When printing a museum-quality art print you have three basic choices in the medium:
- Acrylic
- Metal
- Canvas
It’s important to note that the choice of medium ultimately depends on the artist’s or collector’s preferences and the specific requirements of the artwork or display location.
The most important and commonly considered art print qualities in selecting the right medium include:
- Durability – Consider where it will be hung, the expected longevity, and other environmental factors.
- Color vibrancy – Some mediums make the colors pop more than others so bright and diverse colors may be more appropriate for some mediums and not others.
- Image sharpness – Depending on how important the high-definition of an image is will help you choose the right medium.
- Customizability – For those looking for unique shapes or looks, traditional art prints won’t be a good option.
Advantages Of Acrylic Over Other Mediums
So, knowing some of the medium factors to consider, let’s compare how acrylic stacks up against the other mediums.
Canvas vs. Acrylic Prints
There is no question that if you want a traditional-looking art print, canvas is the obvious choice. Throughout history, canvas has been a popular choice for painters and artists. However, modern acrylic prints offer a few key advantages over canvas:
- More durable than canvas over time
- Easier to clean (wipe it down)
- Better colors and sharpness of prints
- More lightweight
If these qualities are important to you, you should choose acrylic over canvas.
Metal vs. Acrylic Prints
Metal and acrylic prints share many qualities such as being more durable than canvas, the ability to print either directly onto the substrate or onto photo paper mounted onto the substrate, and being easy to clean. That said, there are some differences between them that may give the edge to acrylic depending on what you’re looking for:
- Added depth and dimension of prints
- Easier to cut out for customized shapes
- More lightweight
In many ways, metal is comparable to acrylic prints though there are some key differences that you should consider when choosing between the two.
Why Artists Prefer Acrylic For Art & Photo Prints
Digital printing on acrylic is a great alternative to printing on regular photographic paper or other mediums. Acrylic printing has a lustrous glossy finish, which not only adds to the contemporary look, but also brings out a depth and clarity to your photos that are incomparable.
Specially treated, this professional process ensures that your photos will last a lifetime. The mounting process we use also protects your photos from humidity and sunlight, (although you should be careful not to expose them to direct sunlight or high humidity conditions).
Professional printing on acrylic lends a very contemporary look to the final product. It brings the fine art of photography to a whole new level of modern art. We frequently recommend acrylic mounted photos for displaying modern works of fine art and photography.
