You might well expect Canon’s high-performance printers from its PRO Series to achieve consistently great results with a broad range of media.

Still, our team here at Prizma Graphics does receive queries from time to time about the specific papers that are compatible with certain Canon large-format printers.

One such paper that you may be looking to use, is washi paper. The name of this traditional, handmade paper literally translates as “Japanese paper”. Sure enough, this highly regarded media has its origins in the East Asian island country, going back over 1,300 years.

Why is Japanese washi paper so widely admired and used?

What is particularly striking about washi paper for many prospective and current users of this media, is its exceptional strength, durability, and flexibility, despite it also being much thinner than most Western papers.

In fact, washi paper is able to last for centuries without yellowing or degrading – a quality attributed to the long, interlocking fibres used to produce it.

It perhaps shouldn’t be a great surprise to newcomers, then, to learn that museums and galleries around the world use washi paper to repair valuable paintings. Certainly, such institutions greatly value the purity, lightweight texture, but also toughness of washi paper.

Having said all this, the predominant uses of washi paper today continue to be traditional Japanese art, screens, parasol, and lamp manufacture.  

Canon print technology and washi paper turn out to be a perfect match

If you acquired your present Canon device with fine art applications in mind, you might be particularly likely to wish to use it with washi paper.

In that case, the excellent news is: yes, machines in this Canon range can handle such a lightweight media! 12-colour Canon large-format printers in the PRO Series come with a preloaded media profile type, named “Japanese Paper Washi”.

So, the users of such printers will be able to select this option and then proceed with the printing of their beautiful artwork on washi paper, “straight out of the box”.

The Canon Tsuzuri Project shows what’s possible

If you have an interest in the frequently highly artistic uses for Japanese washi paper, you may be interested to learn about the Canon Tsuzuri Project.

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This collaboration between Canon and the Kyoto Cultural Association has seen the creation of various high-resolution, full-scale facsimiles of Japan’s cultural assets, drawing upon Canon’s digital imaging technology, combined with traditional Kyoto craftsmanship.

Following the use of a Canon DSLR camera to photograph the artwork in sections – subsequently stitched together digitally to create a single high-resolution image – printing takes place, using a large-format Canon ImagePROGRAF machine.

The media used for printing is – of course – a specially adapted washi paper that mimics the original surface of the artwork.

This highly digitally advanced and painstaking work results in extremely accurate reproductions that can be made available for educational purposes and public viewing, while the original artworks are stored safely.

You can find out more about the Tsuzuri Project on Canon’s global website.

Any questions about Canon large-format printers and associated media? Just ask us!

Our experts in wide-format design, printing, and graphics here at Prizma Graphics can understand if you are unsure as to which printers and media may best suit your intended application.

So, please don’t hesitate to send our queries to our professionals in Berkshire today, whether by phone or email. When you do, we will be pleased to provide tailored advice and guidance, to help ensure you get the best results from your projects.