Looking for advice on best setup for creating canvas prints

[rking]

Hi

Im looking into buying a large format inkjet printer for creating
canvas prints of digital photos and artwork.

Does anyone here do the same? If so...
Which printer do you use? (Im looking at an Epson 7600 at present)
What software do you use (do i need a RIP to get good results?)
Do you use original manufacturer inks and canvas or 3rd party stuff
(eg, Lyson inks)?
What are the main problems you come across?

Any other help or advice would be most welcome!

Many thanks in advance for your help

Regards

Russell

[Pixby]

You're on the right track with the Epson. The new K3 inks are as good as
it gets right now with 200 year life. (yeah... like we're all gonna live
that long!). I use "Magic" brand photo canvas in mine. It leaves a sort
of soft surface but it is durable.

I also use a HP photo plotter with course weave canvas I coat myself
with a mixture of gelatin and crushed chalk. Artists call the stuff
"Geso". You can buy it in some art stores but you have to get the
coating even. I spray it on.

The problem you'll hit is not so much the printing but the fact you
can't stretch the canvas to a frame after it's printed and coated with a
surfactant so you'll need to devise a way of either stretching it or get
hold of a vacuum mounting press and glue it to board with acid free
adhesive. The magic stuff doesn't like glue and Epson stuff costs like
fine wool suits do.

You don't need a RIP unless you intend to output true Postscript files.
Why would you tho?

--
Douglas,
Never trust a skinny cook!

[Bill Hilton]

> Russell writes ...

>
>Im looking into buying a large format inkjet printer for
>creating canvas prints of digital photos and artwork.
>Does anyone here do the same?

I've done a little canvas printing on an Epson 4000 but not much.
You'll find more responders on the Yahoo Epson Wide Format and Digital
Fine Art groups, probably.

>Do you use original manufacturer inks and canvas or 3rd party stuff
>(eg, Lyson inks)?

I wouldn't get the Epson printer you mentioned and then put Lyson inks
in it. The Epson Ultrachrome inks print well and have a lengthy
projected print life. This site has some good info on printing with
canvas ... http://www.inkjetart.com/canvas/

The paper I used was the PremierArt Water Resistant Canvas from Epson,
which is formulated for the Epson inks and prints quite nicely. I was
surprised at how white it was and how well it prints.

>What are the main problems you come across?

I liked the same images better when printed on either fine art papers
like Velvet-Fine Art or Arches Infinity or Hahnemeuhle Photo Rag, or
more photo-realistic papers like Premium Luster, but this was with
photos. For "artwork" you might like the canvas better than fine art
paper, you might not. You'll have to print a few images and decide for
yourself, always the best way.

Many artists are now scanning paintings (for example) and printing on
canvas and then painting over part of the canvas, selling these as
giclees in limited editions. For example, in Santa Fe last week a
well-known painter whose paintings often sell for $30,000 and up was
offering limited editions of 95 giclees for $3,000 each where he had
hand-painted (smeared?) paint over part of the image. Nice work if you
can get it ...

Bill