Step inside the studio and discover the meticulous process, raw materials, and digital magic behind every fine art print.
From Digital Canvas to Physical Masterpiece
Every artwork begins as a spark of imagination—a reimagining of the ordinary.
The journey of a Michelle Whitmore print bridges two worlds: traditional fine art and modern digital techniques
So How is it Done?
Digital Wizardry:
Using my mouse as my brush, I layer original photography with intricate digital illustrations. I then add a blend of complex textures and merge them together until the composition feels organically alive.
Sometimes an image can take a couple of hours but on other ocassions it can take what seems like forever until it's just right.
I think the longest I have spent creating an image is around 45 hours!
Master Print:
The finished digital design is printed as a museum-grade Fine Art Giclée Print, using archival inks that capture every sharp detail and deep hue. All the papers are acid-free and water resistant, and have been tested for archival stability; making them some of the best Giclée papers on the market.
Museum Heritage is a 310 gsm archival paper. It's an outstanding textured fine art paper with a lovely rough weave. I use this paper for the Mascarade series as it enhances the illustrative appearance.
Gallery Etching is my choice of paper for the Architectural images. It is 310 gsm and has a pronounced undulating texture to the paper, adding life to an image.
I also use a gorgeous Photo Art Silk paper, this one is slightly less heavy at 290 gsm but it doesn't feel it. This paper has a luxurious, smooth silk finish giving the prints a vibrant sheen, it really enhances the mannequin dresses.
More importantly, all the paper types are chosen as they provide the quality and texture I think my images deserve!
Hand-Embellished Finish:
This is where the physical magic happens. I return to traditional roots, hand-painting directly onto the print with rich acrylics and watercolour inks.
I am not a natural artist in the traditional sense of the word but over the past couple of years I have begun to experiment with acrylics and inks and started to incorporate them into my work. So far I'm really pleased with the results and will be embracing these techniques further.
Gold Leaf:
For thousands of years craftsmen have used the fine art of gilding to create masterpieces. I'm happy to say that this practice has not been lost over the years and it's a technique I love to use.
When all the embellishments have been applied, I apply the final decoration with delicate Gold Leaf. These metallic accents catch the shifting daylight, ensuring your artwork changes beautifully throughout the day.
Museum Archival Paper
Hand Embellished
Certificate of Authenticity
Crafted to last a Lifetime
I select materials not just for their beauty, but for their longevity. By marrying modern digital techniques with time-honoured physical mediums, each hand-finished print becomes a unique, tactile statement piece designed to bring a recurring moment of quiet wonder to your walls for decades to come.
I hope you've enjoyed a look behind the scenes, if there's anything else you'd like to know then please ask.