Selecting the right paper is a crucial step in producing high-quality prints that truly reflect your artistic vision. The type of paper you choose can significantly impact the final result of your fine art prints, greeting cards, or invitations. This guide will help you understand the different types of printing paper available and how to select the best option for your needs.
Understanding Paper Types
The type of paper you use affects the texture, color vibrancy, and overall feel of your prints. Here are the most common options for fine art and commercial printing:
1. Fine Art Paper
Fine art paper is designed specifically for giclée printing and museum-quality reproductions. These papers are typically archival, acid-free, and made from 100% cotton or alpha-cellulose, ensuring longevity and color accuracy. Popular choices include:
- Matte Fine Art Paper – Offers a smooth, non-reflective surface, perfect for soft color transitions and detailed artwork.
- Textured Fine Art Paper – Mimics traditional watercolor paper, adding depth and character to prints.
- Hot Press vs. Cold Press – Hot press paper has a smooth surface, while cold press features a more textured feel, ideal for enhancing brushstroke details.
- Bright White vs. Natural White – Bright white paper offers enhanced contrast, while natural white provides a softer, warmer tone for certain artworks.
2. Photo Paper
If you’re printing photography-based artwork, photo paper is an excellent choice. It comes in several finishes, including:
- Glossy Photo Paper – Enhances color vibrancy and sharpness but can produce glare.
- Satin/Luster Photo Paper – A balance between glossy and matte, offering rich colors with reduced glare.
- Matte Photo Paper – A non-reflective surface ideal for soft tones and a classic fine art look.
- Metallic Photo Paper – Provides a pearlescent finish, enhancing highlights and giving prints a unique, polished effect.
3. Canvas Paper
Canvas prints provide a textured, painterly effect that closely resembles traditional paintings. Canvas is a great option for fine art reproductions and gallery displays. Two common choices include:
- Satin Canvas – A premium canvas with a slight sheen that enhances color vibrancy and depth while reducing glare.
- Matte Canvas – A non-reflective option that provides a classic, fine art look with excellent color accuracy and texture.
- Poly-Cotton Blend vs. 100% Cotton Canvas – Poly-cotton blends offer durability, while 100% cotton provides a more authentic, museum-grade appearance.
4. Cardstock and Greeting Card Paper
For artists creating greeting cards, invitations, or business materials, various paper options provide durability and a professional feel. While cardstock is a common choice, we also offer specialty fine art papers to suit different creative needs. Some options include:
- Matte Cardstock – A smooth, non-glossy finish that gives greeting cards an elegant and understated appearance. Perfect for handwritten notes, as it absorbs ink without smudging.
- Gloss Cardstock – A high-shine, vibrant finish that enhances colors and details. Ideal for modern and visually striking designs.
- Silk/Satin – A soft, elegant sheen that offers a balance between matte and gloss. This option provides a luxurious feel and professional appearance.
- Pearl – A metallic sheen that adds a touch of sophistication and shimmer. Great for special occasions and premium invitations.
- Art Paper – Textured options like Linen, Stipple, and Eggshell add character and uniqueness. These are excellent for artists who want to incorporate a tactile element into their cards.
See MasterLab’s fine art printing and greeting card paper selections below.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Paper
1. Paper Weight and Thickness
Measured in GSM (grams per square meter), paper weight impacts durability and feel. Common weights include:
- 190-250 GSM – Suitable for lightweight prints and posters.
- 250-350 GSM – Ideal for fine art prints, offering a balance of sturdiness and flexibility.
- 350+ GSM – Used for greeting cards and invitations requiring a thicker, premium feel.
- Canvas Weight – Typically measured in ounces, with 17-22 oz. being the standard for high-quality reproductions.
2. Ink Absorption and Color Accuracy
Different paper types absorb ink differently, affecting color richness and sharpness. For the best results:
- Choose coated papers for high-contrast, vibrant colors.
- Opt for matte or textured papers to achieve a softer, painterly effect.
- Use canvas with a high Dmax rating for deep, rich blacks and vibrant colors.
3. Longevity and Archival Quality
Artists selling fine art prints should prioritize archival-quality papers to prevent yellowing and deterioration over time. Look for acid-free and lignin-free papers to ensure longevity.
4. Surface Texture and Finish
The texture of your paper can greatly affect the perception of your artwork. Options include:
- Smooth Surface – Best for high-detail digital artwork and photography.
- Textured Surface – Ideal for traditional media reproductions, such as watercolor and pastel.
- Canvas Texture – Mimics traditional painting surfaces for an authentic feel.
How to Choose the Right Paper for Your Project
To determine the best paper for your artwork, ask yourself the following questions:
- What type of artwork am I printing? Fine art prints, photographs, and greeting cards each require different paper types.
- Do I want a matte or glossy finish? Matte papers provide a soft, classic look, while gloss enhances vibrancy.
- How long do I want my prints to last? Archival papers ensure longevity for fine art reproductions.
- What feeling do I want to convey? Textured papers add depth, while smooth surfaces enhance detail.
Finding the Best Fine Art Printing Near Salt Lake City
If you’re searching for fine art printing in Utah, MasterLab specializes in high-quality giclée printing, fine art reproduction, and custom greeting card printing. Our experts can guide you in selecting the perfect paper for your project, ensuring your artwork looks stunning and lasts for years to come.
Conclusion
Choosing the right paper for your prints is essential in achieving the best possible quality and presentation. Whether you need fine art paper for giclée prints, photo paper for photography, canvas for fine art reproductions, or cardstock for greeting cards, understanding your options will help you make an informed decision. At MasterLab, we’re here to help bring your artistic vision to life with professional printing services tailored to your needs. Contact us today to learn more about our premium paper selections and start your next printing project!
Explore MasterLab’s Paper Selection
Canvas
Canvas:
Epson Exhibition Satin Canvas:
An acid-free, lignin-free heavyweight cotton-poly blend, this elegantly textured canvas features a semi-gloss satin surface with a bright white point, exceptionally high Dmax and wide color gamut. The canvas base is enhanced with elastic polymers, providing high tensile strength and flexibility for gallery-wrap stretching without cracking.
Paper Specifications:
- Satin Surface
- High Dmax
- Wide Color Gamut
- 430 gsm Weight
- 23 mil Thickness
Epson Exhibition Matte Canvas:
An acid-free, lignin-free heavyweight cotton-poly blend, this elegantly textured canvas features a matte non-reflective surface with a bright white point, exceptionally high Dmax and wide color gamut. The canvas base is enhanced with elastic polymers providing high tensile strength and flexibility for gallery wrap stretching without cracking.
Paper Specifications:
- Matte Surface
- High Dmax
- Wide Color Gamut
- 395 gsm Weight
- 23 mil Thickness
Hahnemühle Cezanne Canvas
A heavyweight, natural white cotton canvas with a finely woven texture and matte coating, delivering exceptional color, detail, and deep blacks with excellent elasticity for stretching.
Paper Specifications:
- Basis Weight: 430 gsm
- Thickness: 52 mil
- Whiteness: 87.5%
- Opacity: >98%
- Base Material: 100% cotton
- Surface Finish: Matte
- Natural white, without optical brighteners
Watercolor & Art
Watercolor & Art Paper:
Epson Cold Press Natural
An acid-free, 100% cotton rag media with a natural textured finish. This paper has an extremely high color gamut and black density.
Paper Specifications:
- Textured Matte Finish
- 19 mil
- 98% Opacity
- 90 ISO Brightness
- Acid Free
- pH Buffered
Epson Cold Press Bright
An acid-free, 100% cotton rag media with a bright textured finish. This paper has an extremely high color gamut and black density.
Paper Specifications:
- Textured Matte Finish
- 19 mil (roll)
- 98% Opacity
- 96 ISO Brightness
- Acid Free
- pH Buffered
Hahnemuhle Photo Rag
Photo Rag® – a white, 100% cotton paper with a smooth surface texture – guarantees archival standards. With its premium matte inkjet coating, Photo Rag® meets the highest industry standards regarding density, color gamut, color graduation, and image sharpness while preserving the special touch and feel of genuine art paper.
Paper Specifications:
- Basis Weight: 308 gsm
- Thickness: 19 mil
- Brightness: 92.5%
- Opacity: 99%
- Base Material: 100% cotton rag
- Surface Finish: Matte
Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Satin
Photo Rag® – a white cotton FineArt paper with a delicately textured surface and a unique satin-gloss coating, delivering exceptional depth, rich blacks, and brilliant contrasts with museum-quality longevity.
Paper Specifications:
- Basis Weight: 310 gsm
- Thickness: 50 mil
- Brightness: 92%
- Opacity: 99%
- Base Material: 100% cotton rag
- Surface Finish: Satin
Hahnemühle Photo Rag Metallic
A natural white, silvery-shimmering paper with a high-gloss metallic effect, ideal for bold colors, deep blacks, and high-contrast images.
Paper Specifications:
- Basis Weight: 340 gsm
- Thickness: 47 mil
- Whiteness: 88%
- Opacity: 99%
- Base Material: 100% cotton rag
- Surface Finish: High-gloss metallic
Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta
A natural white, pure cotton paper with a high-gloss baryta coating, offering stunning color and detail reproduction, deep blacks, and an elegant sheen.
Paper Specifications:
- Basis Weight: 300 gsm
- Thickness: 37 mil
- Whiteness: 92%
- Opacity: 98%
- Base Material: 100% α-cellulose
- Surface Finish: Satin
Epson Somerset Velvet
Somerset Velvet for Epson is a 100% cotton, acid-free paper that delivers long-lasting prints when printed with EPSON Archival™ Ink or UltraChrome™ Ink.
Paper Specifications:
- Basis Weight: 255 gsm
- Thickness: 19 mil
- ISO Brightness: 96%
- Opacity: 95%
- Hot Lamination: No
- Base Material: 100% cotton rag
- Surface Finish: Velvet
Epson Ultra Smooth
An acid-free,100% cotton hot press paper coated on both sides for extra versatility. This cylinder mould-made product features an ultra-smooth finish on two sides (sheets) optimized for Epson Photographic Dye, Epson UltraChrome™, and Archival™ Inks. It’s offered in a variety of sizes and formats, this fine art paper is not only acid, lignin, and chlorine free, but it’s also pH buffered with calcium carbonate for a true archival sheet.
Paper Specifications:
- Basis Weight: 250 gsm
- Thickness: 15 mil
- ISO Brightness: 90%
- Opacity: 98%
- Base Material: 100% cotton rag
- Surface Finish: ultra smooth hot press
Gloss & Lustre
Gloss & Lustre Paper:
Ilford Galerie Prestige Smooth Pearl
GALERIE Prestige Smooth Pearl paper features the very latest HDR (High Dynamic Range) optically clear coating, and, coupled with recent advancements in inkjet receiving layer design, makes this the reference media for producing images with superb clarity, high sharpness, and excellent color gamut.
The high-density, resin-coated, heavyweight base, and smooth pearl finish not only eliminate glare and fingerprints but with its natural photographic white tint, produce prints with the true look and feel of a photograph. For outstanding imaging performance, combined with the benefit of “touch dry” from the printer, this pearl surface media is the “choice of professionals.”
Paper Specifications:
- Weight: 310gsm Surface Pearl
- Opacity: 99% Caliper 310 micron (12mil)
- Media: Type Photo paper
Ilford Galerie Prestige Smooth Gloss
GALERIE Prestige Smooth Gloss paper features the very latest HDR (High Dynamic Range) optically clear coating and, coupled with recent advancements in inkjet receiving layer design, makes this the reference media for producing images with superb clarity, high sharpness, and excellent color gamut.
The high-density, resin-coated, heavyweight base and smooth “bright white” gloss finish create the look and feel of a superior photographic print. With the added benefit of being “touch dry” from the printer, this gloss media is the “choice of professionals.”
Paper Specifications:
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- Weight: 310gsm Surface Gloss
- Opacity: 99% Caliper 310 micron (12mil)
- Media: Type: Photo Paper
Matte
Matte Paper:
Epson Enhanced Matte
This bright-white paper is perfect for images that do not require gloss. It yields highly saturated images while maintaining excellent highlight and shadow detail. Designed primarily for use with UltraChrome™ Inks, EPSON Archival™ Inks, and DuraBrite™ Inks, this versatile paper can also be used with dye-based inks. Hobbyists, professional photographers, and digital artists alike will find EPSON Enhanced Matte Paper a remarkable solution for any project.
Paper Specifications:
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- Thickness: 10.3 mil
- Basis weight: 192 gsm
- Opacity: 94%
- ISO brightness: 104%
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Finishing Options
Canvases:
All canvases are sprayed with an archival spray which includes UV inhibitors, which increase the archivability of each print.
Canvases can be mounted, stretched, or gallery-wrapped.
Mounting:
Canvases are mounted to an archival acid-free board.
Finishing: Ready for framing.
Stretching:
Canvases are stretched by hand using the industry’s finest stretcher bars—formulated to give each stretch the best possible result. 5/8” and 1” bar used.
Finishing: Ready for framing.
Gallery Wrapping:
Canvases are wrapped by hand using the industry’s finest bars—formulated to give each wrap the best possible result. 5/8”, 1”, 1.5”, 2”, and 3” inch bar available.
Finishing: Ready for hanging.
Watercolor, art paper, gloss, lustre, and matte paper:
Mounting:
All materials are mounted to an archival acid-free board.
All materials can be framed using our large selection of mats, glass, and frames.
Card Paper Selection
| Material | Weight | Surface |
| CARD STOCK | 100# cover, 80# cover, 32# paper | Matte |
| GLOSS | 100# cover, 80# cover, 100# text | Gloss |
| SILK/SATIN | 100# cover, 80# cover, 100# text | Silk/Satin |
| PEARL | 108# cover | Metallic Sheen |
| ART PAPER | 100# cover | Linen, Stipple, Eggshell |
