FAQ for buyers

If you are looking for great art - We’ve Got What You Need!

Whether you need a certain size, color, subject matter or genre, our comprehensive search features allow you to find the image you are looking for quickly and easily. Landscapes, seascapes, still-lifes, conservation images and abstracts.  Western art. Black and white photography. Color photography. Giclée prints on fine canvas and watercolor papers. Large prints or small. Art for Conservation has it all.

Need a custom size?
 No problem. Because we print on-demand, in many cases we can print the size you need! Having trouble finding what you want? Just give our customer service department a call or email us and our friendly staff of art consultants will be happy to help you!

Purchase a Print - Sustain the Planet
With each purchase from Art for Conservation, a percentage of the purchase price will benefit conservation causes. Art for Conservation, our artists and our photographers have all agreed to give a portion of their proceeds to a selected conservation cause. In this way, all of us together can make a small contribution and, added together, we can make a big difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.  What is Giclée?
2.  What kind of papers do you print on?
3.  If I order a Canvas giclée, how do I frame it?
4.  What do you mean by Limited Edition Prints?
5.  What is the Certificate of Authenticity?
6.  What is the advantage of buying prints from Art for Conservation?

1. What is Giclée?
Giclée (pronounced “zhee-clay”) is a French word  meaning “to spray.”  It is a high quality fine art printing process that begins when an original piece artwork is digitized. Skilled technicians optimize this digitized artwork for output. An extremely fine stream of ink is sprayed onto archival fine art paper resulting in prints that truly capture the artist’s original intent. Giclée printing is a very slow, hands-on process which produces prints one at a time.

The prints have a much higher resolution than lithographs since no dot screens or printing plates are used and the dynamic color range is very similar to serigraphy. Giclée prints are widely seen in art galleries and museums around the world. Click here for more information on canvas giclée finishing options.

2.  What kind of papers do you print on?
We use a variety of printing papers and canvas. For each print you wish to sell, you will get to choose one or more of the following materials:

• Photo Paper, Gloss or Matte
  Highest quality, archival museum quality photo paper. Fuji Crystal Archive.  Gloss has a high sheen, bright look. Matte has a less reflective, natural look.
• Epson Presentation Watercolor Paper
  A smooth, bright white, coated paper yielding bright colors. This paper is not as heavy as our other watercolor papers and is therefore less expensive.
• Somerset Velvet Watercolor Paper
  100% acid free heavyweight cotton rag fine art paper with a textured radiant white velvety surface. Provides vivid color reproduction and rich black tones. Archival museum quality.
• Premier Art Smooth Watercolor Paper
  A smooth 100% acid free cotton rag, natural white, heavyweight fine art watercolor paper. Yields brilliant colors and rich B&W prints. Archival museum quality.
• Hahnemuhle Bamboo Watercolor Paper
  Natural white acid free heavyweight fine art paper made from fibers from highly renewable bamboo. Its warm tone combines beautiful art prints with environmental considerations. Archival museum quality.
• Fine Art Canvas
  Chromata White Canvas is a textured heavyweight bright white, poly cotton blend matte canvas using an acid-free, neutral pH coating. Our canvas prints are coated after printing with an earth friendly protective, u-v inhibiting varnish. Archival museum quality.

3.  If I order a Canvas giclée, how do I frame it?
 Canvas giclées are our most popular product, offering the look and feel of an original oil painting. You have four finishing choices when purchasing canvas giclées.

Canvas Only. These are un-mounted giclées and are printed with a 1.5 inch white border on all four sides (used for stretching on stretcher bars). The size shown is the actual printed area. Your un-mounted canvas giclée will be shipped to you either flat or in a tube (depending on size, a tube may be the most economical mode of shipping). If your giclée is shipped in a tube, prior to mounting or framing your giclée, we recommend that you remove it from the tube and lay it flat for a few days.

Mounted. Mounted canvas giclées are permanently mounted onto archival foam board with no borders. When considering frames, choose one that is designed to fit the exact measurements as shown. Mounted giclées must be shipped flat.

Standard Stretch. Stretched canvas giclées are stretched on 5/8" deep stretcher bars. The outside edge of the canvas will show white, unprinted material. Once framed, the white area will not be visible. Stretched giclées must be shipped flat.

Gallery Wrap. Gallery wrapped giclées are stretched on 1 1/2" stretcher bars. The outside edge of the canvas will be printed with additional image showing, making gallery wrapped canvas giclées suitable for hanging with or without a frame. The size of the stretched area is the size shown. No portion of the image area will be lost in the stretching process. Gallery wrapped giclées must be shipped flat.

Art for Conservation  can also provide framing options for any print purchased on our site. Please email or call us if you would like to explore mounting and framing options.  info@artforconservation.org    800.777.1141

4.  What do you mean by Limited Edition Prints?
The term “Limited Edition Prints” refers to a predetermined limited quantity of prints of a particular artwork that are each signed and numbered by the artist. The artist determines the total quantity of prints in each edition.

The number of a particular print in the edition can be determined by the fraction written at the bottom of the print. The top number is the print number and the bottom number is the total quantity in that edition. For example, the number 25/100 on a print would mean that print is print number 25 out of a total limited edition of 100. An artwork might also be used in ways other than the limited edition, such as posters or magazine publications, but these are not part of the limited edition.

5.  What is the Certificate of Authenticity?
Each of our prints is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. This is an official document that verifies the authenticity of the print. Each Certificate of Authenticity contains the name of the image, the original medium, the edition number and size (if applicable), and the artist’s signature.

6. What is the Advantage of buying prints from Art for Conservation?
The obvious answer is that with every print you purchase, you are helping independent artists and their pursuit to conserve our planets resources.  The other reason is that for over thirty years, Fine Print Imaging has been in the business of producing fine art prints for professional artists and photographers.  Over the past few years, we have become known as a source of beautiful art and photography for interior designers across the country. Because of this special dual relationship with designers and artists, we are in a unique position to facilitate the exchange of high quality art prints. But at Art for Conservation, we are much more than a web site offering art for sale. We are your personal shoppers. If you don't see exactly what you are looking for, whether it's an image, a size or printing paper, call us. We will get you what you need.