When I create a new acrylic painting, I take a high resolution digital picture and create my 'ART FILE" .

Often the ART File differs somewhat from the painting, so off it goes into my art programming, where I will enlarge it, 1200% [ and subsequently til I am editing pixzel by pixel] initially to  digitally repaint the entire picture,then refocusing inch by inch enlarging portions once again manually using paintbrush and pencil tools to clarify, add depth and detail to the picture.

I return it to viewable monitor size and then refocus my attention to specific areas, redraw them again pixel by pixel, til I achieve a presentation of the image that satisfies me as an artist.

Next I take this ART FILE , now altered and slightly different than the acrylic  painting and experiment with adjusting color/hue/saturation levels,bright/contrast/lighting,midsection and shadows and commense a process of adjustments til the picture has added dimension, depth,clarity and enhance beauty.

I then increase its resolution agian and repeat the process as the file grows.

One little ART File may take 2-3 days of intense working to achieve the results I am looking for.Once there I then begin to resize the image to what it ultimately will become whether an aceo or up to a 13 x 19 print, sometimes cropping or even stretching to once again begin an individualized alteration of the file, transforming it into an original digital painting.

I say this because at this point I have now made so many changes, touch ups and added new details that the picture takes on a character all of its own and may begin to be transformed into an entirely different and new piece of art.

I have several high quality printers, small and wide formats,  that I use in the next stage of development.

Printing of the image, at this point, needs more fine tuned adjustments to be made to be able to create a physical printing of the image to match what I have now created on my monitor. This generally takes several individual printings with varying saturation/resolution levels and overall color adjustments. Of the several printed, whichever one comes out the best will determine which Art file that is to be saved for future use. The other art files are deleted keeping the best one to make my "original giclee printing" or digital painting.

Unlike a simple photo inkjet reproduction, this process requires an intense amount of work and printing adustments and literally 'eats ink' during the process,  in that to create what I present as my salable giclee original print, I will perhaps get 6 good printings from one color ink cartridge~ An expensive process, but the results are extremely satisfying and look as close to an original painting as can be mechanically achieved.

 In fact many of my art printings look better than my original paintings.

Using only high quality long lasting inks is important too, as I don't use any inks that havent a longevity rating of less than 100 years.

Once the printing has thoroughly dried, I hand spray a coating of clear acrylic gloss paint, which will further protect the picture, allow it to dry and then trim it to size, use an acid free glue to attach it to its backing [if it is an aceo], which I will pre-print with the title of the art, my name and certificate of authenticity attesting to it as my own individual creation of the particular piece of art.I include my contact info for collectors purposes, then sign and date it, place it into a crystal clear pvc-free sleeve and it is ready to post for auction.

The very  FIRST  one created for sale, will have that also added to the backing. Some times the first is the only one I may offer for sale, making it then a one of a kind piece of art. Any subsequent printings, if any,  will be listed as 'an original' giclee printing rather than 'FIRST Original'. No two are ever exactly the same!

Also every time I open a previously completed Art file, my creativity takes over, once more and I can not resist re-editing and touching up the image and so it once again becomes altered from the previous version, may have color toned differences or a different cropping, but each buyer can be assured that the piece I create for them will be highly collectible and unique on its own.

I am proud of the process I have learned to employ in creating my artworks for Ebay sales. The quality of my works increases as time goes by. I have even been commissioned by some other artists to reproduce their art prints for them as they appreciate the quality and efforts I put into every individual piece I make.

The materials I print on also are important. I use high quality multipurpose and photo quality stocks, often semi gloss or high gloss and depending on the picture, sometimes matt finish photo stock or canvas textured printable stock. Some of these high quality papers used can cost me up to $2 a sheet prior to printing so I am VERY careful to be sure the ART FILE is exactly the way I want it before printing. I set the resolution at maximum dpi's on an art file that might be up to 10MB in size for just one printing.

All system pc resources  and virtual memory, generally go into the printing and it may take 15-20 minutes to actually print the one final  Art File. [Recently, I had to install increased  RAM memory on my computer to accomodate the load] and have had my sytem crash recently on a special printing. I now keep my larger saved art files on a separate F drive altogether.most of my finished art files prior to January are no longer existing so customers who have purchased art from me before that time now have pieces that will increase in value as they can not be replaced.

I can not imagine being alone in the methods I use to make my art printings and am sure many artists use similar methods.

I used to use a service online to do my printing,[and still do for small limited editions] but learning to do it myself and obtaining the tools and  materials to accomplish has brought my artwork to a new level.

I now make digital paintings and sell them as well as my acrylic paintings.It has cost me a few new computer mouses, lol as I click away with my art programming it more 'cramps my hand' [more than a paint brush might after a dozen hours], but developing art on a computer is definitely for me, a fun learning experience and as my customers can attest, the results are worth my efforts~

Listing these works on Ebay is another issue as to what category they should belong to. What can or do I consider these pieces of art I have created? Are  they 'original' ,'reproductions', 'prints', 'photos' , 'digital paintings' or what?

To me most are a cross or mixed  media, perhaps since they are recreated in programming, to differ from but still employ the image of the original painting.

Each is  done individually, so not actually a 'limited edition' , however they are very limited, sometimes to 'one'-  so each can be considered one of a kind~  since I rarely can print a second that looks exactly the same ... each , a small work of art, sure, definitely.. but then are they an 'open edition' .... not quite!  because :  each time I make one, it may be the last time it is made before being once again altered.

I have, a few times, had some works commercially reproduced into limited editionss of 50 - 100, but my art file printings are ever evolving .

Even with exact specifications saved on an art file, the printer itself also factors into the making of the finished product.

As ink levels change in a printer with use,  so does the amount of ink saturation applied to the print causing unpredictable outcomes.The surface printed on also factors in. Some matt finishes are dull compared to the sharpness achieved in a high glossy surface, but on some pictures that is the desired result to achieve, particularly with pen & inks images.

Most of my color images are applied to a glossy surface, although some water color art files present better on a matt or satin finished  surface.

The printing process therefore evolves into another art form all its own for the serious artist making and selling their own 'giclees'.

Rather than 'buyer beware', I think we should say 'buyer be aware'  of all the work that goes behind the creation of the art that is offered here on ebay.... it is done with more than just a few simple clicks...