Digital Prints

Coating Prints
The decision of whether or not to coat a digital print is dependent on how the print is made
and what problems need solving. Some newer printers, such as Epson’s R800, are starting
to incorporate a form of gloss coating as a print device option, but the applications (so far)
are limited, and many imagemakers are experimenting with coating their prints.
Why Coat?
The main benefit of post-coating digital prints is protection—protection against moisture,
UV light damage, atmospheric contaminants, biochemical activity (molds), plus the abrasion,
scuffing, and fingerprinting that always seem to occur with normal print handling.
Coatings can also be used to even out gloss differential and to punch-up or add depth to
the color intensity of inkjet inks, especially pigmented ones that sometimes have a
reduced color gamut. This is a well-known technique to increasing the Dmax of an inkjet
print’s dark shadows.
Digital artist Dot Krause used Clearstar’s ClearShield Type C semigloss liquid laminate for
her Boston Federal Reserve mural project (see Chapter 1). Explains Krause, “The
ClearShield enriched the color while providing protection from UV light, airborne particles,
moisture, and abrasion. It also made the surface of my pigment inkjet prints more flexible,
enabling the canvas to be wrapped around the edges of the custom-made stretchers.”
Do the coatings actually help with print permanence? This is a hotly debated issue, where
some believe coatings can do more harm than good. “Many of these coatings,” says artist
and artists’ materials researcher Mark Gottsegen, “may eventually cross-link, which makes
them harder to remove should that become necessary; some may yellow or crack.”
Chapter 9 ■ Finishing and Displaying Your Prints 285
Talk about embellishing! Canadian artist Dorene Macaulay embellishes her canvas prints by painting on colored, melted wax, using a blow torch, and finally
gouging the surface.
Courtesy of Maureen Toles/www.dragonflyprinting.com