[This is the recommended paper! ] Recommended paper for printing art and paintings according to style

Print your artwork

When analog illustrations were mainstream, there weren't many people creating digital illustrations on computers or tablets.

In particular, tablets have only appeared in the last 10 years or so, and for those who appreciate the benefits of analog, there are probably many who have felt some resistance to the transition to digital.

Both analog and digital have their merits, and the dignity of the act of drawing remains the same either way, so I think it's wonderful when there are people who genuinely enjoy the act of drawing.

Many people have been influenced by them and have come to realize the joy of art appreciation (I am one of them).

Recently, we have been receiving more and more inquiries from customers who place orders with "PHOTOPRI" asking, "What kind of paper is suitable for printing art?" So we thought we would write an article about it.

In this article,

"Are there any papers that are suitable for art and painting, and some that are not?"

"What paper is recommended for printing art and paintings?"

This article will focus on the above, so please use it as a reference!

Tips for choosing paper.

Here are some points to keep in mind when placing your order:

1.Where to exhibit?

First, is it an indoor or outdoor exhibit ?

The impression you get from an illustration will be different depending on whether you display it in your own room or in an exhibition venue.

Will the lighting in the exhibition hall be a single light or multiple distributed lights ?

If it is exhibited outdoors, will it be exposed to direct sunlight, or just sunlight filtering through the trees, or will it be displayed in a place like an underground passage where it will not be exposed to sunlight at all?

The amount of light can greatly change the impression that a viewer has, so it is a very important point to consider when choosing paper.

2.What types of paper are available?

There are two main types of paper available at "PHOROPRI".

Glossy and matte papers .

This is a rough explanation, but

Glossy paper has a glossy surface, so it is smooth and photographs and illustrations stand out clearly, giving it a rather flashy impression .

The contours of the subject or illustration are clearly visible, making the work easy to see.

Matte paper has a surface that has been treated to reduce the shine, giving it a rough texture and a rather subdued impression .

It's not flashy, but it doesn't strain the eyes and makes for a piece of art that you can look at for a long time.

Based on our order statistics, we can tell you that many people choose matte paper for printing illustrations.

Differences in taste and paper.

1. Oil paintings

First, let's look at the oil painting above, which has a strong brushstroke feel.

For oil painting-style works like this one, glossy paper is easy to use and very popular as it allows for the unique luster of oil paint to be expressed.

Our top recommendation at PHOTOPRI is Epson's canvas media called "Premium Satin Canvas."

This type of canvas has a moist, glossy feel and is best suited for expressing the texture of oil paintings and other art.

In fact, many people use them to create reproductions, and some even paint on the printed versions with oil paints.

Among general-purpose papers, we recommend Epson's "Professional Photo Paper, Thick, Glossy."

Profoto Heavy Gloss has the advantage that it has no noticeable texture on the surface of the paper, which means it "does not interfere with the strength and three-dimensionality of the original brush strokes."

Additionally, glossy paper has better color reproduction (the range of colors that can be reproduced) than matte paper.

In other words, glossy paper appears more vibrant when viewed.

That being said, the colors will not change significantly when printed.

Although there are matte papers that have high color reproduction, glossy papers have a narrower range of color change and therefore produce more stable output.

When printing with this kind of geometric style, the fact that it is possible to produce output with no difference in color between what you see on a screen and the actual printout is something I believe is essential in helping people create artwork.

<Handling Form>

• [EPSON] Premium Satin Canvas <Go to product page>
• [EPSON] Professional Photo Paper, Thick, Glossy <Go to product page>

2. Watercolor works

Next, I'd like to talk about watercolor pieces with a lot of light texture, like the one pictured above.

In the case of these watercolor-style works, the gradation of the bleeding and the soft texture of the printing paper tend to combine to create a more beautiful finish.

Our top recommendation at PHOTOPRI is Hahnemuhle's fine art paper "Torchon."

It has a distinctive texture reminiscent of softly flowing clouds, and is a fine art paper created by Hahnemuhle, a company that has long been involved in producing watercolor paper, in pursuit of a texture suitable for printing watercolor paintings.

When you actually print, you will see that not only is it able to beautifully reproduce fine gradations, but the unique surface quality also adds further character to the gradations.

Although we have made adjustments to ensure high color reproduction, we recommend that you make one or two test prints in the watercolor area, where more precise color tones are required than with glossy paper.

<Handling Form>

• [hahnemuhle] Torchon <Go to product page>

3. Geometric artwork

Next, let's look at geometric artwork like the one pictured above.

The illustration gives a mathematical impression, as it is expressed using simple elements such as straight lines and curves.

For projects of this style, glossy paper is easy to use and very popular .

Among them, we recommend "Professional Photo Paper Thick Glossy."

Illustrations created using simple techniques such as straight lines, curves, and different colors tend to have a "simple" quality. (Of course, there are also people who create complex impressions using simple techniques.)

Profoto Heavyweight Glossy paper has no noticeable texture on its surface, allowing for faithful reproduction of "simple things in a simple way."

Additionally, glossy paper has better color reproduction (the range of colors that can be reproduced) than matte paper.

In other words, glossy paper appears more vibrant when viewed.

That being said, the colors will not change significantly when printed.

Although there are matte papers that have high color reproduction, glossy papers have a narrower range of color change and therefore produce more stable output.

When printing with this kind of geometric style, the fact that it is possible to produce output with no difference in color between what you see on a screen and the actual printout is something I believe is essential in helping people create artwork.

<Handling Form>

• [EPSON] Professional Photo Paper, Thick, Glossy <Go to product page>

4. Anime illustrations

It is a representative culture that Japan is proud of, and there are many people who create illustrations by copying and arranging characters that appear in manga, anime, and games.

I think there are many illustrators who pursue "what they want to express about the character" while thinking about "what kind of impression they want to leave on the viewer," such as "I want an overall rough feel" or "I want it to have an impact that really catches the eye."

When printing character illustrations, I think it's a good idea to base your paper selection on whether or not you want the work to have a vivid and vivid expression .

If you want a glossy look, we recommend glossy paper .

In particular, the "Photo Paper Crispia High Gloss" sold by Epson is popular for both photographs and illustrations.

(The above is an example of Crispia. It's just an example of portrait printing, but look at the glossiness. The beautiful reflection is truly impressive.)

The reason is that, even among glossy papers, Crispia highlights the whiteness of the paper itself, allowing for clear images and the creation of a sense of transparency and luxury .

If you want to bring out the transparency of your character, this is one paper we would recommend.

The best thing about matte paper is that it gives off a calm impression .

If you want a more subdued look rather than a glossy one, we recommend matte paper.

When printing character illustrations, the roughness, or rather the simple feeling, of the single image works surprisingly well, and I think there are quite a few illustrators who are into that.

"PX Premium Matte Paper" in particular has been very popular.

(↑An example of premium matte paper. It doesn't have a glossy finish, but the simple colors are irresistible.)

I think Premium Matte Paper is perfect for bringing out the artist's desire to preserve the atmosphere of their characters and the appeal of their work.

<Handling Form>

• [EPSON] Photo Paper Crispia High Gloss <Go to product page>
• [EPSON] px Premium Matte Paper <Go to product page>

If you're unsure about which art to print, go for matte!

Are there certain papers that are suitable and certain papers that are not suitable for printing art?

This is not something that can be generalized.

This is because it is better to choose different paper depending on the intended use and printing purpose .

What happens if you display highly glossy paper in a location exposed to sunlight?

I'm sure the reflection would be so strong that it would be difficult to appreciate the artwork.

In that sense, I think choosing a matte paper will lead to a paper selection that will not disappoint.

One advantage of printing on matte paper is that it is less tiring on the eyes .

Don't you get tired of looking at something with a strong reflection for a long time? (I wonder if it's just me...)

Less eye strain means viewers can stand in front of the artwork for longer periods of time.

I think that if you look at it for a long time, you will be drawn into the work even more.

Many of the artists commissioned by PHOTOPRI choose matte paper.

I don't know if this will be helpful, but I hope it will be of some help to you.

Would you like to try a test print?

Just like when you buy a car, you take a test drive, we would like you to use our trial printing service to experience the paper with your own eyes before printing.

There are a wide variety of papers available, such as glossy paper, matte paper, fine art paper, and washi paper, and you can't really understand the texture, feel, and color transfer that each type of paper has until you actually get your hands on the printed material.

It can be difficult to choose the best paper from the many available options. There are many people who don't know which one to choose.

For the test print, you can use your own photo data .

We have trial sets available to suit your tastes, so please give them a try!