Sorry the third part in this “printing on canvas” series took so long, but there were many trials and errors in finding the best coating application to protect the work. This is not to say I have found the perfect product, but merely information to help others in the sealing process of their canvas prints.

First off, I always let my prints dry for 24 hours before applying any sealer. The two types of coatings I have tried is Eco Print Shield and Timeless. (Note: I always used the satin finish in these products since it seems the most appropriate for fine art in my opinion). There are two ways to apply the coating. You can use a dense, foam-roller to roll the product onto your canvas. I tried this method many times, but quickly found it frustrating & inconsistent. I had trouble with air bubbles appearing and keeping an even application of the product. It certainly is the most cost-effective method, but it can also be time consuming.

The next choice, using an HVLP spray gun. Initially, I went with an electric Wagner version. This model did a good job for a couple of months, then the gun started to spray inconsistently. It got heavy-use and for the $70 price point, most likely, it just couldn’t stand up to the wear and tear.

The next choice was an Husky Pro air gun (shown in photo) driven by an air-compressor. For those interested in printing on canvas, this method is the fastest and most efficient for producing the best results. Be sure to choose a compressor that has enough recommended volume for spray guns. The smaller compressors will have to run more frequently, since an air gun drains the tank quickly. I mention this only because compressors can be quite noisy (imagine a lawn mower) and you may want to avoid this scenario depending on your setting.

Initially, I was using the Epson Premium Canvas Matte paper and coating it with EPS. The biggest issue I had with this process was, when it came time to stretch & fold the canvas, there was always separation of the ink from the paper. This only occurred around the corners where folding took place, but it is a big issue in trying to produce a defect-free product. I would touch the areas up with acrylic paint to fix them, but who has time to do such things.

After some discussion with other users in the biz, I decided to try Breathing Color’s Chromata White canvas along with their Timeless protection. Immediately, I found this paper to give a broader color spectrum on my prints than the Epson PCM. The paper runs about the same price (with Breathing Color’s 3+ discount) as the Epson PCM, but it is thicker, contains no optical brighteners and did produce more vibrant results. The best part was, there was very minimal ink separation on the fold & stretch, most of the time there is none.

Occasionally, I will get air bubbles appearing in the Timless coating. Apparently, the canvas paper will release air when the coating is applied and it may take 1-2 minutes after the coating hits the paper. It usually occurs with the coating is applied too heavily and too quickly. These air bubbles can ruin your smooth coating by popping and forming raised circles in your finish. It took time to figure this out, but after some discussion with Breathing Color, the solution is to apply a really light coat in 1-2 applications. They call this a “tack” layer and it will keep the air from passing through when you apply the heavier coats. So far, this solution has worked well on my end. It does take additional time to do it this way, but the results are nearly flawless and that is good for business.

To Breathing Color’s credit, they are willing to discuss issues and learn all they can about improving their product. On the other hand, EPS was not so responsive when I was having issues with their product.