What is Kolibri Art Studio known for?

Kolibri Art Studio is one of the world's oldest serigraph and giclée printing studios, producing museum-quality editions since 1990 for major artists, publishers, and galleries.

Our work sits at the top of the market: limited editions made to the standard of the artwork itself, not to a production schedule.

Who have you worked with?

Our history includes work associated with Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, and more than thirty-five years of relationships with publishers and galleries including Chase Art Companies, Halcyon Gallery, Washington Green, and Chalk & Vermillion, to name a few. Many of our clients handle their standard-run work elsewhere and come to Kolibri for the projects that need to be high-end and exceptional.

What makes a serigraph different from a standard print?

A serigraph is built one color at a time, each layer hand-pulled through its own screen. A single edition can run to forty or more separate colors, each mixed, matched, and registered by hand. The result has depth, ink density, and surface presence that a digital print cannot reproduce.

The comparison we use is vinyl records or independent watchmaking: the process is slower and more deliberate, and that is the point - Quality, Fidelity, and Excellence.

What is a hybrid print?

A hybrid combines a giclée base layer with serigraph elements printed over it. It gives you the tonal range and photographic fidelity of giclée along with the physical texture, opacity, and hand-mixed color of screen printing. It is often the right answer for photographic or highly detailed source imagery that still needs the presence of a serigraph.

Editions and Process

Do you print limited edition prints for artists?

Yes. Kolibri specializes in publishing-grade limited edition printing, both in serigraphy and giclée, with full artist collaboration from proofing to final production.

What is the process from start to finish?

We begin by reviewing your artwork file and project specifications. From there we prepare separations or a digital proof, and no edition goes to press until you or your artist has approved a proof. Once the edition is printed, we apply any specified finishes, inspect and number the pieces, and package them for delivery.

Can you scan artwork, or do we provide the file?

Both. We can work from a file you supply or coordinate professional scanning through partners such as award winning Art Scan Studio - specializing in standard setting scan technology and digital color correction. For originals, high-resolution capture makes a meaningful difference in the final edition, and we are happy to advise on specs before scanning.

What substrates and finishes do you offer?

We print on a range of fine art papers, canvas, and specialty substrates. Applied finishes include varnish, glitter, metallic and pearlescent inks, foils, and hand-embellishment. If you have a specific effect in mind, describe it to us; much of our best work has come out of exactly that conversation.

What edition sizes do you handle?

We produce editions from as few as ten pieces up to several hundred. Smaller editions and higher color counts both increase per-piece cost, and we will walk you through the trade-offs when we quote the project.

Do you offer signing sessions?

Yes. Artists are welcome at our studio to sign and number their editions in person, and we can structure delivery around a signing visit. Several of our publishing clients build this into their release schedule.

Working With Us

What do you need in order to quote a project?

To provide an accurate estimate, we ask for the following:

• Image file, title, and artist name

• Edition size

• Print type: giclée, serigraph, or hybrid

• Color count, for serigraph and hybrid editions

• Substrate or medium

• Scan specifications, if applicable

• Print image size and final piece size

• Border dimensions and finish type

• Any applied finishes: varnish, glitter, metallic, and so on

• Packaging and shipping preferences

We always need to see the artwork before quoting. The image determines the separation work, the color count, and much of the cost.

Do you have a rate sheet?

Our rate sheet is reserved for longstanding clients. New projects are quoted individually, because pricing depends on color count, edition size, substrate, and finish work, and no two editions are alike.

Do you work with international clients?

Yes. Kolibri serves artists, galleries, and publishers worldwide. Shipping and white-glove delivery options are available, and we regularly coordinate crating and freight for gallery and exhibition deliveries.

How long does a project take?

Timelines depend on edition size, color count, and current studio schedule. We establish standing SLA’s with clients who have release schedules and commit contractually to printing several editions. We can also commit to fast turnaround times on a per project basis. Generally speaking, we will always give you a firm schedule with your estimate.

What are your payment terms?

Production begins on receipt of a deposit, with the balance due on a schedule set out in the project agreement. Full terms are provided in writing before any work starts.

Confidentiality, Security, and Rights

Who owns the copyright to the artwork?

You do. Kolibri makes no claim to the artwork, the image, or the edition. We are your printer, not your publisher, unless we have specifically agreed otherwise in writing.

Do you require proof of rights to the artwork?

Yes. Before production begins, every client signs a declaration confirming they are the legal rights holder to the work being reproduced, or are authorized to commission its reproduction. We ask for supporting documentation where appropriate. This applies to originals and to digital files alike, and we do not make exceptions to it.

What happens to our files and materials after the edition is printed?

Our default is to purge project data within an established retention period once the edition is complete. Retention is set per client. Where a client requires it, we will contractually commit to destroying all files, screens, mylars, proofs, and associated materials within a specified window after production, and we will confirm the destruction in writing.

Do you archive work for ongoing clients?

For clients with continuing publishing programs, yes, and by agreement. We maintain print files, mylars, printer settings, color records, and proofs from prior runs, which allows a later release from the same artwork to match the original edition exactly. Publishers who reissue or release in stages rely on this. Nothing is archived without the client's instruction.

How are originals handled while in your possession?

We regularly take custody of original works for scanning and color matching. Originals are held in a secured, monitored facility and are insured while in our care. In more than thirty years of operation, no artwork entrusted to Kolibri has been damaged, lost, or destroyed.

What security do you have in place?

Our facility is alarmed and monitored, and inventory is insured. On the digital side, we maintain access controls, encrypted storage, and redundant backup systems for client files. Access to a client's materials is limited to the people working on that project.

Has a Kolibri print ever appeared on the market without authorization?

No. No print produced by Kolibri has ever surfaced for sale outside of a release authorized by the artist, publisher, or rights holder. Edition integrity is the foundation of the limited edition market, and we treat it accordingly.

Will you sign certificates of authenticity?

Yes. We sign COEs and any documentation that requires the printer to attest to the edition. That includes confirming that Kolibri produced the edition, that the number of prints pulled matches the number being published, and that no additional impressions exist beyond those declared. Publishers and galleries frequently require this, and we are set up to provide it as a matter of course.

Do you offer digital authentication?

Yes, through Verific. We embed an NFC chip in the print itself, so the piece becomes its own certificate of authenticity. A collector or dealer can verify the work by tapping it with a phone, with no separate paper certificate to lose, forge, or separate from the print. For publishers concerned about provenance and secondary-market confidence, it closes a gap that paper COEs have never fully addressed.

Will you sign a confidentiality agreement?

Yes. We routinely work under NDA and are glad to execute a mutual confidentiality agreement covering unreleased artwork, edition plans, and release timing. If you have your own form, send it over and we will review it.

Getting Started

How do I start a project with Kolibri?

Send us the artwork and as much of the specification list above as you have. If you are still working out the details, that is fine; a conversation about what you want the finished piece to be is often the most useful place to start.