Quality

 

Five Swallows Fine Arts uses only the highest quality painting materials available on the market.

 

For our paintings we used time honored techniques proven to last centuries. We start from scratch building our own stretcher bars, and custom stretching our canvas. Then we prepare the canvas with a quality foundation to prevent oil rot and moisture discoloration. It's only then that we start to paint with the highest quality oils and acrylics available. Our oil paints are made by Robert Gamblin, who was the colorist for the Smithsonian for a number of years. For acrylics we use mostly Kroma acrylic paint manufactured on Granville Island.

 

Once our painting are complete we finish them using the most appropriate techniques. For our oil paintings we use an conservational varnish that can be removed without damaging the oil painting for cleaning or repair by a conservator. For our acrylics we use a flexible, non-yellowing, archival, waterproof varnish the contains UVLS (helps protect pigments from UV light damage) and is removable for conservation purposes.

 

Photographic and Digital/Gicleé Prints

 

When it comes to photography we are sticklers for achieving the highest quality and longest lasting product.

 

All of are photos are taken on the top of the line Nikon D800 which boasts the highest quality image sensors ever rated in terms of DSLR resolution, color depth and dynamic range (DXOmark). Additionally, when the highest resolution DSLR isn't high enough resolution, we're not shy about using Gigapan robotic tripod heads which have been used to create the largest digital images in the world.

 

To produce these sparkling photographs we print in house using only the top rated digital printing process using pigment based inks that are rated to last for generations. For example our digital canvas is rated to not show any signs of fading or colour shift for at least a hundred years (Wilhelm Research). Depending on the image, paper or canvas and display conditions, we can produce images that have been tested to last over 450 years without colour shift or fading. To achieve the best durability we use the only laminating manufacturer approve lamination system.

 

If that wasn't enough we go the final step and provide conservational framing, using the most up to date framing methods based on current research.