Color Laser vs. Ink Jet Printing

In the last decade innovations in desktop publishing have encouraged a new generation of self-published paper doll artists. The technology is still developing, but at this point seems to be moving in two directions, both of which offer benefits as well as potential challenges.

Laser Photocopying

The first technology that held promise for self published paper doll artists was color laser photocopying at a local print shop or copy center (such as Staples and Office Max). For the first time, artists could get color reproduction without the expense and large runs of color separations and offset printing. At first, color laser copies were very expensive-over $1.00 per page-but in recent years the price has fallen to below $1.00 to as low as 30¢ in some places.

Properly done, laser photocopying produces sharp images in vibrant colors and crisp text with little or no bleeding. Unfortunately, the quality of laser photocopying depends heavily on the skill of the machine's operator, the copy shop's commitment to maintaining its equipment, and the age and make of the machine.

If you can find a shop with a high quality, well maintained machine, decent prices and a skilled operator who takes an interest in your work, you're in photocopy paradise. To stay there, court the operator-give her free samples, call her boss and rave about her, send her a birthday card and cry when she changes jobs.

Some shops offer self-serve color laser machines that allow you the potential for greater control over the finished product. Unfortunately, the machine settings are tricky to master and the self-serve machines are seldom carefully maintained. Count on making (and paying for) a few waste copies before you find a setting that works for each original. You can make a note of the settings, but don't be surprised if the same settings produce different results the next time you come.

When preparing originals for laser copying, remember that yellows are particularly problematic for these machines. Tone down the yellows in your skin tones as you create because the copier will exaggerate them. While you're at it, be sure to make your outlines just a little bit bolder than you might prefer. If you put the machine at a setting sensitive enough to pick up a faint outline, it will also pick up lint, shadows of paint layers, eraser crumbs and any number of other unsuspected imperfections.

For best results with laser photocopying, you must create your entire original on one sheet with no cutting and pasting. If, like most artists, you cut and paste originals onto a layout board to make your final composition, the copier may pick up gray shadows around your cut lines. I've never been able to find a satisfactory solution to this problem, but I'd love to hear yours if you have one.

Ink-Jet Printing

If you create your work digitally on your home computer with a computer graphics program like Photoshop, Freehand, or Paint Shop Pro, ink-jet printing is probably your best and easiest solution. However, even if you create "by hand" like me, you can still use ink-jet printing very advantageously if you also have a good quality flatbed scanner.
Scanner prices have fallen dramatically over the past few years; it's now possible to get an excellent scanner for around $100. Scanners are easy to set up and, from the user's point of view, work more or less like a fancy copy machine. You put the original upside down on the glass and push a button or point and click with your mouse. Most come packaged with basic graphics software to help you adjust and enhance your scans. Scanners come with dpi's (dots per inch) capabilities up in the 1200s to 1600s or more, but you seldom, if ever, need to scan at that high a resolution since few printers can match it. If you do, the resultant data files will be so big, you'll eat up your hard drive in no time and the files will not fit on floppy disks. (Even when you scan at more reasonable settings, your files will be massive, so you'll probably need to look at a CD-burner or Zip drive).

Scanning and ink-jet printing allows you to edit mistakes, clean up backgrounds, eliminate shadows, add text and so on. Ink-jets have fewer problems with color shifting than laser copiers, but there may be some shifting, especially in the turquoises and yellows. Since you own and maintain your equipment, you can service it and replace it as you feel necessary. I own two ink-jet printers, both of which are in extremely heavy use and neither has ever needed a repair I couldn't figure out on my own-and I have no technical training.

However, ink-jet printing has a few drawbacks of its own. Normally, the resolution is a little less crisp than with laser photocopying, and if the paper is not heavy enough, the ink can saturate it and warp it slightly. In addition, paper can be outrageously expensive, driving the cost per print up to around the same level as laser copies. You can save money by buying paper in bulk or by experimenting until you find a reasonably priced paper with a smooth enough finish and heavy enough weight to produce sharp prints. Smaller print shops may be willing to sell you a ream of 90# index stock which works well with ink-jet printers. Plan on LOTS of experimentation. Ink cartridges can also be expensive but, as with paper, you can get the cost down a bit with experimentation and bulk purchasing.

Color Performance:

Recently in the performance of what my son calls my "motherly" duties, I learned something important about printers. He's preparing for a certification test to install and repair computer hardware, so we're digging pretty deeply into a lot of technical books. One of the manuals pointed out that ink permeates paper and becomes more or less a part of the paper. As a result, images printed with inkjet printers tend to last as long as the paper itself lasts provided they are protected from direct light. However, laser printers use a thermal process to bond tiny bits of plastic to the surface of paper. Although the plastic itself has a very long life, the bond between the paper and the image is a potential weak spot. Since the technology is so new, no long term studies on the durability of that bond have been conducted. Just something for us all to consider as we make choices about our printing processes.

Meanwhile, as long as we use acid free paper and protect our paper dolls from moisture and direct light, we'll probably do well. I'd had one set of laser copied paper dolls hanging on the wall in my art room for 3 years with little or no change. I've only exposed ink-jet prints for a year or so, but I've observed no change in those either. However, there have been reports from artists who have observed fading when ink jet copies have been exposed to sunlight and fluorescent lights. Recently I've seen that at least one manufacturer is offering special paper to create bumper stickers with ink-jet printers using regular ink. I'd be curious to see how long it takes those to fade since they'll be exposed to direct sun and extreme temperature shifts. I've been monitoring the web site and haven't seen any complaints so far. As far as moisture is concerned, laser copy toner is not water soluble, so it shouldn't run. However, ink-jet prints will run or smear if exposed to moisture, such as handling with damp fingers. I'm not particularly worried about the running problem because I don't think any of us use paper dolls for coasters, but I understand you can make ink-jet prints water resistant by spraying them with Super Color Over Coat (http://www.paper-paper.com/misc.html). I haven't tried this product, but it has great reviews from users. There are probably other brands as well.
I'm looking forward to the day when color laser printers are affordable. Right now, black and white laser printers are within fairly easy reach, but color laser printers for computers still run in the several thousand dollar range. A color laser printer attached to a computer can combine the resolution and speed of a laser printer with the flexibility of an ink-jet printer. As soon as the price comes down a bit more, I'm getting one-unless they come out with something better while I'm waiting.

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