Photo & Art Posters
Posters of photography and fine art are a great way to offer prints of your work at a lower cost to a larger market. Utilizing the same museum quality printing we employ for limited edition prints, we can print any quantity of posters from 1 to 100 or more, so you get on-demand printing convenience as well as the highest quality.
Art posters are great because they can be sold loose without mounting or framing. But if you like, we can also mount them on a variety of substrates such as Sintra or Gatorfoam. We can also laminate them so they can be safely displayed without framing behind glass.
If you need help with your poster design, we're happy to help with that as well. Simply indicate on your order that you need design help and we'll contact you and work out the details.
For those who need even more economical solutions, we offer posters on less expensive papers printed at high quality, but not our highest quality. You can find information on these less expensive options by looking through the material options using our Price Calculator, Order Form, or by visiting our indoor printing Posters page.
The information below shows the variety of materials we offer for photo and art posters, has our recommendations for the best materials to use in different situations, provides answers to common questions, and explains how to place an order.
- Printing Materials
- Our Recommendations
- FAQ
- How to Order
To find pricing information for printing on any of the materials below, click the Calculate Price button. If you're thinking about ordering, you may want to use the Place Order button to get pricing, since that way you will have the option to continue on and actually complete an order.
The materials below are our most high end materials intended for framing. There are additional, less expensive options available under the Printing for Indoor Use section, specifically on the Posters page.
Poster Papers
Below are the papers we recommend for our highest quality fine art posters. Photo papers simulate the look of traditional photo prints, but are still printed using the giclee process. They are popular because they offer tremendous color depth and saturation, and are the least expensive materials for giclee printing.
Fine Art Poster - 270 gsm
This smooth, natural-white, acid-free paper has the look and feel of a heavy, matte offset paper. It is made in Switzerland and has excellent water resistance. It’s great for giclee fine art printing, photographic reproductions and posters. It delivers exceptional print quality at an economical price. Available in widths up to 36".
Approximate longevity of 50-80 years.
Premium Semi Matte Photo Paper - 270 gsm
This professional photo paper offers excellent color and a heavy 270 gsm weight. The semi-matte finish is the lowest gloss level available in a professional photo paper. This paper is moisture and smudge resistant, but susceptible to scratching so we recommend careful handling and framing behind glass. Available in widths up to 44".
Approximate longevity of 80-100 years. Oil by Kinuko Y. Craft - http://www.kycraft.com
Professional Photo Satin - 300 gsm
This professional photo paper offers excellent color reproduction and a heavy 300 gsm weight. The traditional E surface finish provides an elegant texture consistent to that of a dark room. Also available in high gloss. While this paper is moisture, smudge, and scratch resistant, we recommend careful handling and framing behind glass. Available in widths up to 60".
Approximate longevity of 80-100 years.
Professional Photo Gloss - 300 gsm
This professional photo paper offers excellent color reproduction and a heavy 300 gsm weight. The high gloss surface provides excellent color depth for situations where glare isn't a concern. Also available in a satin finish. While this paper is moisture, smudge, and scratch resistant, we recommend careful handling and framing behind glass. Available in widths up to 44".
Approximate longevity of 80-100 years.
Simulated Canvas - 16mil
This economical canvas look material is composed of an archival photo paper with canvas textured laminate, creating the look of canvas without the cost. An excellent choice when the print will be mounted to a rigid substrate, such as foamboard, or when a less expensive option is required. Available in widths up to 60".
Approximate longevity in excess of 100 years.
Poster Papers
For a poster paper with a matte finish, the Fine Art Poster Paper offers exceptional quality and a moisture and smudge resistant image with flat finish that is more like an art paper. It is the thickest of any of the papers at 13mil and a fairly substantial weight of 270 gsm, making it excellent for framing or selling loose.
For the highest quality archival digital posters, the Professional Photo Satin and Gloss are our highest quality photo papers. They are the the heaviest weight papers we offer and are printed at our highest resolution for the finest prints available. We prefer the satin finish as it has a beautiful surface finish and doesn't show as much glare or fingerprinting.
Below are some Frequently Asked Questions with their corresponding answers regarding poster printing.
No, because the process is digital you can order any quantity from 1 on up. There are discounts for ordering multiple copies, so the price per print decreases with larger quantities, but there is no minimum.
Normal turnaround time is 3-4 days. During the order process you will be asked if you have a specific due date, and if you do, we will adjust your shipping method, if necessary, to get your order to you on time. If you need your order even quicker, we also have a rush service. If you authorize rush charges, we can get your order shipped the same day or the next day. Rush charges are typically 50% of your order up to a maximum of $75. If we're able to meet your deadline without bumping other jobs, we won't actually charge the rush charge, but you must authorize the rush to guarantee delivery.
When you're ready to order, you can use the main menu above or the Place Order button next to each item in the Printing Materials tab. We've worked hard to make the order process as simple as possible while still collecting all the information we need to quickly and accurately complete your order. This section will cover in detail the steps you need to take to place an order for an art poster using our order form.
When you first open the order form, there will be an expanding list of items on the left. If you use the Place Order button, you can skip to the next step, otherwise, choose the Art & Photo Reproduction option, then choose Giclee Reproduction and select the specific material you want from the drop down list under Photo Papers. If you haven't already decided on a material, you can choose different items and read their descriptions to help you make a choice. If you need some help in deciding, you can also look in the Our Recommendations tab for some suggestions.
Once you tell us how you are sending your file, you will be presented with a form to complete. Here you need to tell us the printed image width and printed image height you want for your job. You must also indicate the finished trimmed width and height. For paper prints, you can make the trimmed size the same as the image size if you want your image to extend all the way to the edge of the paper. If you want to have a margin of paper left around the printed photo then make the finished trimmed size larger to allow for the margin you want.
Next enter the number of copies you want printed in the quantity field and the price will be calculated.
If you are ordering limited edition posters in a numbered series, and wish to have certificates of authenticity with your order, check the appropriate box on the form and complete the additional information required for the certificate. Keep in mind that we don't offer certificates for open edition prints or artist's proofs, although you can create your own if you find you need them for these types of prints.
Next you can request a proof. A reduced size printed proof is $30 and will be printed on the same material as your final print, but an electronic pdf or jpg proof is free. A pdf proof is good for checking the general layout, proof reading, etc., but if you're concerned about color accuracy or the quality of an image when enlarged to full size, a physical proof is the best option. A reduced size proof of the overall design is good for proofing color, or we can print a section of the graphic at full size so you can see how an image will look when blown up. If we feel the file will print poorly, we will always contact you to discuss your options before printing, but since our expectations and yours may not match, and since custom printed graphics cannot be returned, a proof is your best way to verify what the final print will look like in advance.
The final step before adding your print to the shopping cart is to tell us what you want us to do if your file doesn't fit the dimensions you gave us. The options are to have us size your file to fit the dimensions you provided and crop any excess, or to contact you for instructions. If you're sure that your image actually sizes correctly to your dimensions, it doesn't really matter which option you choose because neither one will be necessary. But, if you're not sure, you should either choose to have us contact you, or tell us to crop the image to fit. We'll do our best to crop your image in way that makes sense, but you should also be sure to request a pdf proof so you can see the results of the cropping.
Once you've complete all the previous steps, click the Add to Cart button to add this print to your shopping cart. On the shopping cart screen you can see all the items you've added to your order, delete any that you don't want, and have another chance to upload your file if you chose Upload Later from the order form. You can also choose Add Another to add another item to your order.
You don't need to log in or create an account to select and add items to your shopping cart, but you will need to do so in order to complete your order. This is so your account history can be maintained for future reference and ordering convenience. Your account information is secure and confidential, and creating an account WILL NOT result in unwanted e-mails from us, or anyone else.
Once you have placed all the items you want in your cart, and are logged in to your account, click the Order Now button. You will be asked to specify either normal turnaround time for your order, or provide a specific due date. If you do specify a due date, you will also be given the option to authorize rush charges for your order. If you need your order completed in less than the normal 3-5 day turnaround, you should authorize rush charges to ensure you get your order on time. Rush charges are 50% of your order total, up to a maximum of $75. If we don't have to bump other jobs to meet your deadline, you won't be charged the rush fee, but if you don't authorize the charges, we'll do what we can to complete your order on time, but won't go so far as to bump other jobs. If you specify a due date, we will adjust the shipping method, if necessary, to ensure your order arrives by the date you specified. In this case, extra shipping charges may apply.
Next you will be asked to select the shipping method, and finally the payment type. You should know that your credit card is not being charged when you submit the form. We are collecting the information for your order, but you will not be charged until we have verified your order to make sure there were no mistakes made. That way, if there are aspects of your order that change, we can adjust the order and the shipping cost, if necessary, before you are charged.
Once you click the Order button, you will receive an order summary via e-mail for your records, and we will receive your order and the process can begin.
As always, if you have any questions or need assistance, please Contact Us and we'll be happy to help you with the process.