Proofing

Proofing is the process whereby the printer and artist agree that a certain print is acceptable and that all future prints will look exactly like that.  It occurs after the image has been digitized ("scanned") or when a scan made elsewhere is first brought to us. The normal process is to produce two proofs on the paper that will be used for the print run.  When the artist decides that the proofs are acceptable, the artist and printer each sign the back of both proofs; one stays with the printer and one goes with the artist.  Either the printer or the artist can use their copy of the proof in the future to determine whether or not a new print matches the proof that was previously accepted by both parties.

Consistency

We use a color managed workflow in order to ensure that we get consistent results across all our equipment both now and in the future.  A print made with one printer and paper type today and one made with the same printer and paper in several years should look identical.  Even a print made on a different printer with the same paper in the future should be almost identical.

There are several things that can affect the consistency of prints.  Different printers can cause variations, but our color managed workflow should hold those variations down to where they are discernible only with intense scrutiny, if at all.  A much more significant variation is caused by changing paper types.  Since very light colors are highly affected by the hue of the paper, we cannot guarantee that papers can be switched with no effect on color.  If an artist wants prints on different papers, or decides to change papers in the future, a new proof set on that paper is recommended to ensure the desired results.