inkjet printing on to bookcloth for book covers - very lightweight canvas????

[jule]

Does anyone know of any bookcloth which can be printed on using an inkjet printer?

I am making some artist books and want to print on to the bookcloth so I can bind my own covers - but I'm having trouble finding the bookcloth.

I have found a product in England which can be used for litho's but I think the pigment inks may not work - and getting a profile I think would be another hurdle I would need to overcome.

I thought about perhaps using a lightweight canvas, but I'm not familiar with what is available in this area because I've always printed on paper. It would need to be very close weave and rather lightweight - otherwise the corners of the covers will be disgusting, and unlike leather would be hard to par away the density to get a nice, neat corner. Can anyone advise me on the lightest, finest, closest weave canvas available?...sort of like the 'silk' of the canvas world?

Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Julie

[bill t.]

Fredrix 777 is the finest, thinnest, and most supple canvas I have used.  It's a long way from silk-like, but it is nowhere as stiff as most canvases and feels more like cloth.  In any case you would probably have to apply glue to the cut edges to prevent fraying.

There are some liquid coatings that can be applied to various substrates to make them inkjet ink receptive.  I'm sure others will know the name.  Perhaps you could coat some material with that.

I have seen very fine fabric printed with inkjets without any special coatings or preparation.  The quality was far from photographic, but the effect was rather graphic and beautiful in its own way.  The artist told me she had turn off the printer's air suction and gently tug the outfeeding fabric by hand to get it to go though the printer successfully.

[Rhossydd]

she had turn off the printer's air suction and gently tug the outfeeding fabric by hand to get it to go though the printer successfully.

Maybe not so much of an issue on desktop printers without air suction.
Depending on the printer available, sticking the fabric to some rigid card* with either double sided sticky tape or even glue, and flat feeding it through ought to get decent results.
Getting a custom printer profile shouldn't be a problem, we've profiled fabric before without problems. Although just for one job it's probably not worth it, colour accuracy onto a thin fabric for a cover may not be that important anyway.

Paul
www.colourprofiles.com

*making sure the card(maybe even just heavyweight paper) and fabric aren't too thick. Use a greater area of fabric than you'll need and just adhere the fabric to teh substrate in an area that won't be used.

[jule]

Thanks Bill, i will have a look at the canvas you suggested.

I have used very fine fabric for exhibition work before...and yes the quality was nowhere like photographic quality, but it was perfect for my needs It was a crepe georgette which was already on a lightweight paper backing and had a coating applied to receive the pigment inks for inkjet orinters. julie's exhibitions

I was trying to avoid a lot of trial and error and was looking for some bookcloth already prepared for inkjet printing.

Thanks - I will let you know how I go.

Julie

[jule]

Maybe not so much of an issue on desktop printers without air suction.
Depending on the printer available, sticking the fabric to some rigid card* with either double sided sticky tape or even glue, and flat feeding it through ought to get decent results.
Getting a custom printer profile shouldn't be a problem, we've profiled fabric before without problems. Although just for one job it's probably not worth it, colour accuracy onto a thin fabric for a cover may not be that important anyway.

Paul
www.colourprofiles.com

*making sure the card(maybe even just heavyweight paper) and fabric aren't too thick. Use a greater area of fabric than you'll need and just adhere the fabric to teh substrate in an area that won't be used.

Thanks Paul...it isn't the problem finding any type of fabric, it is more the issue that I want some bookcloth or buckram which has been treated to receive pigment inks so that it will provide a good quality print. There are fabrics which have a paper back and treated coating, but i am looking in particular for a bookcloth or buckram specifically for bookbinding.

Paul, I beg to differ with regard to the importance of having a profile made for just one item. As an artist - there may be only one item made - a unique work and it deserves to be the best that i can make it..

Julie

[Rhossydd]

Paul, I beg to differ with regard to the importance of having a profile made for just one item. As an artist - there may be only one item made - a unique work and it deserves to be the best that i can make it..

Well as someone running a custom profiling business I'm more than happy to build profiles for one off use, but I was just being a little pragmatic.
I wouldn't worry about profiles until you've discovered a product that is suitable, then you might find that the manufacturers profiles will work acceptably well given the limitations of the material.
Having a profile for the product isn't a guarantee of perfection.

[jule]

Well as someone running a custom profiling business I'm more than happy to build profiles for one off use, but I was just being a little pragmatic.
I wouldn't worry about profiles until you've discovered a product that is suitable, then you might find that the manufacturers profiles will work acceptably well given the limitations of the material.
Having a profile for the product isn't a guarantee of perfection.

Thanks Paul. I let go of aiming for perfection some time ago... , but I do aim to get things as best as I can. I'll post when I find a suitable material.

Julie