Fine Art Paper & Canvas Guide — The Painted Pixel
Fine art paper texture

The Painted Pixel · Fine Art Printing

The paper is part
of the art.

Every substrate we stock was chosen for a reason. From ultra-smooth cotton rag to woven gallery canvas, each surface changes how your work looks and feels.

Fine art printing, done right.

We create museum-quality prints using archival pigment inks on the finest papers and canvas. This process is often known as Giclée printing, and is considered the gold standard in fine art reproduction. Each substrate we carry was chosen carefully to suit a wide range of professional presentations. Our papers combined with our top tier archival process ensures your prints capture every detail, color, and texture — for many years to come.

Many of our papers are OBA-free, providing a more stable, long-lasting surface that will remain true for years to come. For those who prefer a brighter white, we also offer papers containing Optical Brightening Agents (OBAs) — a valid choice for achieving a crisp, bright white base.

Pick a surface that brings your work to life:

We offer four tiers of substrates — from accessible Economy papers to museum-certified Super Premium and gallery canvas — so there's a right option for every project, budget, and collector. Scroll down to explore each one, or use our pricing calculator to compare pricing across all tiers and get an instant quote on any size.

Economy

Professional results at an accessible price point.

Archival Matte paper texture
Smooth Matte100% Cotton Rag

LexJet

Archival Matte

230 gsm

"A crisp, bright cotton surface that punches well above its price. The dependable workhorse of archival matte."

Surface

Smooth, medium-weight matte

White Point

Bright white

Composition

100% Cotton Rag

OBA Status

Contains OBA's

Texture
Sheen

Best For

High-contrast digital art, bold graphic prints, and edition work on a budget.

Cold press textured paper
Cold Press TexturedMade in the USA

Breathing Color

600mt

320 gsm

"The robust texture on this bright white, fine art paper is a perfect vessel for your painted reproductions."

Surface

Cold-pressed, ultra-textured matte

White Point

Bright white

Composition

100% Alpha-cellulose

OBA Status

Contains OBA's

Texture
Sheen

Best For

Watercolor and gouache reproductions. Any piece where a visible, tactile surface enhances the work.

Semi-matte photo paper
Semi-MattePhoto-Style

Epson

Semi-Matte

260 gsm

"Deep photographic richness without the mirror glare. A familiar, trusted surface for color-forward work."

Surface

Smooth semi-matte, low-glare

White Point

Bright white

Composition

Resin-coated photo base

OBA Status

Contains OBA's

Texture
Sheen

Best For

Rich color and contrast without glare. Traditional photo printing with a fine art sensibility.

Premium

Pure 100% cotton rag, archival certified, artist recommended.

Metallic glossy paper with shimmer
Metallic GlossHigh-Impact

Epson

Metallic Glossy

257 gsm

"Highlights shimmer. Shadows gleam. A show-stopping finish for images with something to say."

Surface

Smooth, high-gloss metallic

White Point

Brilliant bright white

Composition

Resin-coated metallic base

Effect

Luminous 3-D depth & sheen

Texture
Sheen

Best For

Seascapes, astrophotography, abstracts — any work that benefits from extra snap, depth, and metallic highlights.

Super Premium

Museum-certified substrates with uncompromising permanence.

Hahnemühle Photo Rag fine art paper
Museum Grade500 Years of Papermaking

Hahnemühle · Est. 1584

Photo Rag

308 gsm

"Five centuries of German papermaking tradition — the global gold standard of fine art reproduction."

Surface

Soft cotton matte, luxurious hand

White Point

Natural white

Composition

100% Cotton Rag

Archival

Museum certified permanence

Texture
Sheen

Best For

Limited editions, gallery submissions, and prints meant to be held and cherished for generations.

Hahnemühle Agave sustainable paper
Eco + SustainableTree-Free

Hahnemühle

Agave

290 gsm

"Beautifully unique. Sustainably sourced. A paper with a character no other substrate can replicate."

Surface

Soft matte, subtle organic texture

White Point

Warm natural white

Composition

70% Agave Fiber, 30% Cotton

Sustainability

Tree-free, eco-certified

Texture
Sheen

Best For

Eco-conscious collectors. Botanical work, nature photography, images that suit a warm organic ground.

Canvas

Gallery-wrapped and ready to hang, or rolled for future stretching or framing.

Chromata Matte canvas
Matte CanvasOBA Free · Made in USA

Breathing Color

Chromata Matte

400 gsm

"Non-reflective gallery elegance. A matte canvas that makes your work the focus — not the light on the wall."

Composition

100% Cotton

Finish

Non-reflective, acid-free

Coating

Hand-coated with B.C. Varnish

Texture
Sheen

Best For

Gallery walls and contemporary interiors. Non-reflective and ready to hang without glass. The 1.5" profile has real visual presence.

Crystalline Satin canvas
Semi-Gloss Canvas

Breathing Color

Crystalline Canvas Satin

440 gsm

"The perfect balance — satin sheen brings depth and vibrancy without the full mirror of gloss."

Composition

Cotton/Poly blend

Weight

Heavyweight gallery standard

Finish

Satin sheen with subtle texture

Texture
Sheen

Best For

Portraits and color-rich artwork. Traditional gallery presentation with a subtle luminous quality.

Crystalline Gloss canvas
High-Gloss Canvas

Breathing Color

Crystalline Canvas Glossy

440 gsm

"Maximum saturation, maximum impact. For work that commands the room the moment you walk in."

Composition

Cotton/Poly blend

Weight

Heavyweight gallery standard

Effect

Full gloss, reflective sheen

Texture
Sheen

Best For

Bold, colorful artwork that should leap off the wall. Wildlife, abstracts, vibrant fine art.

How would you like it finished?

All Chromata Matte canvas is hand-varnished with Breathing Color’s Timeless UV Varnish in our studio. Satin & Glossy Canvas are pre-coated. Choose stretched (wired and ready to hang) or unstretched (rolled in a tube for your client or framer).

Stretched Wired & ready to hang
5/8" Stretched — Mirrored Edge

Mirrored Edge

5/8" Profile

Slim modern profile. Image mirrors around the sides — wired and ready to hang.

1.5" Stretched — Mirrored Edge

Mirrored Edge

1.5" Profile

Full gallery depth. The most popular choice for easy display — wired and ready to hang.

1.5" Stretched — Solid Color Edge

Solid Color Edge

1.5" Profile

Clean gallery finish. Specify Black, White, or a custom hex color when ordering.

Unstretched Ships rolled · you stretch
Unstretched — No Border

No Border · For Framing

No Border

Image printed edge to edge with no wrap allowance.

Unstretched — Mirrored Border

Mirrored · For Stretching Later

With Printed Border

Mirrored edge printed on the wrap allowance — available for 5/8" or 1.5" depth.

Unstretched — Solid Color Border

Solid Color · For Stretching Later

With Printed Border

Solid color edge on the wrap allowance — available for 5/8" or 1.5" depth.

Ready to see your work in print?

All prints made by humans in Denver, CO.
Handled by artists, from start to finish.

Start Your Print Order →