Collectable photo art in limited editions is a gift that can stay with you and your family for generations. Therefore the longevity of your artwork is our foremost concern.

Every print you buy from kunst.licht is made using the latest in print technology and in accordance with the highest standards in museum conservation. All materials (we only use imported material from the US, Switzerland, Germany and Japan) used in the process of producing your personal print are acid and lignin free, P.A.T certified (where applicable) and do not contain any optical brighteners.

The paper/ink combination of our choice, Epson UltraSmooth Fine Art Paper and Ultrachrome Vivid Magenta K3 inks, results in an outstanding image quality and will last for more than a lifetime. According to Print Permanence tests conducted by Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc.  the following outcomes in permanence can be expected with our materials:

Displayed Prints Not Framed: 140 years
Displayed Prints Framed Under Glass: 205 years
Album/Dark Storage:  more than 300 years
(Source: www.wilhelm-research.com)

These results are vastly superior to chemically or digitally developed color prints (so called Lambda- or C-Prints) and in the same permanence range as traditionally developed silver halide prints (Black and White prints).
We are working hard to ensure that the print you buy will be as pleasing and enjoyable for your children and grandchildren as it is for you today.

For further information on this important topic please contact our staff directly in our gallery in Shanghai.

We are here to help!
 

P.A.T: The Photographic Activity Test is the globally recognized, standardized test for determining the archival quality of photo-storage products.

Lignin: Lignin is a chemical substance found in wood that bonds (glues) cellulose, making wood stronger. Lignin breaks down over time, turning the paper brown and releasing acids.

Acids: Acids actually can make paper better for writing or printing, but they gradually deteriorate or disintegrate paper – whether used in the paper-making process, leached from other materials, or released during the breakdown of lignin. Over time, acidic paper becomes brittle.

UltraSmooth Fine Art Paper: UltraSmooth Fine Art Paper is a 100 percent cotton rag that is acid-free, lignin-free and optical brightener-free. The UltraSmooth base is slightly alkaline, with a 2 percent calcium carbonate buffer to preserve the alkalinity to a conservator’s pH of about 8.0.

Epson UltraChrome K3: UltraChrome K3 ink technology represents the newest generation of Epson pigment ink. The inks incorporate a new three-level black and eight new color pigments for professional quality color and black-and-white prints.