Question re mounting canvas inkjet prints

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PeterAM

Grumbler in Training
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Jun 8, 2006
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By way of background, I am a photographer and do my own printing using Epson inkjet printers (Ultrachrome inks). Once in a while I print on canvas, spray the print with Premier Art Shield (I think that's the name) and stretch the canvas. The couple of times that I have done this, the stretching exercise has been brutal because 1. I had never done it before, 2. I was very careful so as not to harm the print surface and 3. because once the print was placed properly on the stretcher frame, I did not have enough canvas around the edges to easily work with.
In the future, I would like to use some alternative method of mounting these prints. I did a search on The Grumble and after reading through a lot of older posts, it appears that the alternative to stretching is to use Laminall to afix the print to a piece of Gatorboard. Assuming that this is the proper approach, I would appreciate it if someone could outline the process; beyond reading/following the instructions for both products, are there any problem issues to be avoided?
Not stretching is also preferable because it will let me max out the widths on the printers, which does not leave enough excess canvas to make stretching an easier task.
Thanks for your input.
 
Yes, the canvases can be mounted directly to a board. I would use fusion drymount tissue rather then a liquid though. The thing is, one of the main reasons for printing on canvas is to give it the stretched look rather then the hard mounted look. You also cannot gallery wrap a mounted board.

You should be leaving 1 1/2" around for stretching, more for gallery wraps. While you are limited to your printers widths, I would suggest that you find someone with a bigger printer to do your larger work on.

What are you running? 3800,4800,7800. I have a 9800 and have not had need to go larger yet.
 
Framemakers:

I print on a 2200 and have access to/use a 7800. Probably will get a 3800 before the end of the year; more for B&W than anything else

I've only done a couple of things on canvas and they've been for myself. Can't really say that I like the gallery wrapped style; a friend of mine has done a lot of work that way and I've sorta gotten tired of seeing it.

I have a project in mind (on the neverending list) that would involve printing in B&W, with a lot of black, on canvas. If I ever get to doing it, I really don't want to have to stretch the prints. My gut tells me that they won't handle very well.

Thanks for the reply.
 
I print 16 inch images on 17 inch canvas - leaves 1/2 inch all around. Then I cut some 2 1/2 inch strips of the same canvas and sew them all around. Plenty of canvas for stretching.
 
Why would the prints not handle the stretching? We do tons for ourselves as well as a photo lab. We stretch everything before coating them and have had no real problems.
 
Framemakers:

I was under the impression (from reading, mostly) that ink on canvas wouldn't hold up to the handling if not coated first. Also that solid black areas were more prone to damage. I'll keep your experience(s) in mind.

Thanks.
 
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