Interview with Brooklyn Editions studio
Could you describe your company in a few words?
Brooklyn Editions is a specialized digital print studio committed to producing the highest quality fine art prints and scans possible. Our goal is to offer artists and photographers personalized, non-corporate, artist-to-artist support.
Who are your clients?
Our clients come from all corners inside of, adjacent to, and external to the traditional arts community. Artists, photographers, museums, galleries, institutions, agencies, designers, musicians, performers, hospitality, real estate, corporate. But also–activists, lawyers, medical professionals, researchers, non-profit workers. The list goes on.
What printing processes do you use?
We are a digital studio primarily focused in archival inkjet pigment printing (giclée). For select specialized hybrid projects, we have employed traditional methods of printing such as silkscreen and chine-collé.
Could you tell us about your new Metis scanner for art reproduction printing?
The Metis DRS 2020 is one of the most advanced artwork digitization systems used in fine art and cultural heritage imaging, thereby bringing a level of technology typically only found at museums, national archives, and conservation facilities to our clients.
With a bed size of 4 by 8 feet and scanning up to 1600 PPI, the Metis can capture most artwork in a single pass, and Metis scan software technology makes pixel-perfect stitching possible for larger sizes captured in multiple passes. Moreover, it is 100% contactless. Combined with the ability to scan through glass, this capability is particularly meaningful for sensitive artwork and fragile objects that need to remain in frames.
The Metis DRS 2020’s LED lighting system is UV-free and IR-free, and it operates a DC Synchrolight system of eight independently-controlled light sources whose angle and intensity can be dynamically adjusted during the scan.
This allows the Metis to render surface characteristics that no conventional flatbed scanner or camera can replicate. Textures and depth such as canvas tooth, impasto brushwork, and collage, or subtle material variations such as glossy varnish, metallic pigments, and gold leaf, are preserved with clarity and control.
For clients requiring detailed archival documentation and advanced surface analysis, the Metis can generate accurate 3D depth maps and glossiness maps derived directly from the 2D scan data via photometric stereo, making it a great tool to pass files onto other digital rendering industries or dimensional printing and embossing processes.
At Brooklyn Editions, we believe a crucial first step to producing an excellent print is having an excellent print file. Through the Metis DRS 2020, we are able to provide an unmatched start-to-finish service where quality standards are consistently accounted for every step of the way.
Which ARCHES® papers do you use? What are your selection criteria?
Amongst ARCHES® lines, our favourite papers are the ARCHES® BFK Rives® Pure White and ARCHES® 88. When we select papers to stock in our collection, we look for surfaces that can be an appropriate fit for a diverse range of imagery while offering a unique and undoubtedly first-class feel to the print.
The formulation of ARCHES® BFK Rives®–a household name in traditional printmaking–for digital inkjet brings a level of sophistication to support any type of image. The smooth unblemished surface of ARCHES® 88 and bright white tone without the assistance of any OBAs make it a classic choice for both fine art and photography, grounded in confidence towards its archival longevity.
© Renee Levin
© Renee Levin
Do you have a particular memory of a project produced on ARCHES® paper?
We recently scanned a collection of ink drawings and watercolour paintings by New York-based artist Hannah Moore that are moving into an upcoming exhibition ‘Secret Gardens’ at The Moore Family Gallery in Martha’s Vineyard.
Both for the purpose of archival documentation and the possibility of print editions in the future, we colour-tested the digital files on ARCHES® BFK Rives® Pure White paper. Being that the originals were all produced on ARCHES® Aquarelle cold pressed and hot pressed paper, it felt like the obvious choice, but the printed results were so stunning and close to the original it was difficult to distinguish the proofs from the originals. In the ink drawings, the light tooth of the paper paired extremely well with Moore’s delicate linework without overpowering the meticulous control that went into every mark.
An avid bird watcher, many of Moore’s sublime watercolour compositions feature birds. In more than some, the white bodies of swans or doves sit contrasted against dense sprawling foliage or a dream-like river scene. From a printing perspective, these moments of ‘open area’ white are chances for the paper to shine through, which in this case allowed the refined surface texture of the ARCHES® BFK RIVES® to enhance the already-existent feather texture and details in the originals.
Any specific projects currently underway or coming up?
We will be scanning and reproducing a selection of work for the upcoming exhibition The Bowery: Devil’s Mile at the New Museum in New York City, set to open this September 24, 2026.
