More and more contemporary artists are working digitally, giving rise to monoprints—a unique way of transforming digital art into one-of-a-kind physical pieces.

To dive deeper into the characteristics of this artistic medium, our partners at Color3arte, key collaborators in the creation of monoprints for The Green Room artists, have put together an article explaining in detail the labor-intensive, delicate, and meticulous process behind these Fine Art pieces.

You can read the original article here.

 

---

 

Monoprints 1/1 — original, unique, and certified artwork

 

Monoprints are one-of-a-kind prints: a single combination of gesture, ink, and surface gives rise to the image. Inspired by the explorations of Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt, and Paul Gauguin, these works bring into the present—and into the digital realm—the ambition of creating truly unique graphic pieces.

A monoprint is the synthesis of a print and a one-of-a-kind artwork: starting from a single file—digital art, photography, or a digitized version of a classical piece—a single Fine Art pigment print (1/1) is produced, signed, certified, and backed by the artist’s written commitment never to produce another print with identical visual characteristics. In this way, the file becomes an art object, and that single edition is established as an absolute, unrepeatable original.

What is the value of a monoprint?

 

• 1. Unrepeatable original — only one copy exists, reserved for the collector.

 

• 2. Author’s intent  — it’s not a “copy”; it’s conceived from the outset as a singular work.

 

• 3. Technical excellence —file preparation, color management, substrate, and proofing are handled with rigorous Fine Art standards.

 

• 4. Guarantee and traceability — a physical certificate and NFC registration safeguard the artwork and its ownership.

 

How a Fine Art monoprint is produced at Color3arte

 

A monoprint isn’t just a matter of “print and done.” For a 1/1 piece to be consistent, stable, and defensible, the workflow is built around four key stages:

1) File preparation

We focus on what truly impacts the final result: effective resolution, gradient smoothness, color space consistency, and control of shadows and highlights to avoid blocking or tonal clipping.

2) Color management and soft proofing

The goal here is very specific: to predict how the image will behave on the chosen paper. Soft proofing allows for informed adjustments while maintaining chromatic fidelity and respecting the unique character of the substrate.

3) Paper selection

Paper is not a “neutral surface.” It defines texture, micro-contrast, perceived saturation, and—most importantly—the rendering of black tones. For monoprints, we work with vegan Fine Art papers from Hahnemühle, a strong choice for those seeking environmental consistency as well.

4) Printing and final verification

The print is evaluated under proper lighting, checking what truly matters: uniformity, shadow detail, neutrality, and color consistency. The goal is a “gallery-grade” result—stable, clean, and fully defensible.

 

Hahnemühle vegan Fine Art paper: quality, durability, and consistency

 

Hahnemühle states that its papers are vegan, a decision rooted in its manufacturing approach for decades: sizing does not rely on animal gelatin, but on synthetic compounds.

In practice, for a monoprint, this translates into:

1. Surface quality and tactile fee: a true sense of presence as an artwork.

 

2. Color rendering: texture and coating influence how the pigment “breathes.”

 

3. Deep blacks and micro-detail: especially valuable in photography, painting, illustration, and comics.

 

4. Archival approach: substrates designed for stability and resistance to aging.

 

Water-based pigment inks: color, definition, and stability

 

For Fine Art monoprints produced using the giclée process, the professional standard is water-based pigment inks.

Why? Because they deliver clean color, fine detail, and excellent stability when paired with the right Fine Art papers. The result is typically an image with stronger presence: deep blacks, smooth transitions, and a more “artwork-like” visual read.

Epson, for example, defines UltraChrome PRO12 as a water-based pigment ink—a type highly valued in Fine Art printing for its precision and archival qualities.

In a monoprint, viewers tend to notice two things before anything else: color richness (not just saturation, but clarity, consistency, and smooth transitions) and the depth of black and DMAX (a strong Dmax delivers rich blacks without losing shadow detail, enhancing volume, readability, and dramatic impact).

 

Monoprint certification: Hahnemühle hologram and/or Digital Authentication Chip (NFC)

 

When a work is unique (1/1), certification isn’t an “extra”—it’s part of the artwork’s value and the collector’s peace of mind. You can choose one system, the other, or both, depending on the level of protection and traceability you’re looking for. The serialized hologram creates a direct physical link between the artwork and its documentation. It acts as a highly effective safeguard against substitution, duplication, or confusion between pieces.