Jun 256 min read
What is Digigraphie certification and why does it matter when buying a fine art print? 🖨️
- SCJ
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
When someone asks me why my prints cost what they do, the short answer is this: because they're Digigraphie certified. But that doesn't explain anything if you don't know what that means. So let's get to it.
The problem with "quality" laminates 🤔
Anyone can write "high quality" in a product description. It's free, requires nothing, and means nothing.
The market for art prints and fine art photography is rife with such promises. Digital prints are sold as fine art, 90gsm paper is presented as museum-quality paper, and inks that fade in three years are described as "long-lasting." Painters, photographers, and illustrators offer reproduced works without specifying paper weight, ink type, or support. The buyer has no way of verifying anything.
It's not that there's bad faith: it's that there's no universally binding standard. Each seller defines "quality" in their own way.
Digigraphie® exists precisely to change that.
What exactly is Digigraphie 📋
Digigraphie is a certification created by Epson (specifically Epson France in 2003) that guarantees a print has been produced to the highest technical standards of fine art printing. It is the leading certification in the fine art sector, internationally recognized in France, Spain, the United States, and the rest of Europe.
It's not a decorative stamp or a marketing label. To obtain it, the certified lab or artist must meet specific requirements and demonstrate compliance with three fundamental criteria: professional equipment, certified materials, and traceability of each printed work.
In practice, that means professional-grade Epson SureColor printers, inkjet technology with UltraChrome HDX or K3 pigment inks, and certified art papers such as Hahnemühle or Canson Infinity, the same ones museums use for their reproductions and reproductions of collectible art.
Epson Ibérica manages the certification in Spain and is the one that authorizes approved laboratories and artists to use the Digigraphie® seal on their works.
It's a guarantee recognized internationally by galleries, museums, and collectors. When you see that seal, you know exactly what you have in your hands.
What does this mean in practice for your sheet 🖼️
Three specific things:
Durability and permanence: UltraChrome pigment inks guarantee a lifespan of over 100 years under proper storage conditions. They do not fade, yellow, or lose saturation over time . Permanence is one of the main reasons why serious collectors demand this standard.
Color fidelity : The printing technology is calibrated to accurately reproduce the colors of the original. What you see on screen is what you get: no surprises when you open the package.
Museum-quality paper: The Hahnemühle 350gsm paper I use for all my prints is 100% cotton, acid-free, and lignin-free. This means the paper won't degrade or yellow, and it maintains the texture and weight that make a print feel like a collector's item. There are also high-end baryta papers within the certified range, although I prefer to work with pure cotton.
If you're curious to know what a Digigraphie print looks like at home, you can see examples in the watercolor print collection or the graphite prints .
What does the certificate indicate and what does the artist commit to?
Each Digigraphie print comes with its certificate of authenticity. This is not just a symbolic piece of paper: it is a document that indicates the number of copies in the edition, the title of the work, the artist's name, signature, and the details of the certified laboratory or studio that produced the giclée print.
The ink stamp or the artist's certificate of authenticity, which includes the Digigraphie® certificate, guarantees its authenticity. When an artist or laboratory obtains certification, the artist agrees to fulfill four obligations:
limit the print run to a fixed number of copies indicated on the certificate, number each copy, sign the work, and do not reproduce it outside of that edition.
Digigraphie® also allows the printed work to be included in a new series only if a new certificate with a new number is issued. Otherwise, Epson reserves the right to withdraw the certification.
This makes each reproduced work a limited and certified edition with real traceability: signed by the artist, numbered, accompanied by her certificate and with a guarantee that there are no more copies than those declared.
Why don't all sheets have it? 💶
Because it has a cost. Obtaining Digigraphie certification requires investment in machinery, materials, and the qualification process with Epson. It's more expensive than printing at a copy shop or an online bulk printing service.
Some artists (painters, photographers, illustrators) choose not to authenticate their prints because they prioritize a lower selling price. This is a legitimate and useful decision in many cases, but the buyer should be aware of it. If you're interested in learning more about how I price my prints, I have a specific post on that topic: How to Price Fine Art Prints .
When I buy certified film, I'm paying for something I can verify. When I buy uncertified film, I'm taking the seller's word for it.
How to identify a Digigraphie certified print before buying 🔍
Look for the Digigraphie® by Epson seal in the product description or on the certificate of authenticity. If it's not mentioned, ask directly: Is it Digigraphie certified? What kind of paper is used? What is the paper weight? What is the print run? How many copies are there?
A serious seller always has that information available.
At El Espacio Permanente, all signed prints are limited editions and Digigraphie certified. They are printed on Hahnemühle Museum Etching 350gsm paper, using an Epson SureColor printer and UltraChrome inks, in an accredited lab. You can see the details in the certificate of authenticity that accompanies the artwork, on each product page, and in the studio's unique process.
You can see it in detail in the certificate of authenticity that accompanies the work, in each product description, and in the unique process of the studio. And if you'd like to know who's behind them, here's my biography . ;-)
If you have any questions about a specific print or about the quality, paper or format, you can write to me and I will guide you without obligation.
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© Copyright protected content. 2026 El Espacio Permanente · Sofía Cristina Jiménez. All rights reserved. Total or partial reproduction of this content is prohibited without express authorization. The images and texts on this blog are the property of El Espacio Permanente.
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