Archival Matte Paper Vs Glossy

The extra shine works well on print files with heavy color coverage especially photographs and big graphics.

Archival matte paper vs glossy.

Many of the inkjet art and photo papers we offer from innova hahnemuhle museo and moab were manufactured to conform to iso standards 11108 and 9706. The shine on glossy prints also adds a contemporary element to your photos so this finish is not recommended for vintage style photography such as images printed in black and white or sepia tones. Matte finish photos are useful for very small prints like the ones you keep in your wallet or passport photographs. Archival photo paper is a term used to define the longevity of a photograph or image on a photo paper.

If you are looking for acid free archival paper for printing photographs art drawings and heirloom books we offer dozens of choices. However the matte finish on photos does come with a hidden cost. Glossy photo paper is shinier this makes the color in your images pop on the sheet. The images won t be quite as vibrant or colorful.

Gloss left appears smoother and shinier than matte right. But rag cotton paper will have a matte finish. Since glossy paper makes the colors of an image more vibrant this coating option works best for colored photo prints. Use of glossy paper with a dye based printer has the consequence of colors fading or shifting over time they are not archival quality so if you want the colors to last for decades.

Matte and gloss paper are coated sheets that appear smooth. Matte finish has a lot of texture on the surface so it won t pick up fingerprints as easily as glossy paper.