Choosing the Right Paper or Canvas for Your Giclée Prints.

If you can’t quite envisage how your images will look on different fine art and photo substrates, here’s a quick guide. Alternatively, do what some of our clever clients do: get a particular image printed A4 on all the different surfaces and keep them as an aide-mémoire. Rest assured, Salt of the Earth only stocks acid-free, archival quality papers and canvas produced specifically for giclée printing with vibrant, long-life pigment inks.

NOTE: there is no white ink in the giclée process. The background white of your substrate will provide the white in your work. So if you want a “painterly” feel, stay with the natural whites; but if you need bright white accents and sharp contrasts, choose accordingly.

Substrates for Artists

Standard Fine Art – Hahnemuhle German Etching 310gsm
Natural white with a slight “tooth”, this is our most popular artist’s paper. German Etching is the ideal surface for watercolours, pastels and acrylics – but some oils look good on it, too. Its warmth and slight texture give colours real depth. As with a good watercolour paper, the texture is subtle, complementing your marks or brushstrokes. This mould-made paper sits well in any mount, regardless of size, and there's no chance of any distortion or buckling.

Smooth Fine Art - Hahnemuhle Photo Rag 308gsm
This 100% cotton paper offers the same natural white and although it's called 'Photo Rag', it's great for reproducing any medium where you want fine lines or details to look extra crisp. Pen and ink, pencil and charcoal drawings look wonderful on its totally smooth, matt substrate. And once again, the 308gsm provides a suitably substantial weight for mounting and framing.

“Goya” - Hahnemuhle Canvas 340gsm
This natural white canvas has a strong, uniform texture and an attractive satin sheen. It’s designed for reproducing oils, acrylics and mixed media art. Made of tough Polycotton, it’s excellent for stretching, and offers a sturdy surface much like the artist's canvas you paint on. Note: while this canvas is very durable and water-resistant, you should consider a protective spray coating after the print has been stretched to protect further against damp and UV light.

Substrates for Photographers

“Oyster” – Permajet Photo Paper 271 gsm
This pearly paper offers the classic combination of a satisfying weight plus a pure white, lustrous finish. Many of our photographers prefer this paper above all others for their black and white studies, sepias and portraits. It’s also a firm favourite with our digital artists who don’t want even a hint of texture in their clean, modern images. Excellent contrasts with colours, too. And the paper has a microporous coating that protects against UV fading and damp.

Smooth Fine Art BW - Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Bright White 310gsm
Like the artist’s smooth fine art paper above, this 100% cotton paper has a good “hand” that shouts quality the minute you touch it. The difference lies in added brighteners that give the paper a bright white finish. Monochrome contrasts and colours sing. Framing is very easy with this substantial weight, and it's never going to buckle or distort.

Standard Fine Art – Hahnemuhle German Etching 310gsm
Natural white with a slight “tooth”, this popular artist’s paper is also a hit with photographers aiming for the fine art market. German Etching’s warmth and slight texture give colours real depth. As with a good watercolour paper, the texture is subtle, never fighting with the details and tonal values of your photos. This mould-made paper sits well in any mount, regardless of size, and there's no chance of any distortion or buckling.

“Daguerre” - Hahnemuhle Canvas 400gsm
We hunted for ages to find this heavy-duty, perfectly matt canvas with its chalky white surface and very fine texture. And we rejected all the wimpy alternatives that would have cheapened the look of your work. This brilliant polycotton mix has both strength and “give” enough to lend itself to easy framing or stretching. 'Gallery-wrap' on Daguerre looks sensational; that’s where we digitally sample the main image to extend its colours around the sides of your canvas. We recommend protective spray such as Print Guard after stretching to protect both the print area and the rest of the exposed canvas.

After all this, if you still aren’t sure which substrate is best for your work, just show us your painting, drawing, photo, pastel, digital image or what-have-you and we will be happy to advise!

g.s.m. = grams per square meter, the standard way paper manufacturers weigh paper. For reference, photocopy paper is about 80 gsm.