How Your Print Is Made: Archival Paper vs. Canvas, and Why It Lasts 100 Years

"Fine art print" is one of the most abused phrases on the internet. A lot of what's sold under that label is really a poster — mass-produced on cheap stock with dye inks that fade after a few years in daylight. So before you buy any print (mine or anyone else's), it's worth knowing how it's actually made. Here's how I do it, and how to choose the right material for your wall.

I print every piece myself

Every print I sell is made to order, by me, in my own studio on the Oregon Coast — never sent to a bulk lab, never pulled from a bin. That's not for romance; it's quality control. I see every print before it ships, and I sign it because my name is on it.

What "archival" actually means

"Archival" isn't a marketing word when it's done right. I print on archival-grade media using archival pigment inks — pigments, not dyes — which is why my prints are rated to hold their color and detail for 100+ years. A print made this way is something you pass down, not something you replace.

Paper vs. canvas — how to choose

Most of my work comes on one of two materials. Both are archival; they just do different things.

Fine art paper

A heavyweight archival paper renders the finest detail and the deepest tonal range — the classic gallery look. Paper prints are framed behind glass or acrylic with a mat, which adds a layer of formality and protection. Choose paper if you love crisp detail and a traditional framed presentation.

UV-sealed canvas

My canvas is finished with a matte varnish and a UV seal, which means no glare from any angle. Light soaks into it instead of bouncing off, so the image reads beautifully even on a bright wall or across a sunlit room. Canvas arrives stretched and ready to hang — no frame, no glass. Choose canvas if you want big impact, zero reflection, and a piece you can hang the day it arrives.

How to decide for your space

• Bright room or lots of windows? Canvas — the no-glare finish wins.
• Want the formal, framed gallery look? Paper behind glass.
• Want it on the wall the day it arrives? Canvas, ready to hang.
• Watching the budget? Both start affordable — that's the whole point.

Made for any budget — on purpose

Printing my own work lets me hold the quality high and keep it affordable. That's the mission: real fine art for any budget, that you'll love looking at every day. (Want a statement piece in metal or acrylic? Those are available as premium special orders — just get in touch.)

See it for yourself

Browse The Gallery to find your piece, or read Print Care & Framing to keep it looking its best for the next hundred years.