Good quality art has always needed more than just an exceptional idea. It takes the right tools to bring your creativity to life. Once upon a time, that meant brushes and pigments. In our world, it means having a powerful art printer to put your designs on paper.
Art printers differ from regular printers in a number of ways, some more pronounced than others. To begin with, an art printer will often be capable of many more types of material than a regular printer. Where your office copier can handle plain paper and maybe card stock, an art printer will need to turn out glossy or waterproof prints.
A critical difference for many of the best art printers is found in the ink carriage. Where most office printers will have a single black cartridge, or occasionally select for a trichrome general color cartridge, art printers tend to use a number of dedicated cartridges carrying only a single color of ink for more detailed prints.
Even the ones that have only a single color cartridge will tend to take longer and use it somewhat faster to produce more realistic color. All of this can have a serious impact on what printer you select for your studio. Here are five of the best models to help you get started.
Our Best Product Reviews and Comparisons
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EDITOR’S CHOICE  |
1. Brother HL-L8360CDW
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RUNNER UP  |
2. Lexmark CS410dn
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3. HP ENVY 5055
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4. Epson Expression XP-8500
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5. Canon Pixma Pro-100
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1.Brother HL-L8360CDW
Product Highlights
This printer produces great art while still maintaining the diverse functionality of an office printer.
Features
- 33 pages per minute
- Multiple wireless and mobile interfaces supported
- 3500 pages on a single cartridge
- 250 sheet input feed, not counting adjustable secondary tray
What We Like About Brother HL-L8360CDW
This printer acts as a fast office printer as well as turning out excellent quality full color prints, sparing you the expense of putting out for two machines.
What We Don’t Like About Brother HL-L8360CDW
This printer lacks many of the functions that are desired for both office and art printers, making it fall short in both categories.
PROS
- Integrated security features prevent unauthorized use
- High yield per cartridge
- Fast working
- Large input feed
- Impressive connectivity
CONS
- Single function printer
- Does not handle more specialized art materials
2.Lexmark CS410dn
Product Highlights
This printer has a powerful internal processor that will render your images quickly and clearly.
Features
- 800 MGHz processor reads and converts files quickly and easily
- 32 pages per minute
- 256MB RAM
- High yield per toner cartridge
What We Like About Lexmark CS410dn
This model is especially well suited to businesses by allowing you to store templates or images on the onboard memory for rapid reprinting.
What We Don’t Like About Lexmark CS410dn
User interface can be confusing and may interfere with productivity
PROS
- Fast processor
- Large internal memory
- High yield per cartridge
- Low maintenance
- Prints on envelopes, labels, and packaging as well as paper
CONS
- On the costly side
- Complicated setup
3.HP ENVY 5055
Product Highlights
A wireless printer with ink subscription service and easy on the wallet as well.
Features
- WiFi and Bluetooth enabled
- Relatively low cost
- HP Instant Ink subscription makes sure you get the right ink on time and direct from the manufacturer
- Exceptional visual capabilities, supporting major file sharing services, mobile devices, and even linking straight to a camera
What We Like About HP ENVY 5055
This printer offers a lot to an aspiring artist or photographer, and without stretching the budget too much either.
What We Don’t Like About HP ENVY 5055
This printer can be irritatingly tricky to set up, especially when trying to link with new devices or platforms.
PROS
- Manufacturer ink replacement service
- Affordable
- Links to cameras and file sharing
- Bluetooth and WiFi for mobile and desktop
- Strong customer support
CONS
- Unreliable performance
- Difficult setup
4.Epson Expression XP-8500
Product Highlights
This printer delivers true to life color by using multiple dedicated color cartridges instead of a single multicolor ink.
Features
- Rear feed handles specialty paper
- Multiple dedicated color cartridges produce more accurate colors
- Amazon Dash ink replenishment services ensure the right ink each time
- Borderless prints up to 8” x 10”
What We Like About Epson Expression XP-8500
This printer is a great answer for someone looking to make high quality art products, feeding photos, specialty paper, and even printing onto DVDs.
What We Don’t Like About Epson Expression XP-8500
The numerous ink cartridges are not as efficient or as high capacity as a standard multicolor ink cartridge.
PROS
- Amazon Dash ink subscription
- Professional quality products
- Dedicated ink feeds
- Accepts USB and SD media
- Can handle specialty paper
CONS
- Slow working
- Multiple ink cartridges are expensive and run down quickly
5.Canon Pixma Pro-100
Product Highlights
This printer is a professional’s tool all the way, with fine color capabilities and the size for large-scale printing.
Features
- Borderless prints up to 19” x 13”
- Eight separate color cartridges for precise visual reproductions
- Specialty rear feed allows for larger sheets of paper
- Included software to smooth over installation and use
What We Like About Canon Pixma Pro-100
This printer can handle detailed and demanding photo reproduction on a variety of paper stocks and other media.
What We Don’t Like About Canon Pixma Pro-100
The many cartridges are not supported by an ink replenishment service, and could be tricky to properly replace unassisted.
PROS
- Exceptional image quality
- Main tray carries large size paper
- Specialty tray for unusual media
- Proprietary software package
- WiFi and Bluetooth allow mobile printing
CONS
- Ink cartridges are extremely specific and not supported by a replenishment service
- Printer works extremely slowly, especially when printing in color.
Final Verdict
These printers can help you take your art or photography printing up a level by creating detailed prints on a variety of media, from plain A4 paper to CD’s and linen card stock. Make sure to check the specifications for our chosen model carefully before attempting anything too specialized.
These printers are noticeably more expensive than their monochrome cousins, and a moment of caution can save you the considerable expense and effort of having them serviced or replaced.