Artists and art print buyers may find it difficult to choose a printer. What is your preferred resolution? Should you print in colour? Also, what brand and model are the best? Here are my suggestions of the best printer to buy, based on my experience as an artist.
Best Printer for Printing Your Art at Home
There are several online guides for art printer buyers, but they do not provide much guidance. My time was mostly consumed by these guides.
Often you find articles bragging about a printer’s superb print quality, but the print quality would never be good enough for most artists, and the prints fade after only a short period of time (not the artist’s fault! ).
The guides also usually discuss Archival, Giclee, or Fine Art prints without really understanding what those terms mean, and they recommend printers for items that aren’t really in these categories.
Laser printers are a good example. If you are at the office, printing lots of documents with a laser printer might be cool, but it won’t produce the vibrant colors artists need for reproduction of their artwork.
To further complicate matters, many product reviews and buyer’s guides are full of outdated, discontinued printers.
These are my top 6 picks for artists and art prints – all of which are currently on sale. Due to the sheer amount of confusing and misleading web pages available, I decided to write an ultimate buyers guide to help fellow artists.
We offer a range of art print printers from affordable to professional
I am going to rank the best printers for art prints in order of increasing price, starting with the most affordable options that might meet your needs, and then going all the way up to top-of-the-line models at incredible price points – and trust me, these top-end printers for art prints will deliver true Archival, Giclee, and Fine Arts prints as well as stunning resolution, speed, and flexibility.
Here are a few questions we’ll try to answer along the way:
- Can you tell me how much it costs to print art prints?
- How can I print onto canvas with the best printer?
- Where can I find the cheapest printer for Gilcee printing?
- How much does an archive printer cost?
- How should I choose a printer to make art prints?
I need to know which art printer is best for me.
Are there any features and qualities I should look for in an art print printer?
Whether you want to display your art in a gallery, sell your work online, or simply compile a professional portfolio, you will need a printer with various standard features, such as:
- The resolution is really high
- It is possible to print on a variety of stock and materials (including canvas) and on larger paper sizes
- As well as pigment-based inks, or at least inks with a longer shelf life
There is some degree of compatibility between the products that I’ve mentioned in this guide about the best printers for art prints, with users having access to both Apple and PC computer systems, as well as mobile devices.
In spite of the fact that the least expensive model on the buyers guide is a little more expensive than some other entry-level models, the art printers on this list were carefully selected for you and your unique needs, so any model on this list is a good purchase.
Lastly, I would like to introduce some basic printing concepts, including giclee printing and archival paper, and suggest some superb art printer paper.
Overview: The Best Printers for Art Prints in 2022
- Canon IP8720 Wireless Printer, Cloud-enabled and AirPrint compatible
- FINE: fully photolithographic inkjet nozzle engineering
- There are six ink tanks with each color
- A print size of up to 13×19 inches without borders is possible
- IP875 model for the UK/German market
2. Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 Wireless Color Wide-Format Printer
- Six colors of ink for Claria photo HD
- 200 sheets are stored in the front tray, and large format media is stored in the rear tray
- A maximum of 13×19 without a border
- Wireless and airprint connectivity are available
- UK XP-1500 and German XP-1500
Canon Pixma Pro-100 Wireless Color Professional Inkjet Printer
- Printing from mobile devices and AirPrint
- Choosing the right lighting for your home
- With the ChromaLife100+ system, you can choose from eight dye-based ink options
- The size of the prints can be up to 13×19 inches
- Germany and the UK call it the Pro-100S
Canon PIXMA PRO-200 Professional Color Printer
- A maximum of 13″ X 19″ can be printed
- Color LCD Screen, 3.0″
- Mobile Device and Layout Software Printing, Inc. provides AirPrint printing services
- Model Pixma Pro-200 can be found in Germany and the UK
Epson EcoTank ET-4760 Wireless Color All-in-One Printer
- The best overall super tank printer
- Ink system with four colors EcoTank
- Paper tray with 250 pages
- Size limit for documents: 4×3/8×11
- The ET-4750 is available in German and UK versions
Epson Stylus Photo R2880 Wide-Format Color Inkjet Printer
- An ink system featuring eight different pigment colors
- Front and rear media trays are provided, both with 200 sheets
- Up to 13×9 borderless prints
- The UK model is R2880, and the German model is SC-P600
Canon PRO-2000 imagePROGRAF Printer
- Pigment ink in 12 colors
- Print directly from USB
- Approximately 2,400 x 1,200 dots per inch (DPI)
- The total number of nozzles is 18,432 (15364 nozzles x 12 colors).
- The PRO-2100 is the model available in the UK and Germany
1. Canon IP8720 Wireless Printer AirPrint and Cloud Compatible
Best Value for Money
Canon IP8720 Wireless Printer, AirPrint and Cloud Compatible
- Full-photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering is the name given to it.
- Six colors are stored in each tank
- As long as the image is 13 x 19 inches, there are no borders
- In the UK and Germany, the model is IP8750
As our first art printer in this buyer’s guide, we have the surprisingly affordable Canon IP8720.
The special back document feeder enables borderless printing up to 13×19 inches.
Customers report that they have been able to print on a broad range of card stock, papers, and media – even canvas – and that they have had very good results.
With a six-color system, color reproductions are relatively accurate, as well as gray ink cartridges, which enhance black and white and gray scale prints, and can last almost 300 years when used with proper paper.
Whether your portfolio stands out or accurately represents a piece of art in an archive, the Canon FINE print nozzle and the six color wells produce stunning prints. They aren’t good enough for fine art prints, but they will make your portfolio stand out.
With PIXMA, PictBridge, AirPrint, Google Cloud, and WiFi, the Canon IP8720 offers a range of high-speed wired and wireless connectivity. It is easy to use, too.
Perfect for someone who is just beginning to print art, or as a backup printer alongside a more serious computer.
Features of Canon IP8720 Wireless Printer
- Engineering of full-photolithography inkjet nozzles (FINE)
- Ink tanks with 6 colors each
- Up to 13″ x 19″ borderless prints
- It prints B&W images at a speed of 14.5 images per minute, and color images at a speed of 10.4 ipm
- Displayed in color with a resolution of 9600 x 2400 dots per inch
Pros & Cons of Canon IP8720 Wireless Printer
Pros
- When it comes to art prints, this is an excellent value
- The interface is user-friendly
- Everything is compatible
- Managing colors intuitively
- Low running costs and low price
Cons
- High-end inkjet printers have better build quality
- The color balance is generally warm (it tends to be too warm)
2. Epson Expression Photo HD XP 15000 Wireless Color Wide-Format Printer, Amazon Dash Replenishment Enabled
Affordable
Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 Wireless Color Wide-Format Printer
- Six ink colors are available for Claria photo HD
- Media trays hold 200 sheets and large format media trays hold large format media
- Up to 13×19 inch borderless prints
- Wireless, AirPrint connectivity
- The XP-15000 is the model sold in the United Kingdom and Germany
This printer from Epson is very affordable and on our list of best art printers.
With this printer you can print borderless images up to a size of 13 by 19 inches.
For crisp black and white prints and fine color gradation, Claria HD ink comes in six colors. In the right conditions, Epson claims their ink can last up to 300 years, although they don’t directly claim the ink is archival.
Printing on canvas with this printer is a breeze, thanks to its manual back tray, which accommodates most types of material, including card stock, and it prints borderless from 4×6 to 13×19 inches.
While this Epson photo printer does not produce the exceptional quality prints of other, more expensive printers, its resolution of 5760 x 1440 dpi and six color options makes it an impressive deal – and it is fast, quiet, and relatively small compared to its maximum print size, making it an ideal desktop printer.
While the Epson XP 15000 might provide a slightly better color accuracy than the Canon, it is not as accurate as the Canon.
However, it is still capable of printing fine HD images despite its lower resolution.
The Epson photo printer has been reported as an easy-to-use device, as well as faster and quieter than previous models.
The build quality is also said to be slightly better, though at this price range, this difference isn’t too notable.
Features of Epson Expression Photo HD XP 15000
- Ink cartridges with 6 colors for Claria HD photo quality
- Front tray holds 200 sheets and rear tray holds large format media
- (Paper size: 13×19 inches) Borderless art prints available
- Fast printing speeds: 9.2 PPM (pages per minute) in black & white and 9 PPM (pages per minute) in color
- Dimensions: 5760 x 1440 pixels DPI colour
- A color LCD display measuring 2.4 inches
Pros & Cons of Epson Expression Photo HD XP 15000
Pros
- The quality and color accuracy of the art prints are excellent for the price
- Rear document feed that is easy and versatile
- Printing in a hurry
- Simple, compact, and quiet
- For the price, it is well-built
- Connectivity and compatibility are excellent
Cons
- Reduced resolution
3. Canon Pixma Pro-100 / Pro-200 Wireless Color Professional Inkjet Printer
My Pick
Canon Pixma Pro-100 Wireless Color Professional Inkjet Printer
- Mobile printing and AirPrint
- Improve the lighting in your home
- In total, eight dye-based inks are included in the ChroLife100+ system
- Borderless prints have a maximum size of 13×19 inches
- The Pro-100S is sold in the United Kingdom and Germany
Replaces Pixma Pro-100
Canon PIXMA PRO-200 Professional Color Printer
- There is a maximum print size of 13″ x 19″
- A color LCD screen measuring 3.0″
- Layout Software offers Wireless AirPrint services through Mobile Device Printing, Inc.
- Germany/United Kingdom Fujifilm Pixma Pro-200
With its eight ink cartridges, the Canon Pixma Pro-100 / Pro-200 is our top pick, giving you the best value. Its improvements in color fidelity, shading, transitions between hues, and depth and realism of color images make it our editors’ choice.
It is completely hassle-free and reliable to connect via Wi-Fi with the Canon Pro-100 / Pro-200 – particularly with AirPrint.
This is a professional inkjet printer with beautiful prints and a wide variety of media options.
Canon claims up to 300 years of print life with its ChromaLife100 ink cartridges system.
I was struck by how good the prints looked from this inkjet printer. When they are vivid, colors look natural and accurate.
A composition like this can also convey a sense of space, balance, and movement that less expensive printers may not always be able to deliver, and the detail appears more complete and fine than the specs suggest.
Despite the significant difference in price from the other two entries on this list, I feel like my original work is there in front of me when I use the Canon Pixma Pro-100 / Pro-200 inkjet printer.
Features of Canon Pixma Pro-100 / Pro-200
- An optimal image generation system
- Inkjet Nozzle Engineering (FINE) enables full photolithography
- Correcting the lighting in your home
- ChromaLife100+ system with eight dye-based cartridges
- You can print borderless up to 13″ x 19″
- In five seconds I printed out an A4 document (not rated, but fast).
- Resolution: 4800 x 2400 dots per inch
Pros & Cons of Canon Pixma Pro-100 / Pro-200
Pros
- Colors are excellent
- Detail and in-depth
- Prints with a Neutral Color Scheme
- Look and feel of high quality
- The best value for your money
- The quality of entry-level printers has significantly improved
Cons
- There are none
4. Epson EcoTank ET-4760 Wireless Color All-in-One Printer
Allrounder
Epson EcoTank ET-4760 Wireless Color All-in-One Printer
- Super tank printers are the best overall
- EcoTank’s four colors are available
- There are 250 pages in this package
- 8.5 x 11 inches is the maximum document size
- UK / Germany model – ET-4750
While not on our list of best printers in their price range, the Epson EcoTank ET-4760 is an all-in-one printer, providing good print quality and a whole lot more, while all of the other choices focus on print quality, and could possibly be considered to be among the best. .
An artist friend of hers who is a designer and graphic designer is absolutely delighted with this printer.
Her daily routine includes using her little office manager.
It is neither used for fine art printing nor for her professional portfolio, but she uses it constantly – to make quick copies of sketchpad images, to make collages, to catalog items, and sometimes to simply see an image from another perspective.
For her art business, she also prints invoices, announcements, correspondence, and internal paper records on her Epson ET4760.
Furthermore, the Epson ET-4760 fax printer has a built-in autofeed system, can print, scan, copy, and fax (all one or two-sided), and has an EcoTank ink cartridge system for amazingly low printing costs.
Therefore, this Epson inkjet printer would be a poor choice for artists who require very high print quality, and it wouldn’t be a good choice for artists who need a scanner.
Art-workers and graphic designers can use this as one of the most useful tools (especially those who are selling art and running businesses). They’ll love the color prints!
Features of Epson EcoTank ET-4760 Wireless Color Printer
- System of four EcoTank ink cartridges
- Contains 250 pages of paper
- It is recommended that documents be no larger than 8.5 x 11 inches
- Page-per-minute (PPM) maximum print speed of 15
- A Printer Core printer has a resolution of 4800 x 1200 DPI (dots per inch).
- A touchscreen measuring 2.4 inches in size
Pros & Cons of Epson EcoTank ET-4760 Wireless Color Printer
Pros
- Four-color printer produces excellent print quality
- There are many features
- Considering its value, it is inexpensive
- Fast and easy printing
- Running costs are very low
Cons
- There can be no good quality art prints or artists
- Although scanners are adequate for most jobs, good art scanners can’t be replaced by them
5. Epson Stylus Photo R2880 Wide-Format Color Inkjet Printer
My Pick
Epson Stylus Photo R2880 Wide-Format Color Inkjet Printer
- Eight pigment colors in one ink system
- The front tray holds 200 sheets and the rear tray holds large format sheets
- A maximum of 13 x 9 inch borderless prints
- Germany has a model SC-P600, and the UK has a model R2880
Our roundup of the best art printers and artists might well include this as my personal favorite.
The Epson Stylus R2880 inkjet photo printer produces quality images that are sharp, vibrant, and accurate in color. Artists and graphic designers will appreciate it.
It is hard to believe the R2800 can do what all desktop printers can.
Thanks to its eight color pigment ink cartridges set, it is able to produce Giclee prints and true archival prints, provided you have the right original image and paper.
With the first printer on this list, we begin with one which produces output you can offer as true fine art prints with confidence and without reservations.
Color fidelity is enhanced for desktop printers when cartridges like UltraChrome K3TM with Vivid Magenta, Radiance technology, and Automatic Nozzle Check technology are used. In addition, Epson PreciseColor technology guarantees consistent, brilliant results.
Printing on canvas or other materials is simple with the Epson R-2880, as it allows roll-fed media. As well as archival cotton up to 13 inches wide, this machine can produce thick cardstock, glossy, lustrous, and flat photo stocks.
The Epson Stylus Photo R2880 may be more expensive than many artists expect, but it offers a vast improvement in quality over a less expensive printer.
Featured here is a great entry-level price point for professional production, plus an awesome value for Fine Art printing!
Features of Epson Stylus Photo R2880 Printer
- Color pigment ink cartridge system with 8 colors
- Front tray holds 200 sheets and rear tray holds large format media
- Up to 13″ x 9″ borderless prints
- B&W or color print at up to 9 pages per minute
- Optimized with Resolution Performance Management (RPM) Technology, the resolution is 5760 by 1440 dots per inch (dpi).
Pros & Cons of Epson Stylus Photo R2880 Printer
Pros
- Printing of exhibit quality art
- A great deal of detail, resolution, and depth
- The colors are highly accurate and subtle
- Grayscale and black and white inkjet printing that is superior
- Printing on Giclees and Archival Paper
- Cheaper to print with a color printer than a four color printer
- Setup and use are simple
Cons
- The price is too high
6. Canon PRO 2000 24in Printer
Professional
Canon PRO-2000 imagePROGRAF Printer
- Pigment ink 12 colors
- Print directly from USB
- resolution of the screen is 2,400 x 1,200 dots per inch (DPI)
- The total number of nozzles is 18,432 (15364 nozzles x 12 colors).
- The PRO-2100 is the model sold in the UK and Germany
By this point in our survey of the very best printers for art prints and artists, we are heading towards rarefied territory.
Its affordable price makes it suitable for larger formats and fine art prints as well as professional printing (although it might be a bit expensive for a personal printer).
The print quality on high-end inkjet printers is incredible, regardless of how good they look on low or medium priced inkjets.
It produces prints that are truly spectacular and a delight to behold. My work and vision are fully represented by it in the list of the six best printers for art prints and artists, with its outstanding level of detail, registration accuracy, color fidelity, and subtlety.
Color accuracy and clarity are captured with high fidelity, depth, clarity and energy when printed with Canon’s Pro 2000 printer with 11-color system and chroma optimizer.
Occasionally, the specifications aren’t even as good as desktop printers, but it can still be an impressive device! Nevertheless, at this level, this is an inaccurate statement: the features of this printer include a bubblejet head of high quality and precision, print algorithms, colour management, precision alignment, ink quality, among many other factors, making it an even better printer than the most expensive. It produces prints that are excellent enough to hang in a gallery or museum.
Printing images longer than five feet long and accepting media up to 24 inches wide, Canon Pro 2000 is reportedly able to handle any type of media.
In addition to borderless printing, there will be no difference in print quality between the edges.
With Canon imagePROGRAF PRO 2000, you can produce archival fine art prints, including genuine Giclee prints, with its 12 color true pigment system, dye-based inks, high resolution, and wide range of stocks.
You can align images perfectly and make sure that registration is exact, and you can print on canvas, vinyl and other materials for truly professional results.
The Canon PRO 2000 24 inch professional inkjet color printer offers amazing value and breathtaking quality for serious artists who need the best quality printing for gallery shows, sales or portfolios.
Features of Canon PRO 2000 24in Printer
- Cartridges with 12 colors of pigment ink
- Print directly from USB
- Approximately 2,400 x 1,200 dots per inch (DPI)
- A total of 18,432 nozzles (1,536 x 12 colors)
- Line accuracy within +/- .1%
- Up to 700ml of color ink capacity
- Hard drive with 320 GB capacity
- Rolls & Cut Sheets – 2 feeds
- LCD touch panel with colour display, 3.5″
Pros & Cons of Canon PRO 2000 24in Printer
Pros
- Exceptional color fidelity, shading, and gradations
- Printing in black and white that’s outstanding
- Flexible sizes and types of media
- Authentic Archival / Giclee Printing
- Highly durable / Professionally built
- Consistency at all times
Cons
- Printer that is too big and heavy for all environments
- Costs of printing are high (even when quality is not considered)
- Setup and use are more difficultSetup and use are more complicated
What is the best method for making high-quality art prints?
Audience:
A guide will help you choose the right printer for traditional artists, the right printer for commercial artists, and the right printer for photographers based on the many characteristics that matter to each of these people – particularly resolution, color fidelity, gradation, shading, ease of use, value for money, low operating costs, and reliability.
Brands:
The list only includes two brands – Canon and Epson.
Other printer manufacturers cannot match the quality and value of Canon and Epson. Canon and Epson have attracted the most media attention among companies like HP (Hewlett Packard), Lexmark, Brother, Zebra, Samsung, Konica Minolta, and Ricoh.
Due to Epson’s long history as one of the oldest printer companies in the world, and Canon’s expertise in both making and collaborating with the very best photographers, this may be the reason.
Despite whatever the reason may be, Canon and Epson are consistently ranked as the best printers, have excellent features and user interfaces, are more durable and reliable, and print the best.
In addition, both seem to understand the particular needs and wants of artists.
Archival Printing:
Archives have long-lasting prints that will retain their quality, and are therefore capable of displaying artwork, texts, and other images for decades to come.
Light, heat, humidity, and other conditions can fade an image, cause colors to shift, or cause the paper to disintegrate. Archive records can be printed and stored indefinitely.
Although archival printing and giclee printing share similarities, giclee printing examines the print itself – especially how it is colored.
Giclee is often described in conflicting ways, so I’ve decided to give my own definition of what it is, and what it requires.
Archival:
- Inks based on pigments
- Paper used for archeological purposes, especially cotton rag, should be acid- and lignin-free
- An atmospherically controlled storage room with archive sleeves and cabinets is the most suitable storage condition
Giclee:
- Inks based on pigments
- Paper used for archeological purposes, especially cotton rag, should be acid- and lignin-free
- Ideally, you should be able to receive your printout from a printer that has a minimum of eight colors
- The original image should have a minimum resolution of 300 DPI
Here are 3 Archival Quality Papers I Love Using
- The Epson S041637 is a 13 x 19-inch sheet of white paper (20 sheets in a pack).
DURICOR BCP Pearl Lustre Digital Inkjet Photo Paper (390gsm, 13 x 19 inches)
Final Words: Best Printers for Art Prints and Artists
There are many types of printers that can print in color, and most of them provide good results.
Although I’m an artist, I understand the feeling of being connected to your work, and the disappointment you can feel when your prints don’t look as good as the original image.
Listed here are six of the very best art print printers for artists and art prints, in four different price ranges.
From this list of art printers, you can choose an art printer that fits your budget without a second thought, knowing that you are guaranteed to get prints that reflect your vision and will play an integral role in your creative process.
