The Paper We Chose & Use

IMPORTANT: If you are here, looking up any of the fine art and photo papers that we use—then you are either curious or frustrated. Curious? —We got you. Scroll on. Frustrated? Okay, there’s no need for that. We want you to enjoy JaKAaO! The truth is, choosing a paper is absolutely, without question, 100% personal preference. We have cut out a plethora of choices simply due to artistic style.

It may seem as if we just decided to offer every paper type possible for our photo and art prints — but the truth is, we were trying to keep it simple, and only picked a few! Looking at our listings, you will likely see the same image or art in more than one place and with different choices. We actually planned it that way. You see, if we had listed each image with each of its chosen mediums (paper, wood, acrylic, etc.) in addition to each available size — it would be a very long and confusing list of choices under one print image.

There are truly so many medium choices out there, even we had a hard time picking the ten(-ish) papers we whittled it down to. Because of that, we thought, “How can we possibly offer different fine art and photo papers without anyone being able to see or touch them?” Well, that’s why this blog post is here. We are going to do our very best to show, explain, and hopefully make it easier to pick which paper YOU like for an image. (There is also a blog post about our “Unique Styles” and the many ‘unconventional’ medium choices there.)

Below is a list (which can, and will likely, change) of the current choices of papers that we have selected to offer. But first, we want to include a few pre-definitions (for those who aren’t actually in the ‘paper/printing business’). These are just to clarify some of the technical terms used to define our paper choices. (Heck. We had to look up a few ourselves! See? We don’t know everything!)

Let’s get this party started!
(Please remember, we are always available to help with either an explanation or help with choosing which paper may work best for a particular image… Just ask!)

GSM: Paper weight or ‘gsm’ (grams per square meter). For reference, standard printer paper is 60-100gsm, but fine art papers range from 170-400gsm (400gsm would be the heaviest and thickest).

Weight
Paper weight is measured in gsm which stands for 'grams per square meter'. The weight of the paper isn't something you need to worry about too much. All of our fine art papers and photo print papers are a suitable weight for professional printing.
Generally however, artists prefer a heavier paper as it offers rigidity and a more substantial feel. A heavier gsm is also preferable if you are creating a large print for display as it is easier to mount.

A guide to gsm levels:
• 60-100gsm is standard for most household print paper. This is the weight you would expect to feel for a typical A4 piece of print paper.
• 110-140gsm is the weight typical of most traditional poster papers. It's sturdy enough to withstand a little wear and tear but too thin for a fine art print. Think flyers and posters.
• 170-200gsm is a more weighty and sturdy paper. This is the minimum gsm we'd recommend using for fine art print.
• 210-300gsm is generally the weight for a more premium fine art paper. It is a little more like card with a tactile feel but still has a bend to it.
• 310-400gsm is a much thicker, card-like paper. This is the weight you'd likely feel for greetings cards and wedding invitations. The highest gsm we offer across our photo and fine art paper is 315gsm. This is for a premium, heavyweight paper that offers the look and feel of original artwork.

Matte: Matte paper is the least ‘shiny’. It has a much softer appearance than a gloss (very shiny) paper.

Glossy: Glossy paper is fairly self-explanatory, it is shiny (glossy). There are, of course, degrees of gloss (in the same vain as paint — matte, glossy, semi-gloss, satin, etc.)

Cotton (Rag): Cotton Rag paper is made, literally, from used cloth (rags). Cotton paper is superior in strength and durability to wood-based papers (it absorbs ink better.)

Satin: Satin (Semi-Gloss or Lustre) Paper has a soft, lustrous finish. Satin paper is less shiny than gloss, and shinier than matte.

Lustre: A Lustre finish paper is the perfect combination of Glossy and Matte papers. It offers rich colors and skin tones, and a subtle texture and fingerprint resistance.

Metallic: Metallic finish prints have a pearlescent (softer than glare from glossy) effect embedded into the paper, which adds a luxurious brilliance to images. Metallic finish almost creates a 3D effect giving photos warmth and depth.

Archival: Archival prints are museum-quality pieces that use refined particles of pigment to create beautiful, high-resolution finished artwork. As its name suggests, this method of printing creates artwork that is designed to last 100-200 years.

Giclée: Giclée is a French word meaning “to spray,” referring to how an inkjet printer works and how giclée prints are produced. The high-quality papers and archival inks used for the printing of giclées ensure that the prints appreciate in value.

Velvet finish: Velvet paper is a unique matte (no shine) fine art paper with a rich, soft suede-like texture.

Pearl-like texture: A Pearl photo finish is slightly more glossy than satin, while a lustre finish is slightly less glossy than satin and closer to a matte finish. Pearl finish paper often include subtle texture.

Calendered surface: Calendering is the process by which the surface of the paper is rendered less fibrous and spongy in appearance. The paper is pressed by rollers to smooth it.

Etching paper: (Hahnemühle German) Etching paper is a traditional mould-made copperplate printing paper, with a matte coating designed especially for fine art prints. The white art paper is characterized by its extraordinary velvety feel and fine, clearly defined felt structure. The unique surface texture of this heavyweight paper adds a very special touch to images—showcasing them in all their splendor with impressive three-dimensional effect and depth.

Budget Photo Paper

(BPP) 170gsm
Printing method: Giclée (Photo)

An economical lustre poster paper with a high white, satin finish and smooth microporous coating for accurate photo reproduction. The smooth finish and wide color gamut make this an excellent substrate for posters and professional photographs.

⧓ Texture: Medium Texture Finish: Lustre, Satin Whiteness: High White

◼︎ Eco Credentials:
• Water-based inks (printing uses water-based inks)
• Sustainably Sourced Paper or Wood (from sustainable forests)
• Vegan-friendly (contains no animal products)

Lustre Photo Paper

(LPP) 240gsm
Printing method: Giclée (Photo)

A premium photographic paper with a satin lustre finish. Preferred by professional photographers, the finish provides a subtle pearl-like texture. Supporting deeper color saturation than matte papers, this stock produces impressive color depth and strikingly intense blacks.

⧓ Texture: Subtle pearl-like texture Finish: Satin Whiteness: Bright White

◼︎ Eco Credentials:
• Water-based inks (printing uses water-based inks)
• Sustainably Sourced Paper or Wood (from sustainable forests)
• Plastic-free (contains zero plastics)
• Vegan-friendly (contains no animal products)

Hahnemühle Photo Lustre

(HPL) 260gsm
Printing method: Giclée (Photo)

This specialist photo paper has a semi-gloss, velvet finish and guarantees long-lasting, fade-resistant prints. The paper has a deeper color saturation than matte paper. It’s thicker than traditional consumer papers and is more resistant to fingerprints and smudges.

⧓ Texture: Smooth, non-textured Finish: Semi-gloss Whiteness: Bright White

◼︎ Eco Credentials:
• Water-based inks (printing uses water-based inks)
• Sustainably Sourced Paper or Wood (from sustainable forests)
• Local Fulfillment (reduces carbon emissions)
• Plastic-free (contains zero plastics)
• Vegan-friendly (contains no animal products)

Smooth Photo Rag

(SPR) 285gsm
Printing method: Giclée (Photo)

A matte 100% cotton rag paper offering a similar archival-standard performance to our Hahnemühle photo rag paper but at a slightly lower weight. It has a smooth, highly calendered (pressed by rollers to smooth it) surface. This mid-white paper produces smooth, natural skin tones and is well suited for premium portraiture and wedding photography.

⧓ Texture: Smooth, highly calendered surface Finish: Matte Whiteness: Mid-White

Hahnemühle Photo Rag

(HPR) 308gsm
Printing method: Giclée (Photo)

A heavy-duty matte paper made of 100% cotton rag with a natural white tone and excellent black saturation. It has a soft texture with a lightly defined felt structure. Popular with professional photographers, this paper produces very high-quality print reproductions.

⧓ Texture: Soft with a lightly defined felt structure Finish: Matte Whiteness: Natural White

Hahnemühle Fine Art Pearl

(HFAP) 285gsm
Printing method: Giclée (Photo)

A specialist photographic paper ideally suited to black and white reproductions requiring a silver gelatin, C-type pearl finish. With a delicately textured smooth and silky feel, this substrate meets the highest industry standards regarding density, color gamut, color graduation and image sharpness, while preserving the special touch and feel of genuine art paper.

⧓ Texture: Smooth and delicately textured Finish: Pearl, Mid-sheen Whiteness: Bright White

C-type Paper

Printing method: C-type, Silver halide (Photo)

C-types are silver halide color papers designed exclusively to produce professional color prints, with a brilliant white base that offers continuous tone and excellent image stability. These premium papers allow for incredible depth and beautifully vibrant colors. C-types papers are offered in lustre, high gloss, or metallic finish.

⧓ Texture: * Finish: Lustre, High Gloss, or Metallic Whiteness: *

◼︎ Eco Credentials:
• Local Fulfillment (reduces carbon emissions)

Smooth Art Paper

(SAP) 240gsm
Printing method: Giclée (Art)

One of our most popular substrates, this is a high-quality, smooth matte paper with a light, fine-grain surface texture. This paper is particularly suited to contemporary illustration and photography. Image reproduction is sharp, crisp and vibrant, with great density and vivid colors.

⧓ Texture: Smooth with a fine grain texture Finish: Matte Whiteness: Bright White

Enhanced Matte Art

(EMA) 200gsm
Printing method: Giclée (Art)

This museum quality paper is our substrate of choice for global fine art prints. It gives consistent high quality results and is ideal for full color graphics or illustrations.
The matte finish emphasizes different highlights and tones in the source artworks; helping to create stunning works of art.

⧓ Texture: Smooth Finish: Matte Whiteness: Natural White

Museum Fine Art

(MFA) 280gsm
Printing method: Giclée (Art)

A gently textured etching paper designed for museum-quality reproductions. This beautiful and versatile art paper is particularly suited to Giclée reproductions of artworks and paintings. Ideal for both color and monochrome prints.

⧓ Texture: Super smooth with a gentle texture Finish: Matte Whiteness: Bright White

We would like to thank prodigi for the fine art paper information and images. You guys rock.