Canon’s imagePROGRAF range covers a lot of ground, from graphic arts printers used for photography, fine art and exhibition work to models designed mainly for technical drawings, posters and office graphics. Many photographers and print studios run them alongside, or instead of, other water-based pigment printers.
What follows is Landor’s own practical guidance. Canon has not reviewed or endorsed it, and it does not replace the advice that comes with your printer and media.
Know which inks you are printing with
Most imagePROGRAF printers used for photographic and fine art output use water-based pigment inks. Some models, particularly those aimed at technical and CAD printing, have used dye-based colour inks, sometimes alongside a pigment black. That difference matters for coating, so check your printer’s specification or ink labels before you start.
- Pigment prints are generally a sound base for Colourjet. Focus your testing on the media.
- Dye or mixed dye and pigment prints need more caution. Some dyes can bleed or shift colour under a solvent coating, and dye prints are more prone to fading and moisture damage in any case. Read the dye-ink guidance in our compatibility section before coating these.
Typical imagePROGRAF jobs and how to protect them
Fine art and photographic prints
Canvas, lustre and gloss papers are the most common candidates for coating. Colourjet gives a wipeable surface and integrated UV inhibitors, which is useful for unglazed canvas and prints sold to customers who will hang them in bright rooms. Matte and cotton rag papers can be coated, but the result changes their character and some uncoated papers can react to solvent, so test carefully.
Posters and point-of-sale
Short-term posters may not need coating at all. Where they will be handled, wiped or displayed near windows, a coat can extend their usable life. ClearJet aerosols in gloss or semi-gloss are a convenient option for small quantities.
Checklist before coating
- Let the print dry fully. Heavy shadow areas on photo media take the longest.
- Coat a sample from the same roll, printed with the same media setting.
- Check fine linework and text closely for any softening.
- Compare the coated and uncoated sample under the lighting where the print will hang.
You can find the full coating range on our products page.
If you would like a second opinion on an imagePROGRAF print, post us a sample along with the media name, or call 01252 624 411 to talk it over.