How to Judge a Mariam Aslamazian Print Before You Buy

A cheap reproduction of her still lifes loses the saturated reds and heavy impasto texture that define them. Here is what separates a faithful print from a flat one, and what to check before paying.

Auvrique Editorial · Fine Art Editions

The short answer

Check five things before ordering a Mariam Aslamazian print: resolution of at least 300 dpi at the printed size, archival paper or canvas rated for 50 years or more, pigment inks rather than dye, a colour profile matched to the source image, and a seller who names the original painting. If any of these is unstated, assume the cheapest option was chosen.

What Actually Varies Between Prints

Two prints of the same Aslamazian still life can differ more than two paintings by different artists. The variables are resolution, ink type, substrate and colour management. A print made from a low resolution scan will blur her brushwork into soft shapes. Dye based inks fade within a few years, especially the deep pinks and reds she favoured. Paper that is too thin will buckle in a frame.

The risk you are worried about, paying for something that looks worse than the thumbnail, is real and common. It happens when a seller photographs a reproduction instead of the original, then prints that photograph. The colours shift warm, the contrast flattens, and a second generation of loss is baked in. Ask which source image was used. A confident seller answers in one sentence.

The Checks to Run Before Ordering

Most of this can be verified from a product page in two minutes. If the page does not state a specification, that silence is itself the answer. Sellers working from good files and good materials say so, because it costs them nothing and wins the sale. Vague language about gallery standards, with no numbers attached, usually means the numbers are unflattering.

Compare formats too, because quality criteria differ. A framed poster lives or dies on paper weight and ink; a canvas print depends on weave, coating and stretch tension. The differences are set out in more detail in our guide to choosing between a canvas print and a framed poster of Aslamazian's work, and the same logic applies across studios. For an example of how a framed edition is typically specified, see a framed poster edition such as Port at Dieppe.

What to verify

Print resolution is 300 dpi or higher at the size you are ordering
Inks are pigment based, described as archival or giclee, not dye based
Paper is at least 200 gsm, or canvas is cotton or poly cotton with a protective coating
The listing names the source painting rather than saying inspired by
A colour fidelity or satisfaction policy exists in writing before you pay

What Good Looks Like on the Wall

Aslamazian painted in thick, deliberate strokes, and her flower still lifes carry strong saturated colour against dark grounds. A faithful print holds those darks without turning muddy and keeps the reds from bleeding into orange. If the preview image on the product page looks washed out or overly warm, the printed result will not correct itself. What you see in the preview is the ceiling of quality, not the floor.

Size changes the judgement as well. A small print hides soft resolution; a large one exposes it. Match the file quality to the wall, not the other way round, and if you are working with limited space, our guide to sizing an Aslamazian print for a small bedroom covers the practical ranges. Once it is up, basic care keeps it honest, as outlined in our piece on caring for canvas prints.

A vague product page is not modesty. It is a seller declining to publish a number.

Signal	Budget print	Quality print
Resolution	Unstated or under 150 dpi	300 dpi at full size
Inks	Dye based, fades in 2 to 5 years	Pigment, rated 50 to 100 years
Source image	Photograph of a reproduction	Direct scan of the original
Paper or canvas	Thin poster stock, glossy	200 gsm plus archival stock or coated canvas
Policy	None stated	Written colour and damage guarantee

Quality signals by price tier

Key takeaways

Insist on 300 dpi resolution at the exact size you order, because resolution cannot be added after printing.
Pigment inks matter more than paper brand, since Aslamazian's reds and pinks are the first colours to fade.
A listing that names the source painting is more trustworthy than one that promises gallery quality.
Judge quality from the preview image, since printing can only lose fidelity, never restore it.

Related questions

What is a giclee print, and is it automatically high quality?

Giclee describes inkjet printing with pigment inks on archival paper or canvas. It is a method, not a guarantee. A giclee printed from a poor scan of a reproduction will still look poor. Treat the term as a starting point and check resolution and source image separately.

Can I tell print quality from the online preview image?

Partly. The preview shows colour direction and composition, and a washed out or overly warm preview means the print will match it. It cannot show paper weight, ink longevity or surface texture, which is why written specifications matter more than any image.

Is a canvas print or a framed poster more forgiving of a mediocre source file?

Canvas, slightly. Its texture breaks up fine detail, which masks mild softness, while smooth poster paper exposes it. Neither forgives a low resolution file at large sizes, so the file quality should drive the decision rather than the format.

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