Introduction to Fine Art Digital Printmaking

Introduction

Introduction to Fine Art Digital Printmaking workshop is all you wanted to know about digital printing in colour and B&W. It is designed to give photographers and artists a strong theoretical foundation in fine art digital printmaking. This is essential to the development of a personal style with the purpose to differentiate oneself as an author. Over four hours, participants will learn how to prepare files, manage colour, and understand the critical relationship between images, papers, and ink.

Course Aim:

This workshop is designed to give photographers and artists a strong theoretical foundation in fine art digital printmaking. This is essential to the development of a personal style with the purpose, to differentiate oneself as an author. It also allows one to sharpen up his editing and reinforce the coherence of a series, be it for an exhibition or the publication of a book. Over four hours, participants will learn how to prepare files, manage colour, and understand the critical relationship between images, papers, and inks. The course emphasises working in wide-gamut colour spaces and 16- bit TIFF formats, ensuring maximum tonal range and fidelity in print. The course will also present Piezography® which is a major breakthrough in black and white fine art digital printing.
Participants will also be introduced to advanced professional concepts such as custom printer profiles, RIPs, and colour analysis tools, preparing them for more in-depth study or hands-on practice in a future residency programme.

Fine art printing, is essential to the development of a personal style with the purpose, among other things, to differentiate oneself as an author. It also allows one to sharpen up his editing and reinforce the coherence of a series, be it for an exhibition or the publication of a book. Even if the photographer does not have its own printer, the workshop will give him a chance to acquire the necessary language to communicate efficiently with a lab operator.
Participants will also be introduced to advanced professional concepts such as custom printer profiles, RIPs, and colour analysis tools, preparing them for more in-depth study or hands-on practice in a future residency programme.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the workshop, participants will: • Understand the principles that define fine art printing, including permanence, authorship, and archival standards • Be able to differentiate between file formats (TIFF, PSD, JPEG) and understand the advantages of working with 16-bit TIFF files • Recognise the differences between colour spaces (sRGB, AdobeRGB, ProPhoto RGB) and how paper surfaces limit colour reproduction • Know the role of ICC profiles, monitor calibration, and LUTs in ensuring colour accuracy • Gain awareness of advanced tools and workflows, including RIPs and profile analysis software • Appreciate how paper and ink choices affect artistic intent and longevity.

Next Step: One-Week Residency Graduates of this workshop may apply for an optional one-week residency programme. The residency offers hands-on access to professional printing equipment, guided one-on-one mentorship, and the opportunity to produce personal work to exhibition standards. Spaces are strictly limited to ensure every participant receives adequate practice time and individual attention.

Instructor Profile
Dominique Lauge is a photographer and fine art printmaker with decades of experience across both analogue and digital practices. Born in La Rochelle in 1958, he studied literature at the University of Bordeaux before moving to California to attend the Brooks Institute of Photography. There, he studied the Zone System under Bob Werling, a close collaborator of Ansel Adams. Dominique began his professional career in Milan in 1985, where he established himself as both a photographer and master printer. In 2005, he returned to France and founded a fine art printing centre specialising in exhibition-standard traditional and digital printmaking. A deep commitment to the craft of the photographic print and the preservation of quality at every stage of the workflow has marked his career.

Module 1: The World of Fine Art Printing (15 minutes) • Defining a fine art print: permanence, authorship, editioning • The role of paper choice in longevity and artistic expression • Why printmaking is the art of controlled translation

Module 2: File Management & Image Fundamentals (50 minutes) • File formats for print: TIFF, PSD, JPEG – advantages and risks • True 16-bit TIFF vs 8-bit JPEG: smooth gradations vs compression artefacts • File management best practices: naming conventions, folder structures, metadata • Non-destructive editing workflows to preserve file integrity • Intelligent upscaling: when to use it, and which tools deliver clean results

Module 3: Colour Spaces & Gamut Fundamentals (35 minutes) • Comparing sRGB, AdobeRGB, and ProPhoto RGB • Benefits of wide-gamut editing and why ProPhoto + 16-bit is best practice • Paper gamut limitations: matte vs baryta vs gloss • Soft proofing as a tool for previewing colour clipping and tonal shifts • Visual comparisons: colour space overlays, paper gamut vs AdobeRGB

Module 4: Colour Management Workflow (30 minutes) • ICC profiles: how devices communicate colour • Monitor calibration theory: software vs hardware LUT calibration • The role of LUT cubes in colour proofing • Introduction to custom profiles: how they are made, and why they matter • Professional tools such as ColorThink Pro for analysing profiles and gamuts

Module 5: Printers, Papers & Inks (30 minutes) • Pigment vs dye inks: permanence and colour gamut • Differences in inksets: Ultrachrome, Lucia Pro, and others • Matching paper choice to artistic intent • How paper and ink combinations are profiled in professional practice. Creating ICC profiles for unconventional uncoated paper, such has : Watercolor paper, etching paper, handmade and offset paper..

Module 6: Piezography© (30 minutes) black and white digital printing with carbon based pigments on Epson printers.

Module 7: Towards Advanced Control (20 minutes) • RIPs explained: their function, advantages, and when to use them • Complete workflow overview: capture → edit → file → monitor → proof → print • Common mistakes: wrong profiles, gamut clipping, overly bright monitors

Module 8: Archival Handling & Finishing (20 minutes) • Proper handling of prints to avoid damage • Archival mounting, matting, and framing techniques • Certificates of authenticity and editioning standards

What Should Students Bring?

Laptop
Pen and paper to take notes.