“I’m a digital
artist. All the images I have made in recent years are ‘virtual’".
I remember when photographic film manufacturers used the word
“archival” when describing color film and prints. In the 1980’s and early
1990’s, after a quarter of a century the images many of us documented our lives
with began fading beyond recognition. And the highly prized photographic work of
renowned artists and photographers was in danger of becoming worthless. About
the time color chemically produced prints began to show signs of degradation,
digital printing devices began to hit the market. Although originally developed
as proof printing devises for the printing industry, inkjet color laserwriters,
and dye sublimation printers showed promise to be the saviors of artistic and
photographic image printing. In the early 1990’s, with little concern about the
composition of inks and the rag content of paper used by the printer
manufacturers, digital printers could only hope for the same shelf life as the emulsion
sensitized color prints that preceded them.
Digital Data Lifespan
It is highly
advisable to store important images and digital information using multiple
sources and to periodically transfer the data from old archive storage to new
storage. Top manufacturers like Mitsui, Verbatim, Maxell, Memorex and TDK claim
that premium compact discs, with protective coating and special dyes, will last from 50
to 200 years for CD-R’s and somewhat less for CD-RW’s, although I’ve had disks
become unreadable after about ten years. Third generation flash memory is
estimated to have a lifespan rating that is based on the number of erase/write
cycles instead of a time span. The maximum number is approximately from 10,000 for
multi-level cell (MLC) memory to 300,000 writes for single level cell (SLC) memory.
The type used on the MacBook Air and the iPad is MLC.
Magnetic platter hard
drives, the drives in most computers, are estimated to last from 3 to 7 years,
however treated well many drives that last longer than that. I recently booted
up a hard drive that I mothballed in 1995.
It is also highly
advisable to periodically open up older files in new updated versions of
software and resave them. Regarding that data on that drive from 1995, I copied
it and transferred it to my new Mac, which runs current versions of Adobe and
Microsoft software. I found there were files that were simply too old to be recognized
by current software. Know that the concept of universal upward compatibility
was not always around, nor will it necessarily be around in the future.
“Never trust the technology. Always be
prepared for the unexpected.”
Digital Prints
There are two factors that determine whether digital prints are
archival, the paper and the ink. Through testing projections, manufacturers try
to predict the future permanence of their products. As digital image makers we
rely on these products and those predictions.
For several years I have used an Epson Stylus Photo R1900
printer, which uses Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss pigmented ink with clear
“gloss-optimizer”. It’s a 7 color pigmented inkjet system. I print on Epson
Watercolor Paper Radiant White Matte coated fine art paper, as
well as a number of different kinds of fine art 100% cotton rag papers. Wilhelm
Imaging Research, Inc. rates the above combination with the Epson paper to have
an archival longevity of 200 to 300 years. Resource: http://www.wilhelm-research.com/epson/R1900.html
“A digital print
gives digital work a physical legacy and form of permanence”.
The Paper
100% rag cotton fiber rag quality paper is estimated to remain
stable for between 250 to 300 years. Seizing on an opportunity, paper
manufacturers with hundreds of years of experience in making archival papers for
the fine arts, decided to renovate their tried and true paper formulas for
digital printing. Canson, who makes a variety of digital papers including BFK
Rives and Arches, was founded in 1557. Both of those 100% rag papers are available for
digital printing. Since 1584, Hahnemühle has been making superbly crafted, unique,
beautiful papers. Their papers are available for digital output. Crane
& Company, which began in the mid 18th century, the same company that
supplies the paper used for US currency, makes the Museo line of papers for
digital printing. These papers are acid free with 100% rag content. So some of the finest papers for digital printing are available for our use.
The Inks
Ink color changes over time. The change can appear as a lightened washed out look or
a flattening of brightness and contrast. Early producers of inkjet prints were
astounded to discover that their prints faded within months. The environmental
factors contributing to fading are light, temperature, humidity, etc. Museums
and galleries place tremendous importance on carefully controlling light levels
and humidity. With a digital print, the ink itself, the type of color dyes or
pigments used, can also contribute to a lack of color stability.
Dyes
Printing inks now come in two main forms, as dyes or as pigments. Just a
few years ago, all inks for inkjet printers were dye based. Dyes make very rich
colored prints but are susceptible to fading. Ink manufacturers have also
developed archival dye-based inks that are now available. Archival dye inks are
less expensive than pigment inks. Some are very hardwearing and appropriate for
the needs of most consumers. If well taken care of, prints may last for several
generations.
Pigments
Over the past few years, ink manufacturers have made significant
advances in combating fading by introducing pigment-based inks. Pigments are
much more resistant to fading than dyes. Pigment is permanently colorfast, stable,
and enduring, making it the superior choice for archival material. Archival pigment-based
inks are more costly than dye-based inks. Governments print important documents
with pigment-based inks to preserve them for the future.
In Conclusion
The future may hold changes such as the addition of new file formatting
options and the elimination of old ones. SCSI and PS2 cables have become
history. Will USB, Firewire and other computer connectors also become obsolete? Because of this, it is important to establish a system for archiving and preserving
your digital work, and to consider transitioning through changes in hardware equipment
along with advances in software technology.
