Ideal Canvas for Printing Milky Way Images?

[ourayimage]

I'm a landscape photographer with a gallery in Colorado.  For the past five years, I have printed with a Canon Prograf 4000 printer and regularly use Canson Baryta Photographique II paper for framed prints (ANSI C size) and Lyve canvas for larger sizes. The Lyve canvas combined with Timeless Satin Varnish is excellent for daytime images but despite a significant amount of post-processing, which is customary for Milky Way images, I haven't been impressed with the resolution and color saturation with my canvas prints.  While sales of the MW images has been good, I thinking I can get more resolution and pop with a canvas that is smoother and has a satin or glossy finish.  I'm considering the Breathing Color 17M Satin canvas paper. Any suggestions?

[Ryan Mack]

I’d try using the same canvas but using a gloss varnish. If you usually do multiple coats, you could also trying making all but the last (thin) coat gloss. That should help though not as much as all gloss.

[dgberg]

We use Lexjets Sunset Select Matte with excellent results. We use matte canvas 100% and control the final sheen with the varnish.
Clearshield Satin is a beautiful finish. On occasion we mix a semigloss top coat. Rarely do we spray gloss and never matte.
Just like any other flat or matte finish it is like laying a piece of waxed paper over the print and the clarity is destroyed. YOMV

[deanwork]

I have used Breathing Color Lyve with Timeless Satin varnish since it came out. Every single roll has been perfect.  Far superior to the Lexjet Sunset that I used for one year in regard to coating, sharpness, gamut. It’s not that  expensive , especially compared to all the premium papers I buy. If you are going to do a huge job on a budget the Lexjet is fine and you save cash. Quality control seems pretty good.

Their new gessoed BC white Belgian Linen is really beautiful with a softer but sharp texture. But it IS expensive as hell for long rolls, but really cool for smaller things or clients with money.

John

We use Lexjets Sunset Select Matte with excellent results. We use matte canvas 100% and control the final sheen with the varnish.
Clearshield Satin is a beautiful finish. On occasion we mix a semigloss top coat. Rarely do we spray gloss and never matte.
Just like any other flat or matte finish it is like laying a piece of waxed paper over the print and the clarity is destroyed. YOMV

[ourayimage]

Thanks for the replies. I do have the Timeless varnish in satin and gloss and tried both on MW images but I think it's the Lyve canvas, which I love for day time pics, isn't cutting it for Milky Way pictures. I'm going to purchase a test roll of Breathing Color's satin 17m canvas and try it out.  I'll report back the results.

[ourayimage]

I test printed Milky Way images on a trial roll of Breathing Color 17M Satin. On the upside, the texture of its weave is less than Breathing Color Lyve weave. The smoother surface shows the detail of the Milky Way better.  Color gamut and Dmax don't appear to be any better than BC Lyve.  On the downside, the satin finish of 17M is way too reflective. In a bright room, especially in direct light, 17M is so shiny the MW image is hard to see.  Mounted on shady wall, it's fine.  I was able to knock down the sheen with Timeless Satin varnish but I might as well continue printing with a matte canvas. 

After this trial, I'm convinced to stay with a matte canvas but will now be looking for canvas for a smoother finish than Lyve.  A colleague at a local print and frame shop has been using Elements Fire Opal Bright White canvas available from Lexjet.  It's not a marquee canvas but the weave is smooth and his images look good.  If you have other suggestions, please let me know.  For example, Sunset Select Matte.

[aaronleitz]

I'm relatively new to printing so I'm curious - why do you need to print the MW images on canvas instead of paper? Is it a durability issue? Or that canvas doesn't need to be protected by glazing and is less expensive to frame/don't need to frame? Clients prefer the texture of canvas?

[John Nollendorfs]

Aaron:
Advantages of canvas prints are lower cost in framing large prints. Second, you don't need glass or plexi protection from physical damage or ozone fading protection. Third, the framed piece is much lighter with out the glass glazing.

But you do need to spray the canvas print with a protective coating for physical and ozone related fading issues. Even Semi gloss or gloss canvas' still  need protection with a spray on coating. A good water resistant matte canvas sprayed with a protective product (gloss or semigloss) 2-3 coats,  is the prefered method of canvas printing.

[mearussi]

https://www.lexjet.com/elements-black-opal-oba-free-matte-canvas

I got a sample from Lexjet and it looks very smooth. My favorite canvas was Canson Museum ProCanvas but it was discontinued. It was the smoothest canvas I've ever seen but the Black Fire Opal canvas looks just as smooth.

[rogan]

I too am looking for a canvas for printing dark images on(not Milky Way)
Have a project I do not want plexiglass over as reflections are a huge deal. But am looking for as smooth as canvas as possible with great max and detail. I just tried Hahnemuhle Daguerre Canvas and wondered how it compares to BC Lyve? Also needs to be available in 60 if not 64. Thanks

[dgberg]

Is your 64” printer solvent or pigment? Just curious as there are very few 64” pigment printers.

[rogan]

Is your 64” printer solvent or pigment? Just curious as there are very few 64” pigment printers.

Epson p20000

[dgberg]

That is one.

[MfAlab]

My favorite canvas was Canson Museum ProCanvas but it was discontinued. It was the smoothest canvas I've ever seen but the Black Fire Opal canvas looks just as smooth.

Did you have any official resources, or rumors, that Canson Museum Pro canvas was discontinued? I didn't get that info, and CI's website did not show that.

[mearussi]

Did you have any official resources, or rumors, that Canson Museum Pro canvas was discontinued? I didn't get that info, and CI's website did not show that.

At least you can't buy it anywhere in the U.S. No retail sites carry it.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?q=Museum%20Procanvas&sts=ma

[MfAlab]

At least you can't buy it anywhere in the U.S. No retail sites carry it.

According to credible source, CI's Canvas are punished on import duties. That causes uncompetitive price and abandonment of canvas market in US. CI's canvas was made in China.

[mearussi]

According to credible source, CI's Canvas are punished on import duties. That causes uncompetitive price and abandonment of canvas market in US. CI's canvas was made in China.

Thank you for that information. So at least it's still being made but just sold elsewhere. Maybe Canson will eventually make it Europe or someplace where the import duties don't apply. It's really nice canvas. I'd like to see it imported into the U.S. again. (I wonder if it's sold in Canada--I'll have to check).

[glyph]

I recently learned that Lexjetʻs OBA free Sunset Reserve Canvas, which has been my bread and butter canvas for art reproduction for the last 12 years, is also being discontinued. The specs for the two canvas offerings look familiar, so this may not be a coincidence.
Iʻm still searching for a worthy replacement. I know that the Sunset Select that Lexjet wants me to switch to is not the answer. It is thin and not very stable, as well as being a less pleasing texture and OBA heavy (not a plus for most things I print).