***** ALUMINUM: I recently received a reproduction of one of my paintings printed on aluminum. You know what? It is STUNNING! I love it. Reproductions of original paintings have often felt, to me, like a flatter, less dynamic, less vibrant, less soulful version of the original. But when I unwrapped the aluminum print (with gloss finish) I was elated to see that the reproduction was transformed into another medium entirely. It isn't the original, mixed media painting on panel. And it doesn't feel like it is pretending to be that. Magically, it is something uniquely it's own, slightly reminiscent of an encausitc work (made of fused layers of bees wax and oil paint) but shinier, sharper and much more stable. Through the dye sublimation process, which uses heat to transfer dyes directly onto aluminum, this printer is able to create aluminum prints without going through the process of mounting photos to aluminum. The result is a vibrant print with beautiful color gradation! I highly recommend the prints on aluminum. They come ready to hang, don't need a frame, are elegantly sleek and contemporary and just plain groovy. If you consider the cost of matting and framing a print on paper, by the time it is hanging on your wall, the aluminum print is often the most economical choice.
SMOOTH PAPERS: I ALSO LOVE THE CLASSIC PRESENTATION OF PAPER
***** HAHNEMÜHLE BAMBOO is the Best Fine Art Environmentally Friendly Paper. Natural white 100% acid free heavyweight fine art paper made from fibers from highly renewable bamboo. Its warm tone and matte smooth finish combines beautiful art prints with environmental sensitivity. This is the printer's most eco-friendly paper. Archival, museum quality. Light fastness rating of 100+ years. Bamboo in a 290 gsm cold press paper. (*GSM=Grams per sq. meter, an indicator of the paper weight.)
*** FINE ART SMOOTH Ideal For Crisp, Clear Colors And Deep, Rich Blacks!
A smooth 100% acid free cotton rag, natural white, heavyweight fine art paper. Yields brilliant colors and rich B&W prints. Great for photographic reproductions, B&W images and artwork with a lot of detail. Archival, museum quality. Light fastness rating of 100+ years. Fine Art Smooth is a 250 gsm cold press paper. (*GSM=Grams per sq. meter, an indicator of the paper weight.)
TEDTURED PAPERS: I RECOMMEND EITHER OF THESE PAPERS FOR THE INK CROWS AND RAVENS SERIES WHICH WERE ORIGINALLY CREATED ON TEXTURED PAPER.
***** SOMERSET VELVET This is the printer's finest textured paper! 100% acid free heavyweight cotton rag fine art paper with a textured radiant white velvety surface. Provides vivid color reproduction and rich black tones. Somerset has long been a favorite fine art paper choice for watercolor artists. Archival museum quality. Light fastness rating of 100 years. Somerset Velvet is a 255 gsm cold press paper. (*GSM=Grams per sq. meter, an indicator of the paper weight.)
**** DECOR TEXTURED is the heaviest of the textured papers. A bright white, water-resistant textured matte paper made from the highest quality acid free and lignin free alpha cellulose (wood fibers). Specifically developed as a high quality, low cost alternative to 100% cotton rag fine art papers. Contains optical brighteners. Decor is a 300 gsm cold press paper. (*GSM=Grams per sq. meter, an indicator of the paper weight.)
* CANVAS:
While canvas is a great seller it is, personally, my least favorite option. I feel like the canvas print is trying to fake out the viewer by pretending to be an original. A print is a nifty thing! Pretending you are something you are not--is not so nifty (and it isn't fake it 'til you make it, 'cause the print doesn't change.) •see federal attribution and integrity laws — the rights to prevent artist’s work from being intentionally modified, distorted or damaged, and to prevent destruction of the work.)
My two cents deposited, if you have your heart set on a reproduction on canvas, this one is a top quality, museum grade canvas, characterized by exceptional whiteness, great color saturation and the ability to capture subtle tonal variations. This canvas contains no optical brighteners. (Optical Brighteners give canvas a whiter appearance, but also shorten its life). When viewed under proper conditions, you can expect from 100 – 200 years of life with our Museum Canvas. A gallery wrapped canvas is the other medium type of print that doesn't require framing. I recommend the 1.5" gallery wrap with a mirror image around the sides.