Advice for a hopeful art printer?

Gate Crasher
Economist -
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Sapper
Not really sure if this thread’s supposed to go here, but it seemed like the most relevant place. I apologize if it’s the incorrect location.
 
So, I’m looking to become an ‘art printer’ for artists looking to vend at conventions or possibly saving on shipping art orders with someone who is closer to their client. Not really picky as to WHAT I’m willing to print, as long as it’s legal, but what I’m more concerned about is getting started. I’m wanting a printer that is able to take 100lb card stock glossy cover paper, and can take up to 13”x19” paper for the prints.
 
If possible, I’m also looking to get this done quickly in time for BABSCon 2019, as I’m in need of some artwork printed, and I’ve been unsuccessful in finding even a business that’s able to do what I need.
 
So, if anyone out there is familiar with this, I’d really like some advice on the printer I should buy for this endeavor. All help is appreciated!
Ciaran
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Senior Moderator
友情は魔法だ
An Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 will probably do what you need, but I think 80 lb paper will be about as far as you can with one of those without the print heads contacting the paper enough that it loses its quality.
 
Whatever you get, bring it with you to the hotel for the convention and you might be able to print signage for people before the show. I used to work at a company that made large format printers, and we’d go to conventions about 3 days before opening, get our booth set up, and then spend the next two days printing signage for ourselves and other booths at the show. Maybe even take a scanner with in case people need the full suite of press services.
 
If you can afford something with big ink packs, that’s the way to go. Less calibration and fewer wasted prints when your tanks run dry.
 
Your main competitor though is going to be your local Kinko’s, Staples stores, and vistaprint. Whatever you are able to charge and still make money on it, they’ll charge half and will probably ship for free if the artist knows how to wrangle their services.
 
But, being on site can certainly help get customers.
 
Other printers that you might look at that are in the 24” wide range are either an HP DesignJet T120 - it will probably do what you need at lower overall margins, and still fit in a suitcase, but I doubt you could get 100 lb stock through it. An Epson SureColor T3170 will give you better color and should take flat cardstock, and it is also rated for canvas, but … I haven’t tried one in person and I’m not sure how well it would work with heavier boards. But at that point you’ve left A3 behind and can start doing banners.
 
Once you start using 100 lb or heavier boards, with a lighter printer you can sometimes get away with it if you pretty clean and recalibrate between every two or three prints. It doesn’t always work, but I’ve gotten 120 lb through a simple Canon inkjet, but it was a bit of a struggle sometimes.
 
Anyway, all of those are in the range of “things that might do what you want”, but you might have trouble with the heavier media.
 
If the heavier media is a must have, one of the things you can do is print on lighter canvas or a plastic media that has a pre-stickied back and then mount it after it dries. But that will definitely add to the base media costs.
Gate Crasher
Economist -
Happy Derpy! - For Patreon supporters

Sapper
@Ciaran  
The heavier media isn’t an absolute, just suggested by a friend. I could go down to 80. Didn’t consider it before.
 
Unfortunately, the Epson SureColor T3170 is out of my price range at the moment. The Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 that you mentioned is just within my price range, which is really awesome. I don’t think I will need anything doing SUPER LARGE prints at the moment, so this to start seems like the best choice, from my perspective.
 
I’ve also heard of ‘cutting down’ from a 13”x19” to 12”x18” full bleed. Don’t really know what that means, but was also suggested by the same friend who suggested the 100lb card stock with the glossy cover. Do you perhaps know what that process is? What that does? Do I actually cut the paper, or-?
 
Either way, what you’ve provided so far is so amazing! Extremely helpful, and I can’t thank you enough for the help so far! :)
Ciaran
ラ・ゼッタ - For supporting the site
Silly Pony - Celebrated the 13th anniversary of MLP:FIM, and 40 years of MLP!
Shimmering Smile - Celebrated the 10th anniversary of Equestria Girls!
Lunar Guardian - Earned a place among the ranks of the most loyal New Lunar Republic soldiers (April Fools 2023).
Crystal Roseluck - Had their OC in the 2023 Derpibooru Collab.
Flower Trio - Helped others get their OC into the 2023 Derpibooru Collab.
A Lovely Nightmare Night - Celebrated the 12th anniversary of MLP:FIM!
Princess of Love - Extra special version for those who participated in the Canterlot Wedding 10th anniversary event by contributing art.
Tree of Harmony - Drew someone's OC for the 2022 Community Collab
Elements of Harmony - Had an OC in the 2022 Community Collab

Senior Moderator
友情は魔法だ
Uhm … cutting a print can cause a lot of problems if the media isn’t set up for it - you end up with edges that fray really badly. Basically the ink changes the media and if you don’t let it dry enough - or if even drying doesn’t help - then the edge can “fray” badly messing up the edge of the image.
 
Glossy media IS a lot better for that, though, and a lot of stuff we used to do was a full bleed that then got cropped, but that was back in the days of trapping and undercolor/gray component removal and stuff like that, so … printing is a different universe now.
 
Whatever you do, the 100% certainty is that you will learn more in the first convention than you though possible, and by the time you do your second convention you won’t even be able to remember all that you’ve learned.
 
So the important thing is to make mistakes as fast as possible, always moving forward. And if you’ve got an affordable printer that you can take to a con, and then swing through the vendor area letting people know that you’re available for on-site printing and bring some samples with you, well … then you’re in!
 
And the next time you will have a much better understanding of your limitations and what the actual capabilities of your printer, media, and inks are.
 
Like, one of the first things you’ll be dealing with is drying times and keeping the print heads clean and aligned after you’ve taken the printer someplace in a suitcase. It’s absolutely possible to do, it’s just … it’s like logging or farming. Once you’ve done a little of it, you won’t even be able to remember what it was that you didn’t know, and stuff like what the best way to crop a print is (with or without tape, a roller or a blade or a guillotine - and then you start running into Con security rules because of your printing hardware) all of that stuff is just clear if understood, and so particular to the media and the ink … just remember the dot is what matters, and if you can make clean beautiful prints then you’re in.
 
If you have a chance, try an internship at a local print shop - they’ve got sources for paper that will really help you. Like, I’m buying all my paper now straight from a distributor that normally doesn’t sell to end customers, but I get exactly the right amount of what they consider “wholesale enough”, and I only got in touch with them because of a client I was working for. And that kind of stuff helps with costs a ton.
 
Then your paper will be set in stone, because you have a supply chain for it with a low price, and then stuff like Ink can be adjusted to match your media.
 
If it sounds like I’m describing a life style, it kind of is. It’s like setting up a model railroad for yourself, but all you have so far is an idea of the scale you’d like to work in. Everything is basically up in the air until you buy that one first thing, then everything that comes after is pretty much limited to a smaller set of choices, and the options become more clear.
 
So - do it! Find a low cost but fairly good printer, maybe even something refurbished, and get printing :)
 
Maybe you’ll lose money, but you’ll meet a lot of awesome artists and get to go to conventions :)
Gate Crasher
Economist -
Happy Derpy! - For Patreon supporters

Sapper
@Ciaran  
Well, I can tell you right now I will probably break even at BABS for reasons. I MAY make a profit, depending on what comes after my initial plans for BABS, but as it stands right now all of it is a little overwhelming. I mean, I’m taking my entire computer to BABS to assist in my plans, and now it will probably be this printer, too, if my Plan A doesn’t happen. Plan B is getting the printer and basically making a business service out of it, year round.
 
But at BABS, this is gonna be a wild ride for sure.
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