Fine Art Paper Prints

Guidelines to Choosing the Right Paper

We’ve provided a few guidelines below to help you choose between the different paper types that we offer. The paper you use should suit the mood that you are trying to convey and the content of the image you are printing. The below will highlight some of the differences between glossy papers vs matte papers as well as some of the specifics on the papers we offer. At the end of the day, what matters most though is what you think looks good!

Uses of Fine Art Matte Papers

Mood, Vintage, Style, Text: Matte papers are often used if you want to convey a more subtle mood to your photo. Vintage style photos and artwork are displayed much better on matte paper – shiny glossy or semi-glossy papers would take away from this effect. Prints that are pastel, or have a lot of text would also work better on Matte Paper vs Glossy Paper. It is more pleasant to read text on matte papers than glossy or semi-glossy papers.

Solid Colors / Lower Contrast, Black & White: Matte paper works well for images that have large swatches of solid or similar colors, and images that generally have lower contrast. Fine Art Matte paper is also often used for Black and White photography and images.

Larger Prints, Fingerprint resistant: If you are printing or selling larger sizes of your work, matte paper often works better than glossy. As glossy paper prints are shiny, larger prints often catch the reflection of lights when viewed. Matte papers are not shiny, hence do not have this issue. Matte papers are also more fingerprint resistant than Glossy and Semi-Glossy papers, and are easier to handle.

Differences between: Regular Smooth Matte, Heavy Textured Matte, and Heavy Smooth Matte

All of the papers that we use are Archival Grade and will last for a very long time if properly maintained.

Both the Heavy Textured Matte Paper and Heavy Smooth Matte papers are very thick and luxurious to the touch. The Cold Press Bright White Heavy Textured Matte paper feels like a traditional artist’s watercolor paper and has more texture on the surface of the paper. The Hot Press Bright White Heavy Smooth Matte paper is a matte paper that has a smoother surface.

Both are great papers, and which one you choose for your matte paper would depends on your preference. The Hot Press Bright White Heavy Smooth Matte paper prints with a slightly higher level of detail than the Cold Press Bright White Heavy Textured Matte paper, as smooth papers print slightly more sharply than textured papers do. The Cold Press Bright White Heavy Textured Matte is very useful for more “rougher” styles of images and prints, such as vintage prints, or pictures in old settings. The heavier texture helps to bring out the “rough” feels of the image more.

Uses of Fine Art Glossy Papers

Semi-Glossy and Glossy photo papers are excellent for photos and images that are vibrant and that you want to "shout out". Designs that have rich colors and tones, lots of imagery, and minimal text are well suited for Semi-Glossy prints and Glossy prints. The Semi-Glossy/Luster Paper we use is an archival grade paper, and offers a very full color range. Colors really “pop” on this paper, and brings out the vividness of the photos and artwork that is printed on it. This helps to bring forth a lot of the details in the print. The semi-gloss coating on the paper significantly reduces the glare and fingerprint smudges that are otherwise found on glossy papers.

If you are not sure about which paper would best suit your print and your needs, we recommend you order a sample pack from us. We will print your image on all the different papers that we offer, so you can see how your image looks on each of them to decide which one you like the most. You can order a 8.5 x 11” sample pack here.