Whether you are a printer, a publisher, or a gallery, we are ready to assist you with any questions or concerns. Call our professional staff at 1-800-241-8129 Ext. 123. If your printer is reluctant to print on canvas, please have them call us, or we will be happy to provide you with names of printers who have experience printing on canvas.
Absolutely! In fact, many publishers do. However, you may need additional make-ready and may notice color shifts or changes in tackiness or in drying time depending on the quality and porosity of the paper you are converting from.
No. In fact, each process (Lithograph, Wide-format Inkjet, Desktop Inkjet, Giclée, and Serigraphic) requires a specific and unique texture, weight, and ink-receptive coating to deliver the best possible results. Therefore, they should not be used interchangeably.
Yes! In fact, every sheet (or roll) is visually inspected under special lighting by carefully trained QC personnel. The goal is to identify and reject any canvas that has an imperfection that might result in a printing defect. Although artist canvas is very forgiving (oil or acrylic oil paints are thick and viscous, and can be used to easily cover up blemishes), PrintCanvas is not as forgiving. Therefore, a final inspection of the print is always recommended.
A vast majority of prints are sold without any additional enhancements or texturizing. However, some publishers add clear gel (ie., Fredrix Acrylic Texturing gel) brush strokes to add dimension to the print. Some publishers and artists also will use acrylic paints to enhance or highlight as well as to add anything from a light texture to a very pronounced texturing.
A lithograph is derived from a solvent based ink and probably does not need to be treated. Serigraphs are made from a silk screen process utilizing paints containing plastisol and permanent pigments and therefore do not require any sizing or special treatment. However, large format inkjet, desktop inkjet, and Giclée are derived from a water based ink and may require a varnish or fixative.
Like fine artist canvas, Fredrix PrintCanvas is woven from natural and/or man-made fibers, and imperfections in the fibers and the weave are normal. In fact, the natural texture; somewhat irregular weave pattern and even the minor imperfections in the fibers and weave are what gives canvas a special ambiance and enhanced value. The more texture in the canvas , the more desirable the reproduction. However, the greater the texture, the greater the opportunity for imperfections. In addition, a minor imperfection in the canvas might show up as a defect in one location on a print, while a similar imperfection might be imperceptible in another location. Typically, an imperfection is more likely to show up in an area where the colors are light (such as sky, face, etc.), and are less likely to be visible in dark areas or "busy" areas of the print. Although we take every possible measure to make the perfect PrintCanvas, you may still experience more imperfections in the final print. Therefore, we encourage publishers to make a final visual inspection before a print is prepared for sale.
As a result of the extraordinary advances in printing technology, and the development of the specially-coated ink receptive Fredrix PrintCanvas, you can now print on canvas almost as easily and as economically as you can print on paper. Although there may be a learning curve, printing on canvas is not much different than printing on paper. Fine tuning may involve working with your ink supplier for optimum performance. General guidelines include starting with 120-150 line work using oil based inks adjusted for uncoated paper.
Fredrix raw canvases are imported from fine mills from all around the world. An acid-free buffered sizing protects the canvas fibers from direct contact with the final priming. Each canvas is then primed with a universal acrylic titanium formula and receives a specially formulated clear top-coat for printing ink receptivity. This top-coat also provides for a finer, more consistent texture to deliver enhanced fine art reproductions. Although Fredrix is proud to guarantee the archival quality of our canvas, the long term permanency of the final print is dependent on other factors such as, the permanency of the process and inks used (ie., Lithography, Inkjet, Giclée, etc.), and the long term care given to the finished work of art.