Be Sure You Know What You’re Getting When You Order a Print on Canvas

Mar 15
09:47

2010

SheilaJoy

SheilaJoy

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Not all print on canvas methods are the same so it pays to know a little bit about the various print on canvas techniques before you commission an onl...

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Not all print on canvas methods are the same so it pays to know a little bit about the various print on canvas techniques before you commission an online art gallery service to turn your digital photo into a print on canvas portrait.


A traditional technique to print on canvas or fabric is serigraph printing or screen printing. You’ve seen this in the shops that specialize in printing Tee-shirts. Each fabric dye color is applied over a stencil and multiple colors require multiple stencils. Quality can range from simple one or two-color designs to fine art multi-colored silk screen prints which are time consuming and costly.


Lithograph or four-color offset lithograph has until recently been the most commonly used process for commercial printing. The image is first photographed onto a plate and then oil-based ink and water are applied. Since oil and water don’t mix the ink doesn’t adhere to the non-image portion of the plate so when it is rolled over a cylinder onto paper only the original image is reproduced. Fine art reproduced by offset lithograph on paper is recommended to be matted and protected under glass and is subject to fading.


Giclee printing was developed in the 1990s specifically to create prepress proofs from digital photos when color matching and quality was crucial. With technical advances in both inks and printers this process soon became preferred for fine art reproduction. The term giclee has become associated with the print on canvas process to create art reproductions using fade-resistant "archival" inks and the inkjet printers used to print them. High quality prints can be applied to various textures and finishes,Be Sure You Know What You’re Getting When You Order a Print on Canvas  Articles more specifically cotton canvas, or artist textured vinyl, and when set with a protective coating will resist fading and are very durable.

Before commissioning a print on canvas, ask what process is to be used; what type of inkjet printer, what kind of ink, and what kind of canvas is used. Ideally, your print on canvas printer should be using an eight-color UV true pigment ink system using archival inks and print on artist quality, or museum-quality canvas. A protective coating that is resistant to scratches or stains and also contains a UV filter will prevent your print on canvas work of art from fading.

When properly cared for, an archival quality giclee print on canvas portrait can last a hundred years or more, so you are not only creating a work of art, but also a family heirloom.