With a printer, you can produce on-demand copies of your artwork, which can help you increase sales and market your illustrations.
Printers have come a long way from just printing black-and-white text. Modern devices are capable of printing intricate designs on a variety of surfaces, including canvas, fabric, and even metal!
With the new advances in inkjet and digital printing, you get a higher level of color accuracy and very fine detail for your strokes.
It is always advisable to choose a high-quality printer that can do justice to all your hard work.
After all, a printer is the final tool that embodies and showcases your art. And a compromised print will only reflect inferior art.
A good printer should be able to produce high-quality prints with vivid color quality.
But you can do much more with modern printers. Consider these factors before choosing a printer.
Check the resolution of the device. A higher dpi (dots per inch) value means better print quality. A good quality printer for art and illustration printing should have at least 2400 x 1200 dpi.
Paintings consist of a wide range of colors and therefore your printer should support different ink color systems including special colors. Choose a printer that supports at least 8 ink cartridges. The higher the better.
Also, check what type of ink is used in the printer. A pigment-based ink supports a wider range of hues and shades and is therefore preferable if you print mainly designs and illustrations.
Consider a printer that can print on heavy gsm and glossy papers up to 44 inches wide or more. Fine art papers tend to be thick and prone to paper jams if the printer has a narrow print path.
In addition to these factors, check the printer’s size, connectivity, software compatibility, and brand.
A quality printer for artists can cost a pretty penny. But we recommend you to select only the best one because the print quality will determine the value of your physical artwork.
Epson is one of the most trusted names in the printing equipment market. And Epson describes the SureColor P900 as “a breakthrough in professional printing technology.”
The P900 is suitable for professional artists, full-time photographers, and graphic designers.
The printer is in high demand due to Epson’s (patented) “UltraChrome PRO10 Ink” technology and (patented) “10-channel MicroPiezo AMC printhead.”
The “pro 10” (10 ink cartridges) ensures a wide color gamut and sharp image quality, and the print head guarantees super-fast printing.
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09/29/2023 05:38 pm GMT
With Epson’s “Carbon Black Driver Technology,” which increases the maximum optical density (Dmax), you get dense black prints, especially on glossy paper.
Plus, you do not have to switch cartridges because there are two separate nozzles for photo and matte black ink.
Moreover, the printer has a customizable 4.3-inch touchscreen, a user-friendly interface, direct file sharing (Wi-Fi Direct), and can handle paper up to 1.5 mm thick.
Lastly, it’s 30% smaller than other Epson models, making it super compact and portable.
Check out the printer’s size, weight, and price here.
Canon is another leading manufacturer of world-class printers, and it’s Prograf Pro 1000 is a legacy printer.
Canon describes it as “one of the best printers we have ever developed. It stands out with a bold red line.”
The printer is best suited for professionals and experienced designers.
It features an “11-color plus Chroma Optimizer ink system” (in short, 11 different ink cartridges) for a wide color gamut and excellent color accuracy.
The printer is widely appreciated for Canon’s “Anti Clogging Technology”, which ensures super-fast, clog-free printing.
It features a fine print head that employs “a tubular ink delivery system” to eliminate clogging and other obstructions for smooth printing.
You get print resolution of up to 2400 x 1200 dpi on paper up to 25.5 inches thick.
In addition, the printer features a 3.0-inch display LCD, built-in software and management tools, a USB port, and many other patented Canon technologies such as Wireless PictBridge, Pixma Cloud Link, and more.
To learn more about these technologies and the general features of the printer, click here.
Brother is a leading “provider of home-of-force and business products and solutions.” And the HL-L8360CDW model is its most advertised product.
The printer is a great option for art stores and galleries that need bulk prints.
The HL-L8360CDW is a laser printer with a resolution of 2400 x 600 dpi. You get good image/photo print quality and excellent text print quality.
It is one of the fastest laser printers that can print up to 33 black and white and color pages per minute.
The printer has two trays for faster printing and can be expanded to multiple trays.
To save money, the printer supports automatic duplex printing options and 6500-page toner cartridges. (Only Brother cartridges guarantee this high yield)
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09/30/2023 12:08 am GMT
Note – This is not an inkjet printer. If you want premium quality prints that are also suitable for heavy gsm art paper, then opt for one of the Epson or Canon inkjet printers featured in this article.
Click here to find out about the printer’s paper capacity, screen size, connectivity, and other features.
HP is another renowned name in the printer manufacturer market. The Deskjet 4155e is an integrated all-in-one device that supports printing, scanning, and copying.
4155e is an affordable mid-priced printer that is suitable only for beginners.
Note – We do not recommend this printer for advanced artists and designers.
The device has 2 ink cartridges and supports print quality up to 4800 x 1200 dpi color resolution and up to 1200 x 1200 dpi black resolution.
Hp provides 6 months of ink included with the printer.
You can expect crisp and clear text printing and above-average image/photo printing. For higher quality, you will need to choose other printer options.
It has a 2.2-inch screen, a flatbed scanner with a maximum scan resolution of 1200 dpi, an automatic document feeder, and a USB port.
In addition, the printer offers wireless connectivity (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) and several other features that make it a convenient and user-friendly device.
More specifications of the printer can be found here.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
09/29/2023 05:53 pm GMT
Final thoughts
All 5 printers presented above are the most powerful and versatile printing tools that guarantee high-quality prints for artworks, illustrations, and color-intensive paintings.
They are produced by world-class manufacturers and are suitable for professional creators, advanced designers, and beginners.
Choose the device that suits you best. Also, check the warranty on these products.
Note – Proper maintenance of these devices and cleaning and replacing some regularly needed parts like print heads and ink cartridges will ensure better performance and longer life.
Karina Gandola was born and raised outside the city of Charleston, in the beautiful mountain state of West Virginia. Karina loves writing about the influencer marketing space and an area she is passionate about. She considers her faith and family to be most important to her. If she isn’t spending time with her friends and family, you can almost always find her around her sweet yellow Labrador retriever, Poshna.
With a printer, you can produce on-demand copies of your artwork, which can help you increase sales and market your illustrations.
Printers have come a long way from just printing black-and-white text. Modern devices are capable of printing intricate designs on a variety of surfaces, including canvas, fabric, and even metal!
With the new advances in inkjet and digital printing, you get a higher level of color accuracy and very fine detail for your strokes.
It is always advisable to choose a high-quality printer that can do justice to all your hard work.
After all, a printer is the final tool that embodies and showcases your art. And a compromised print will only reflect inferior art.
[Unsplash]
What to look for in a good printer (for artists)
A good printer should be able to produce high-quality prints with vivid color quality.
But you can do much more with modern printers. Consider these factors before choosing a printer.
Check the resolution of the device. A higher dpi (dots per inch) value means better print quality. A good quality printer for art and illustration printing should have at least 2400 x 1200 dpi.
Paintings consist of a wide range of colors and therefore your printer should support different ink color systems including special colors. Choose a printer that supports at least 8 ink cartridges. The higher the better.
Also, check what type of ink is used in the printer. A pigment-based ink supports a wider range of hues and shades and is therefore preferable if you print mainly designs and illustrations.
[Unsplash]
Consider a printer that can print on heavy gsm and glossy papers up to 44 inches wide or more. Fine art papers tend to be thick and prone to paper jams if the printer has a narrow print path.
In addition to these factors, check the printer’s size, connectivity, software compatibility, and brand.
A quality printer for artists can cost a pretty penny. But we recommend you to select only the best one because the print quality will determine the value of your physical artwork.
Take a look at the options listed below.
5 World-Class Printers for Artists
Epson SureColor P900
Epson is one of the most trusted names in the printing equipment market. And Epson describes the SureColor P900 as “a breakthrough in professional printing technology.”
The P900 is suitable for professional artists, full-time photographers, and graphic designers.
The printer is in high demand due to Epson’s (patented) “UltraChrome PRO10 Ink” technology and (patented) “10-channel MicroPiezo AMC printhead.”
The “pro 10” (10 ink cartridges) ensures a wide color gamut and sharp image quality, and the print head guarantees super-fast printing.
With Epson’s “Carbon Black Driver Technology,” which increases the maximum optical density (Dmax), you get dense black prints, especially on glossy paper.
Plus, you do not have to switch cartridges because there are two separate nozzles for photo and matte black ink.
Moreover, the printer has a customizable 4.3-inch touchscreen, a user-friendly interface, direct file sharing (Wi-Fi Direct), and can handle paper up to 1.5 mm thick.
Lastly, it’s 30% smaller than other Epson models, making it super compact and portable.
Check out the printer’s size, weight, and price here.
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000
Canon is another leading manufacturer of world-class printers, and it’s Prograf Pro 1000 is a legacy printer.
Canon describes it as “one of the best printers we have ever developed. It stands out with a bold red line.”
The printer is best suited for professionals and experienced designers.
It features an “11-color plus Chroma Optimizer ink system” (in short, 11 different ink cartridges) for a wide color gamut and excellent color accuracy.
The printer is widely appreciated for Canon’s “Anti Clogging Technology”, which ensures super-fast, clog-free printing.
It features a fine print head that employs “a tubular ink delivery system” to eliminate clogging and other obstructions for smooth printing.
You get print resolution of up to 2400 x 1200 dpi on paper up to 25.5 inches thick.
In addition, the printer features a 3.0-inch display LCD, built-in software and management tools, a USB port, and many other patented Canon technologies such as Wireless PictBridge, Pixma Cloud Link, and more.
To learn more about these technologies and the general features of the printer, click here.
Epson WorkForce ET-3750 EcoTank
Ecotank printers are a series of affordable printing devices from Epson introduced specifically for artists and creative professionals.
The ET-3750 model is one of the most sought-after devices in the series and is suitable for entry-level artists.
The printer features cartridge-free printing!
You can easily fill its super-large ink tank and “save up to 80% ink with inexpensive replacement bottles” (bottles available only from Epson).
With purchase, you get 2 years of free ink, enough to print up to 14,000 black and white pages and 11,200 color pages.
With this printer, you are guaranteed a complete wireless printing solution that lets you print from all sorts of devices.
The printer also features a 2.4-inch display (LCD) and revolutionary voice-activated printing technology.
You can learn more about this technology and other features of the printer here.
Brother HL-L8360CDW
Brother is a leading “provider of home-of-force and business products and solutions.” And the HL-L8360CDW model is its most advertised product.
The printer is a great option for art stores and galleries that need bulk prints.
The HL-L8360CDW is a laser printer with a resolution of 2400 x 600 dpi. You get good image/photo print quality and excellent text print quality.
It is one of the fastest laser printers that can print up to 33 black and white and color pages per minute.
The printer has two trays for faster printing and can be expanded to multiple trays.
To save money, the printer supports automatic duplex printing options and 6500-page toner cartridges. (Only Brother cartridges guarantee this high yield)
Note – This is not an inkjet printer. If you want premium quality prints that are also suitable for heavy gsm art paper, then opt for one of the Epson or Canon inkjet printers featured in this article.
Click here to find out about the printer’s paper capacity, screen size, connectivity, and other features.
HP Deskjet 4155e
HP is another renowned name in the printer manufacturer market. The Deskjet 4155e is an integrated all-in-one device that supports printing, scanning, and copying.
4155e is an affordable mid-priced printer that is suitable only for beginners.
Note – We do not recommend this printer for advanced artists and designers.
The device has 2 ink cartridges and supports print quality up to 4800 x 1200 dpi color resolution and up to 1200 x 1200 dpi black resolution.
Hp provides 6 months of ink included with the printer.
You can expect crisp and clear text printing and above-average image/photo printing. For higher quality, you will need to choose other printer options.
It has a 2.2-inch screen, a flatbed scanner with a maximum scan resolution of 1200 dpi, an automatic document feeder, and a USB port.
In addition, the printer offers wireless connectivity (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) and several other features that make it a convenient and user-friendly device.
More specifications of the printer can be found here.
Final thoughts
All 5 printers presented above are the most powerful and versatile printing tools that guarantee high-quality prints for artworks, illustrations, and color-intensive paintings.
They are produced by world-class manufacturers and are suitable for professional creators, advanced designers, and beginners.
Choose the device that suits you best. Also, check the warranty on these products.
Note – Proper maintenance of these devices and cleaning and replacing some regularly needed parts like print heads and ink cartridges will ensure better performance and longer life.
For more designing tools like animation tablets, and iPads, check our extensive resource library here.