Canvas For Inkjet Printing

I'm ready to try printing on canvas using my Canon iPF6100 (archival pigment inks) large format printer.

What is your favorite canvas? I'm considering Moab Anasazi canvas. Any tips for handling and printing on canvas?

Thanks,
Mark

Oversharpen!

Moab will always be your best canvas economically. I just got some samples the other day of Hahnemuhle Daguerre Canvas and Monet Canvas, and both feel outstanding just from a tactile sense. In no way do these Letter sized samples feel like the cheap canvas you get at FedEx/Kinkos (yes, they do canvas wraps too!). The Daguerre is more white and a touch smoother in texture and the Monet is more off white and has a bit more tooth to the surface but not much. I suppose I'd better run these up through my 9500 MKII (also pigment ink) and let you know what kind of detail these retain. I'm already sold on the surface, I'm now curious on the ink spread. There's just a touch of sheen that seems like it would hold detail well and not come out like a Thomas Kinkade painting, lol.

Funny you brought this subject up, I bought this tutorial set in 2011 by Jeff Schewe and Michael Reichmann, and in there they cover a boatload of info on large format printing, it is HIGHLY recommended. But, even more so in your case, because for the subject of canvas the two go to a gallery of a photographer/artist that sells primarily canvas wraps, and in the video the man actually prints and stretches and wraps a piece for them to demonstrate. The things he talks about during this whole process is right up your alley IMO. He prints mostly 30" x 45" so you'll get a lesson on large format canvas for sure.

The other type of canvas I've seen highly recommended (other than those mentioned) is Breathing Color Lyve canvas. The other major recommendation I've seen is to spray coat them to prevent chipping/flaking.

Other than some favorable reviews and comments on that, I've only got experience with the Moab and Hahnemuhle, and only for some testing. The Moab seemed a bit warm for my taste, but the texture was nice - though I preferred the Hahnemuhle (not sure if it was Daguerre - it was a few years ago) for texture and color.

I wound up just getting the canvases done by BayPhoto rather than doing it myself.

That's right, Breathing Color has an exceptional line of all kinds of papers. I discovered them by reading and listening to Martin Bailey's blog, he's a big Breathing Color aficionado. The stuff can be hard to get, I think BC is UK based.

Speaking of Bay Photo, I do get phenomenal results from our local lab, Tempe Camera. Their canvas wraps are really nice and whoever does the folding and the corners does an amazing job. The only problem there is it costs me $269 to get a 30" x 45" made. But it does look its worth. When I see cheap wraps in Walmart it's a laugh. ANYWAY, none of this helps Mark, lol. He's got a 6100 (would love to have a large format Canon printer I might add!)and needs to get back the investment by producing at home. mark, get samples from all three places, definitely, but I can at least confirm that Hahnemuhle Daguerre Canvas has a great surface and isn't too off-white.

Thanks for the suggestions and info.

Hahnemuhle Daguerre Canvas sounds like a medium I would like so I ordered some for testing. I also got some spray coating at the hobby store - both Satin and Gloss finishes.

I'm looking forward to making my own canvas prints.

Thanks again.

I use Breathing Color Lyve. Beautiful results. I would highly recommend it. I don't print on canvas myself, but Isearched and searched for a printer that used Breathing Color Lyve and found one in Artistic Photo Canvas. Great people to work with if you ever decide to go that route.

Another vote for Breathing Color Lyve. I have been using it for a couple of years on my Epson 7900 with great results.