Archival Matte Paper Vs Glossy

Gloss left appears smoother and shinier than matte right.

Archival matte paper vs glossy.

Matte finish photos are useful for very small prints like the ones you keep in your wallet or passport photographs. The extra shine works well on print files with heavy color coverage especially photographs and big graphics. Since glossy paper makes the colors of an image more vibrant this coating option works best for colored photo prints. Matte finish has a lot of texture on the surface so it won t pick up fingerprints as easily as glossy paper.

The images won t be quite as vibrant or colorful. If you are looking for acid free archival paper for printing photographs art drawings and heirloom books we offer dozens of choices. But rag cotton paper will have a matte finish. Glossy photo paper is shinier this makes the color in your images pop on the sheet.

Select archival quality paper such as a rag cotton paper. The shine on glossy prints also adds a contemporary element to your photos so this finish is not recommended for vintage style photography such as images printed in black and white or sepia tones. In other words it is a measurement of how long the image will last without losing its colour and without fading or changing its tones. Matte and gloss paper are coated sheets that appear smooth.

Use of glossy paper with a dye based printer has the consequence of colors fading or shifting over time they are not archival quality so if you want the colors to last for decades. This effect also makes.