Photos on Canvas - Are They Better Than Paper?

That’s a reasonably subjective question. However, when you are considering making large size photo prints that are intended for public display or to be gifts Canvas Digital Photo Prints have a prestige quality to them like nothing else. The nap, or texture, of the canvas provide the photo print with a quality that is reminiscent of oil on canvas and the small bumps and indentations that are part ‘n parcel with the canvas’s surface catch the light at lots of different angels. And when you frame a Canvas Digital Photo, it elevates almost any image to the level of a Fine Art print.

A drawback with printing to canvas as opposed to printing on paper is that there are various types of printing paper (i.e. high contrast) which add visual characteristics to a final print, and canvas photo prints don’t reproduce extremely vivid colors to the same extent as they would appear on specific photo papers. The overall look is still quite good, but don’t expect miracles with very vivid colors. In addition, the smoother surface of photo paper does carry detail better, but this matters less with larger canvas prints as viewers tend to appreciate the photographer from a greater distance and they view the entire print as a whole.

Something else to consider is that Fine Art photo paper has a practical size limit. When you’re framing a paper print, you’ll use a window matte and this limits you to the largest size matte boards available, which are 40×60 inches in the USA (you could always do customer framing, but that can be at a considerable and perhaps unnecessary cost). Some rare window matte go up to 48×96, but in any case this limits your Fine Art print to roughly 32×40 inches, matting out to a frame size of about 40×48 inches. If you want larger paper prints - and many a fine art photographer does - you have to venture into unconventional methods (i.e. mounting on to aluminum sheets, face mounting on the plexiglass or other custom orders that perhaps detract from the fine art quality that you are looking for).

This is not the case with canvas prints, as you can stretch the canvas onto stretcher bars just like an oil painting - at practically any size imaginable, then you can frame it like an oil painting, either in a frame with or without glass, or in a “floater” frame (a modern look).

The sealer is critical, as it must totally encapsulate the archival printer inks in order to avoid unwanted exposure from UV rays and ozone. The sealer must also be water resistant, it no water proof. A professional, museum grade sealer can allow someone to run your canvas under water and there will be no damage!

Lastly, if you plan on displaying you photo paper print without glass, you’ll need to coat the print in a protective lacquer. This is especially true with inkjet prints made using pigment inks, because the pigment sits on the surface of the print. Pigment ink does not sink into the print; this means the print’s surface is delicate thus requiring some sort of protection. The right amount of preparation and research can make a canvas digital print far more impressive than a paper print.

Author Hugh Parker:

Zaza Gallery is the buzz in the photo on canvas world. This site is unique so join the buzz and visit us by clicking photos on canvas Thank you. Hugh Parker.