Printing Materials

Printed products and materials.

Printing can be applied to a variety of different products nowadays and the process is not just directed at using paper. Materials include Glass,Wood,Ceramics,Fabric and Plastics.I have highlighted some the most popular materials below

Photographs:

Photographs can be printed on various types and grades of print paper which is specially formulated to except the various inks which are then applied to their surfaces. Surfaces include Gloss,Satin and Matt and the choice of surface will have quite a considerable effect on how the photo will appear on the paper.

Printing paper needs to be chosen carefully and high quality papers are recommended if exhibition results are required. Cheaper papers will fade which is false economy resulting in very poor photographs after exposure to natural or sunlight

There are so many papers out there on the market and the choice has to be right for your chosen photographs. There are exhibition papers at the top end of the market and there are bog standard papers at the lower end. They come in various weights and thicknesses to accomodate for a variety of different uses

Shown below here is a selection of injet papers from the online company Amazon

Photobooks

This is a very popular choice nowadays of showing off your images.Your photos are easily arranged and  Photos are printed into these books which can be used as presents. These are becoming ever popular with Brides and Grooms and have outgrown popularity over the tradinion wedding album. Quality can vary, and paper in the books can vary.For wedding books I would reccomend the higher end prices which use the more expensive quality photo papers. Cheaper books will tend to fade in time

Albums

Not so popular now as in the old days as the photobook seems to be superceding these types of media of showing off your images

Digital photographs of various sizes are printed onto high quality photographic papers which are then compiled and stuck into the album which can then be passed around friends and relatives.

Prints tend to fade over time if good materials are not used. For wedding photogrphy only pay for the highest quality materials which should last for years

Albums tend to be a lot more expensive compared with their modern day counterpart the photo book. Top quality albums are very expensive,an album complete with photos can easily run into hundreds of pounds

Posters


These are high quality large reproductions of your actual photograph. Printing is normally done on a high end top quality Ink jet printers Most posters are printed on one side and left blank on the back, the better for affixing to a wall or other surface. 

Pin-up sized posters are usually printed on A3 Standard Silk paper in full colour. Upon purchase, most commercially available posters are often rolled up into a cylindrical tube to allow for damage-free transportation. Rolled-up posters can then be flattened under pressure for several hours to regain their original form.


Costs now are relatively cheap nowadays and you could expect to pay around £1.00 for a cheap end run of the mill  A3 poster

Shown below is an example of some of the sizes avaiable nowadays

Canvas Prints

Canvas Prints have been around since the early 1990s but have been popularized in recent years by the availability at local photo labs and a number of online services. Canvas Printing is normally done on large format inkjet printers at sizes between 12 inches and 60 inches wide. 

Originally used to create reproductions of paintings, canvas prints now have a strong following in the photographic world as they have been largely accepted as a valid means to display images in the gallery and home. One of the main differences between canvas and other media such as regular photo paper is the texture. Higher quality canvas is made from a tight cotton weave, an emulsion is then applied to the surface of the material so it is ready for printing on a large format inkjet printer. Like digital photographic paper, most companies print at resolutions of 360, 720 and 1440dpi. 

Canvas Prints normally come stretched over a wooden frame which is made up of stretcher bars that have been tapped together and stapled at the back. The frame depth is commonly around 30mm thick but can range from 20mm to 50mm, this helps to give the artwork presence and you can get your canvas printer to bleed and clone your image around the edges of the canvas so you don't lose part of your image on the face of the canvas. The canvases should also come with wedges to help tighten the canvas in case it slackens over time.

Advantages of Canvas Prints

One advantage is you're able to apply a number of extras to a canvas print - such as mirrored edges - where your photo is cloned on the edges of the frame. You can also protect and enhance it will a matt, pearl or gloss laminate of its likely to be displayed in a public space.

Canvas Prints also give your photographs an instant gallery feel to them. They emphasize work within a space and are an affordable way to create an exhibition of works with the minimum of hassle. They have now become widely accepted as a contemporary way of displaying photos and give you an alternative method to the tried and tested traditional picture frames used for photography.

Disadvantages

There are some companies that sell inferior canvas prints. In particular watch out for MDF frames without corner wedges - these give the product a cheap manufactured feel to them and the canvas may sag over time.

Print resolution varies widely - printers using 1440 dpi will provide a finer print quality and superior colour richness than a 720 dpi or 360 dpi print. So go for a printer that has a higher dpi to avoid banding and quality issues.

You can have your canvas prints coated with a varnish or laminate. Generally varnishing with a roller or brush can cause problems as streaking is more likely to occur. A better solution to go for is the laminate, which is applied with a hot press to the print gives more consistent results.

Watch out for cheaper inks. You should always look for archival quality inks that last up to 70 years,you get what you pay for and as these items will be on show for years to come. I would always pay for extra quality with top of the range fabrics and inks