Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: All Thumbs on November 13, 2012, 12:48:56 am
-
I recently did a quick test, coating Lexjet Sunset Select Matte and Epson Exhibition Satin canvas with Clearjet FA, solvent coating, from an aerosol can. I have read from other posts that Clearjet FA causes cracks when stretched, and I was expecting cracking similar to canvas that I have coated with Deft, a solvent wood coating, which I've used to "quick preview" canvas prints. I coated 1 square foot of EExhibition satin canvas and used 50 grams of Clearjet in 3 coats. Probably 35 to 40 grams made it onto the printed part of the canvas itself. I dried the canvas for 6 hours and stretched it, leaving 3 corners which I folded 5 hours later.
I chose a photo with dark corners to make cracking easy to see, but I can find only one spot that might be cracking and that looks like a flake and that crack/flake can only be seen with a magnifying glass. I've seen comments saying that Clearjet FA and probably all solvent coatings, will cause cracking when stretched. Does this mean that my canvas will crack later? Does it mean my "stretch job" is really loose and I need to be tighten it up? I have had similar results with Lexjet Sunset Select matte. Too good to be true?
-
I have done extensive testing with Clearjet FA and find it totally unusable on canvas that is to be stretched.
5 out of 5 test canvases crack at the back edges when stretching with my Gallery stretcher machine as well as the folded corners.
Black is worse. It is very possible that you get better results but I cannot afford to use it.
If you print black on canvas,spray several coats and then fold the canvas with a heavy crease you do not have cracking?
I did several samples (All cracked severely when folded.)and sent them to the manufacturer but received no response.
I can tell you that the product works just fine for me when sprayed on canvas that is to be wet or dry mounted flat to Dibond or gatorboard.
Edited to add. I have not tried the FA on the Epson canvas and it is very possible that it now works on this canvas. (Like it seems to for you.)
My tests were on Lexjet Matte and Breathing Colors Lyve and Chromatta White.
-
Apologies for going a little OT, but online I see Clearjet FA, Clearjet AFA, and Clearjet A2000. All are accompanied by basically the same too brief description.
Does anybody know what the differences are? Is one better suited for canvas than another? And which is best for fine art papers?
BTW 40 grams of coating onto a square foot seems like a lot, which may have something to do with the cracking. I normally put down about 1/5 that amount with water based coatings like Glamour II 1:1.