7 Best Paper For Art Prints: HIGHLY Rated by Professionals!

Written by: Dalia Abdalla

October 12, 2023

Time to read 8 min

The Best Paper for Art Prints

Whether you're an aspiring artist or a seasoned professional, the choice of paper for your art prints can make a world of difference in the quality and impact of your work. The right paper not only enhances the visual appeal but also preserves the details and colors of your art in the best possible way. In this comprehensive guide of the best paper for art prints, we'll delve into the world of art printing papers and explore the top options available, helping you make an informed decision to showcase your artistic creations at their very best.

The Best Paper for Art Prints

1. Fine Art Paper 2. Acid-Free and Archival Paper 3. Matte Paper 4. Glossy Paper 5. Satin/Luster Paper 6. Watercolor Paper: 7. Below Are Some of the Best Printers For Art Prints

1. Fine Art Paper

Fine art papers come in various textures and weights, and they are typically archival-quality papers designed to preserve the integrity and longevity of artwork. They are often used for limited edition prints, ensuring that the art remains vibrant and true to the original for generations.

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High-Quality Printing: This paper is designed for digital inkjet printing and provides a smooth surface that ensures high-quality and sharp image reproduction. It is suitable for producing fine art prints with vibrant colors and intricate details.
Archival Quality: This paper is made from 100% cotton or pure alpha cellulose and is coated with proprietary treatments that enhance its archival quality. It means that your art prints will have longevity and resist fading over time, preserving your work for years to come.
Variety of Textures: The sample pack includes a variety of textures, allowing you to experiment and choose the best-suited texture for your art. Different textures can add depth and character to your prints, enhancing their overall aesthetic.
Versatile Sizing: The paper comes in a standard 8.5 x 11-inch size, which is suitable for a wide range of art print projects. It's a versatile size that can be easily framed or displayed in various ways.

2. Acid-Free and Archival Paper

Acid-free and archival papers are crucial for preserving the longevity of art prints. These papers are specially formulated to resist yellowing and deterioration over time, ensuring that your prints remain in pristine condition for years to come.

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Thick and Heavyweight: The paper is 140lb/300gsm, making it thick and sturdy. This thickness provides durability for art prints and ensures they won't easily tear or get damaged during handling or framing.
Smooth Blending: The paper's ability to absorb water and blend colors smoothly makes it suitable for creating vibrant and detailed art prints. It allows for precise color mixing and layering.
Easy to Detach Sheets: Each page of the pad is glued by the short edge, allowing you to easily detach individual sheets without damaging the rest of your prints. This feature ensures that your prints remain intact and undamaged.
Multiple Sheet Sizes: The product offers various sheet sizes, including 6.1x8.7" and 9x12", giving you options to create different print sizes to suit your artistic needs.

3. Matte Paper

Matte paper is an excellent choice for art prints that don't require a glossy finish. Its non-reflective surface minimizes glare, making it ideal for pieces viewed under different lighting conditions. It offers a smooth texture that complements fine art and photography prints, providing a classic and timeless appearance.

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Compatibility with Inkjet Printers: This paper is designed to work seamlessly with Canon, Epson, or HP inkjet printers, ensuring that you can achieve high-quality prints with ease.
Double-Sided Printing: You can print on both sides of the paper, allowing for greater flexibility in your creative projects.
Great for Various Art Projects: This paper is suitable for a wide range of art projects, including greeting cards, announcements, save-the-date cards, invitations, and more.
High Weight and Thickness: With a weight of 205gsm and a thickness of 12mil, this paper offers a substantial and sturdy feel, giving your art prints a professional look and feel.
Quick Drying: Prints on this paper dry instantly, so you can handle them without worrying about smudging the ink.

4. Glossy Paper

Glossy paper boasts a shiny, reflective surface that enhances color vibrancy and contrast. This type of paper is perfect for art prints with vibrant colors and intricate details, as it helps bring out their full visual impact. However, it's important to note that glossy paper can be susceptible to fingerprints and glare, so it may not be ideal for all contexts.

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Glossy Finish: The paper has a glossy finish that adds a smooth and attractive sheen to your art prints, enhancing their visual appeal.
Two-Sided Printing: You can produce two-sided art prints with ease, thanks to the paper's quality and thickness, ensuring a polished and professional look.
Sustainability: This paper is sourced from sustainably managed forests according to Forest Stewardship Council standards, making it an environmentally responsible choice.
Recyclable: Your art prints made on this paper are recyclable as mixed paper, contributing to eco-friendliness.

5. Satin/Luster Paper

Satin or luster paper strikes a balance between matte and glossy surfaces. It features a slight sheen that enhances color saturation without the intense reflections of glossy paper. Satin paper is versatile and a popular choice for various art prints, as it provides good image quality while reducing glare and fingerprint visibility.

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Excellent Ink Absorption and Color Reproduction: The photo paper has a special microporous coating that provides excellent ink absorption and color reproduction. This feature is essential for art prints, as it ensures that the colors in your artwork are vibrant and accurate.
Satin Texture with Soft Gloss: The photo paper has a fine satin texture with a soft gloss. This texture not only enhances the appearance of your art prints but also resists fingerprints, giving your prints an elegant look and feel.
Smooth Printing with No Hassle: The paper is flat and has good stiffness, which enables smooth printing with no hassle. This is crucial for art prints, as it ensures that your prints come out with high-quality details and sharpness.
Water-Resistant: The photo paper is water-resistant, which means it can withstand moisture and protect your art prints from damage. This is important for preserving the quality and longevity of your artwork.
Resin-Coated Layer for Extra Protection: The resin-coated layer on the paper provides extra protection to your art prints, making them last longer than prints on normal paper. This ensures that your artwork remains in excellent condition over time.

6. Watercolor Paper:

Watercolor paper is designed specifically for artwork created with watercolor paints. Its heavy weight and textured surface can handle the application of water-based media without warping or deteriorating. It provides excellent color absorption and allows for the unique blending and transparency effects characteristic of watercolor art.

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Acid-Free: The paper is acid-free, which ensures that your art prints won't yellow or deteriorate over time, preserving their quality.
Versatile Medium Compatibility: This paper is suitable for various art mediums, including watercolor, acrylic, colored pencils, graphite pencils, pens, markers, charcoal, and pastels. This versatility allows you to experiment with different techniques for your art prints.
No Bleed-Through: The surface of the paper is designed to withstand wet applications with no bleed-through, ensuring that your art prints remain clean and vibrant.
Size Variety: The product comes in a convenient 11" x 14" size, which is a standard and versatile size for various art projects, including art prints.

7. Below Are Some of the Best Printers For Art Prints

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High-Quality Prints: The printer offers a maximum print resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi, ensuring sharp and detailed art prints with vibrant colors.
Refillable Ink Tank: The EcoTank system eliminates the need for traditional ink cartridges. Instead, it uses high-capacity ink tanks that are easy to refill, making it cost-effective for producing art prints.
Impressive Color: The printer's color ink delivers impressive color photos and graphics, making it suitable for art prints with rich and accurate color reproduction.
Auto 2-Sided Printing: The printer supports automatic two-sided printing, which is useful for creating double-sided art prints or projects.
Wireless Connectivity: It features wireless connectivity, allowing you to print your art directly from your smart device or computer, providing convenience and flexibility.

High Resolution: The printer offers a maximum resolution of 9600 x 2400 DPI, which results in sharp and detailed art prints.
Wide Format Printing: With support for A3+ size prints, you can create large and impressive art pieces with this printer.
Color Accuracy: The 6-color ink system, including grey ink, ensures accurate color representation, which is crucial for art prints with vibrant and nuanced colors.
Wireless Printing: The printer allows wireless printing from smartphones, tablets, and Wi-Fi cameras, making it convenient for artists to print their work directly from their devices.
Individual Ink Tanks: The printer uses individual replaceable ink tanks, so you only need to replace the ink that runs out. This helps save costs and reduces waste.

One of the coolest ways to see your print come to life is by creating custom stationery with it.

Is matte or glossy paper better for art prints?

The choice between matte and glossy paper for art prints depends on your artistic preferences and the specific characteristics you want in your prints. Matte paper is ideal for art prints that don't require a glossy finish. It offers a non-reflective surface, making it suitable for pieces viewed under different lighting conditions. Glossy paper, on the other hand, has a shiny, reflective surface that enhances color vibrancy and contrast. It's great for art prints with vibrant colors and high-resolution details. Ultimately, the choice between matte and glossy paper is subjective and depends on the aesthetics you wish to achieve.

Is cardstock good for art prints?

Cardstock can be suitable for certain types of art prints, particularly if you're looking for a sturdy and heavyweight option. It's commonly used for prints like greeting cards and posters, where durability and rigidity are desired. However, traditional cardstock may not offer the same level of color vibrancy and image sharpness as specialty art papers. For fine art prints with intricate details and a wide color gamut, you may want to consider dedicated art paper options.

What is the best paper thickness for art?

The best paper thickness for art prints can vary depending on your artistic goals and the type of artwork you're producing. Common paper thicknesses for art prints typically range from 200 gsm (grams per square meter) to 300 gsm or more. Thicker paper is often preferred for art prints as it provides a more substantial and luxurious feel. However, the choice of paper thickness should align with your artwork's intended presentation and the printing capabilities of your chosen printer.

Should art prints be matte?

Whether art prints should be matte or not depends on the desired visual aesthetics and the context in which the art will be displayed. Matte art prints offer a non-reflective surface that can be ideal for pieces viewed under various lighting conditions or in environments with glare. They are commonly used for fine art prints and photography where a classic and timeless look is desired. However, the choice ultimately depends on the artist's intention and the overall style of the artwork. Glossy and other finishes can also be suitable for specific artistic visions.

Dalia Abdalla

Owner & Head Designer, Modern Pink Paper

Dalia is the creative force behind Modern Pink Paper. With a keen eye for detail and a love for all things stationery, she embarked on this journey to provide personalized stationery solutions. When she's not crafting beautiful paper creations, Dalia is sharing her insights and inspirations on this blog, ensuring that her readers always have a touch of beauty and creativity in their lives.