Q and A

Questions and Answers Section

Screen images

There are a number of reasons why screen images differ from printed output.

The file size, and resolution is far smaller to speed up loading times, you would not want to have a very large file download
Screens show at low resolution, printers print far more dots per inch
Most users screens will not be calibrated, so colours and brightness will be wrong
Screens can present an image like a backlit print, or print on a light box, as it is projected at you rather than you seeing light reflecting from it.
Images behind cheaper glass loose a lot of the light.

Take the Riverside image on this website as an example this is a nice web image, and about the same file size as some use for printing, but the file size of the print file we use to produce the size 33 print is over a thousand times as large, so can carry so much more information.

Generally an uncalibrated screen is set more for data or general use such as word processing, has higher contrast and is often darker. To allow for this the images we have on this website have been lightened a little to make them easier for a wider range of people to see them.

Using expensive Museum glass, that is virtually invisible under most conditions, the amount of light lost is very small and visible light transmission is over 99%, with only 1% reflection this compares favourably with many non reflective and conservation glass products that pass no more than 90% of visible light.

Prints, like paintings and other images also look slightly different under different light conditions, all our images are set to be correct in daylight but also checked that they look really good under normal room lights at night. Those that do not, do not make it as a limited edition. This does mean that they should look really good in just about any environment where any colour prints could.

If you have any concerns about the suitability of a particular print for a specific use, or environment then please ask.

Return to questions