The Terra Galleria Blog – QT Luong

Having used the same printer for twenty years, I get a good sense of how to translate a digital file into a satisfying print. However, sometimes I miss, and for instance, the print comes out too dark, too flat, or the color isn’t quite right. When that happens, I make a tweak and reprint.

There are also a lot of little blemishes that can affect a print. A dust spot might have been missed while examining the digital file but it becomes obvious on paper. On my printer, on more than one occasion, the left edge of the print got a few streaks of ink because some part of the printer was not cleaned well enough. Since I always print with a white border, those streaks do not affect the image area, yet they are there and mar the border. It happens that there is a surface defect on the paper from manufacturing. It also happens that while handling the print I cause a small crease. Switching from the Epson papers to the heavier Lexjet Sunset papers helped with the later issue. I want to deliver customers nothing but flawless prints. When any of those mishaps happen, I redo the print. Having the ability to print in the studio makes it a minor inconvenience.

When the defects are too prominent, I trash the print. Unfortunately, coated photo papers cannot be recycled. But most of the time, defects are hardly noticeable. Feeling bad about throwing away those imperfect prints, I have saved them over the years. While I was reflecting on my years of printmaking, I examined some of the stacks of imperfect prints. For many of them, I could not even figure out at a glance the reason I rejected them, although there must have been one.

Therefore came the idea to offer those imperfect prints for sale at a deep discount. As for my regular prints, I will write the location and date, as well as sign the print. Instead of an edition number, I will mark those imperfect prints with the letters AP (for “Artist Proof”). Sometimes I already wrote an edition number on the print, before discovering a blemish. In that case, I will cross that edition number and write AP next to it.

Here are the prints on offer.

• 16×24 inch prints, $175 (regular price: $500): B&W prints, color prints
• 36×24 prints, $250 (regular price: $750): B&W prints, color prints

Shipping is free in the U.S. To view any image larger, click on the thumbnail. If you would like to order a print, use the button “Order Print” and place a normal order for the print of the appropriate size. In the special instructions box, indicate “Imperfect print”. During checkout, do not use the button “Confirm – Pay Online”. Instead, use the button “Confirm – Mail in payment”. I will then adjust the invoice to the price mentioned above and email you so that you can complete the purchase.