP Wolf Pro Security is designed specifically for HP OfficeJet Pro printers and delivers cutting-edge security to safeguard against cyber threats.
Embedded security features include automatic firmware updates to maintain proactive protection against risks and secure boot with firmware validation ensures genuine HP code is recognised upon start-up. In the case an anomaly is detected, the printer will automatically reboot to a secure recovery state.
HP security features extend to original HP cartridges with built-in security features including tamper-resistant chips, firmware, and packaging.
The Best Premium Quality Art Printers
For those requiring a professional grade art printing solution, Xerox A3 colour laser printers are unmatched in performance and quality.
The Xerox AltaLink and VersaLink ranges allow graphic designers and professional artists to produce unparalleled A3 prints at high volumes.
Xerox AltaLink and VersaLink printers combine high resolutions outputs, HD Super Fine EA Toner and superior colour rendering for professional grade colour printing.
AltaLink and VersaLink printers allow artists to expand their printing capabilities with a range of additional accessories including finishers and booklet makers, letting you explore your creativity with new projects and designs.
Both VersaLink and AltaLink A3 printers feature Xerox ConnectKey technology which includes a host of features all designed to improve user experience, security, and productivity.
Xerox ConnectKey technology enables users to enhance workflows with cloud-hosted mobile services and intuitive tablet touchscreens allowing for easy personalisation and customisable controls. Additionally, the Xerox App Gallery can transform the way you work with a collection of efficiency and productivity boosting tools.
Xerox ConnectKey technology also provides comprehensive protection against security threats. A selection of features including McAfee whitelisting and Cisco ISE that works to neutralise device threats instantly, ensuring network protection is maintained.
Genuine Xerox toner cartridges allow users to reach a projects full potential with cutting edge toner technology, precisely engineered for consistent, reliable results.
Expertly designed to work in tandem with Xerox printers, Xerox genuine toner cartridges provide superb colour accuracy to ensure graphics and images are faithfully reproduced.
Get in touch with our team today!
Printerland stocks a wide range of printing solutions designed for producing high quality art prints. With a broad variety of models available for purchase directly from the Printerland website, users can find a printer for art prints that suits their requirements.
With a comprehensive selection of options including A4, A3, colour, mono, single function and multifunction solutions, you can find a suitable printer for any art project.
All our art printers are available to be purchased online instantly. For those looking professional advice when choosing an art printer, our team of printer experts are on hand to discuss your printing needs today.
"The Epson EcoTank ET-18100 has more than earned itself a place on this list based on print quality alone. If you are looking to ensure your art designs are produced in high quality, then the Epson EcoTank ET-18100 is definitely the model for you. With an outstanding print resolution of up to 5,760 x 1,440 dpi and ability to handle photo papers up to 300gsm, the ET-18100 definitely ticks all the boxes."