About materials
Paper
The paper that Thomas Barkie uses for his artworks (Hahnemuhle Natural Line Hemp) won the TIPA World Award 2020 in the category "Best Inkjet Photo Paper". The Natural Line has a special place in the Hahnemühle Digital FineArt Collection. It focuses on FineArt inkjet papers made from unique raw materials: bamboo, hemp and agave. The plants that provide the cellulose require minimal maintenance, grow quickly and do not require pesticides. Their rapid growth enables the production of more cellulose on the same field than with other raw materials and also requires much less water, saving valuable resources and protecting the environment. The new Natural Line FineArt inkjet paper is the next step in Hahnemühle's ongoing commitment to sustainability and careful use of resources, which is also very important to Barkie as it must be in line with his project in Sumba.
Hahnemühle Hemp uses one of the oldest and most diverse natural fibres in the world and is made from 60% hemp fibre. The base of the FineArt inkjet paper impresses with its bright white natural tone and thanks to the bright white colour of the hemp fibre, no optical brighteners are needed. The slightly structured surface gives the paper a pleasant, silky feel. In combination with the matt premium inkjet coating, this is a truly versatile FineArt inkjet paper. Colours and details are brilliantly rendered, the depth of black really stands out and contrasts are rendered with amazing effect. Hemp has been an essential part of paper production for centuries and because of its extremely robust fibres it is often used for long-lasting historical documents, such as the Gutenberg Bible and the American Declaration of Independence. The paper has an ISO9706 museum-quality mark, which stands for the highest resistance to ageing for up to several hundred years.
Inkjet Printer
To print the artworks, Thomas Barkie uses an "Inkjet" printer, the Epson SC-P200000, an innovative technique that sprays ink onto the paper between the fibres instead of being pressed into the paper, giving the print more dimension and life. The SC-P20000 uses the latest camera-controlled paper stabiliser and a new MicroTFP printhead to produce the most professional-quality prints at very high speeds with high precision.
To deliver the expected high quality and durability, the SC-P20000 has a number of elements that ensure accuracy, precision and reliability.
Excellent colour reproduction uses a new 10-colour UltraChrome Pro ink set, which delivers great prints every time. Blacks are richer and deeper thanks to the new high-density matte and gloss black inks.
Dibond
When aluminium and polyethylene are combined, a wonderful material is created: dibond. With this, the most beautiful artworks are made for museums, galleries and for art collectors at home. Dibond sheets are lightweight sheets that are made up of 3 layers. The outer layers are made of 0.3 mm thick aluminium and the core is made of black plastic, also known as polyethylene. This guarantees maximum solidity for your Barkie and has been used in museums for years.
The photo is printed in high resolution on Hahnemule Natural Line (hemp) before being mounted on 3 mm dibond. When mounted on dibond, your artwork remains well protected against material deformation.
Frame
The wooden frames that Thomas Barkie uses are Premium panel frames that are assembled entirely by hand, which guarantees a good fit. The panel frames consist of a U-profile where the outer edge remains visible (8 mm wide) and the panel to be framed is mounted to the inside of the U-profile. The frames are only made to order to prevent damage to the wood during storage.