Douglas Nelson
As a native Chicagoan, I spent 33 years living and working in Europe where I was inspired both by its beautiful landscapes but also its towns and urbanscapes which are so uniquely European. I developed an interest in the Ukrainian-born artist Sonia DeLaunay, who spent most of her working life in Paris. Using bright colors and clear abstract forms, she was a key figure in the Parisian avant-garde movement in the early 20 th century. I became an avid collector of her original lithographs, which led to my interest in creating works of color and geometric forms.
While I painted mainly as a hobby while in Europe, it was after my return to the US a few years ago that my passion for painting became more compelling.
I live in Oak Park, Illinois, which is home to Frank Lloyd Wright and is a haven for architecture and the arts. This environment has helped to fuel my passion to create original images. I also enjoy working with wood, and I sometimes produce mixed-media works.
Limited-edition Giclée prints
All of my images are available as high-quality, limited-series signed giclée prints. The print series are generally limited to 100 editions.
Giclée Process
Giclée printing creates exceptionally high-quality images employing an inkjet process which uses pigment-based inks rather than dye-based inks found in typical inkjets. Pigment-based inks last anywhere from 100 – 200 years without significant fading. Giclée printers typically use 12 ink cartridges and produce a wider range of colors for exact duplication of artwork. Other printing systems, including lithography, typically use a four-color system.
Images are printed at an extremely high resolution of at least 300 DPI (dots per inch) from equally high-resolution photographs. To compare, most digital photos are recorded at a resolution of 72 DPI. This printing process captures the original image in extremely high detail and faithful color duplication.
Photo Rag Paper
Photo Rag used for my prints represents the highest-quality archival 100% cotton paper developed for art reproductions, including Giclée printing. It has a heavy weight of 308 gsm, is acid free and conforms to museum quality for the highest age resistance. The photo rag paper will not significantly fade, even over extended periods of time. It is a versatile paper that produces crisp colorful prints with deep blacks and subtle colorful shadings. This paper is ideal for reproducing the vivid hues and saturated colors used in my paintings.