Fine Art Paper vs. Archival Photo Paper

[PhoebeG]

I've recently sold a couple of my pictures and the client wants them printed on "Fine Art Paper". I usually have all of my prints done by a local photo lab that uses a Light Jet printer and prints on what they refer to as "Archival Photo Paper" (Fuji by name).

Is there a difference? I want to make sure I get the customer what they want.

Thanks for any help with this,

Phil G.

[Anbesol]

fine art is like a photo rag or museum etching kind of paper. There is a significant difference and lightjet cannot print on that. As far as I know, only inkjet can do that

[PhoebeG]

Thanks Ambesol.

Anyone know who does quality 42" x 28" ink jet prints on fine art paper?

Phil G.

[gahspidy]

I've recently sold a couple of my pictures and the client wants them printed on "Fine Art Paper". I usually have all of my prints done by a local photo lab that uses a Light Jet printer and prints on what they refer to as "Archival Photo Paper" (Fuji by name).

Is there a difference? I want to make sure I get the customer what they want.

Thanks for any help with this,

Phil G.

Hi Phil, I would contact the client to make sure that what their definition of "fine Art Paper" is what your going to give them. i would assume they want the photo printed on what is sometimes reffrred to as Rag paper or watercolor paper really. It has a mat finish with a obvious texture.These are also called giclee prints, but a giclee can also be made on a semi gloss or lustre surface, but i don't think this is what your client is asking for.

Hahnemhule Photo Rag is very popular and also Epson has a very highly regarded fine art paper called "Exhibition fiber"
The best place that i have found for making any prints whether they be fine art giclees or lightjet C-prints is Elco color labs in New Jersey. Great prices, extremely quick turnaround and excellent quality.
Their website is www.elcocolor.com
When you arrive at their website, choose "Digital printing" then select "watercolor" and then you will see the Hahnemhule option. They offer two types of Hahnemhule paper with the photo rag having the smoother of the two surfaces hence the name "photo since it renders more fine detail that the more textured offering.

[PhoebeG]

Thanks gahspidy.

I did talk to the client and their need is more of print longevity than of texture. Thanks for the info on prints and the printer site, I'm always looking for a good value supplier.

Phil G.

[Lori11]

This is why I love this site! I learn something every single day

[freygr]

"Fine Art Paper" is 100% cotton rag. very archival, with the correct ink it will out last the "Archival Photo Paper" (Fuji by name)

[Shebang]

Man, the photography world is big.

[gahspidy]

Thanks gahspidy.

I did talk to the client and their need is more of print longevity than of texture. Thanks for the info on prints and the printer site, I'm always looking for a good value supplier.

Phil G.

Then the photo rag would be a good choice. i personally like the photo to look like photo and so I do most of my own printing on Ilford gold fibre silk with an Epson K3 pigment inkset. the gold fibre silk is one of several papers that have come out over the last couple of years that is archival with a receptive coating that allows the print to look like a traditional photograph with a lustre sheen, Alot thicker than a traditional C-print (fuji crystal archive, etc) and will outlast it as well.

[w.slayman]

WOW,

And I thought I was being high tech with Fuji Archival, or Kedak Endura.

Thanks for the EDUCATION.

[freygr]

WOW,

And I thought I was being high tech with Fuji Archival, or Kedak Endura.

Thanks for the EDUCATION.

I had a print in direct sum in a store window for 2 years. The print was on Epson Archival Mat with black mat. The mat board was faded but the print look just as good as the day I printed it. And that we printed on a C80 epson printer not a photo printer and not with the new K3 inks. Just try that with Fuji or Kodak photo prints.

[Frog]

This is why I love this site! I learn something every single day

I've learned more from question other people ask than from the ones I ask.
If only I could figure out a way to organize it all.

[gahspidy]

I had a print in direct sum in a store window for 2 years. The print was on Epson Archival Mat with black mat. The mat board was faded but the print look just as good as the day I printed it. And that we printed on a C80 epson printer not a photo printer and not with the new K3 inks. Just try that with Fuji or Kodak photo prints.

This is an interesting and fine real life example of the durability of some of these inkjet prints. The C80 uses the DURAbrite inks which are actually a pigment based ink. Most likely a mix of pigment and dye with more dye being in the mix. Black tends to be able to outlast all the other colors, which is why black and white prints on inkjet or giclee prints have a much longer life expectancy.
The K3 inkset uses more pigment and thus is longer lasting. There is a compromise to be made. The dye based inks are much more vibrant and punchy but do not have very good light resisting quilities. The pigment based inks are excellent at resisiting the fading affects of light and UV rays but does not have the vivid vibrancy as that of dye and a big complaint in the past was that prints looked dull and did not pop like the dye based.
So, over the years the manufacturers had been coming up with ways to mix the two to get the best compromise available. The durabrite inks offer more punch for general printing of photos and sharp text. The K3 inkset offers fine tonal range thanks to the number of colors and shades of black used and also produces very long lasting prnts because of the high level of pigment base.

[freygr]

As a foot note to gahspidy'c post, The dye based ink in the Epson 740i only lasted maybe two weeks in the car window.