How to Choose the Right Print Medium: Fine Art Paper, Alu-Dibond or Acrylic?

Fine Art papers — such as the Hahnemühle 308 gsm we use — are cotton papers with a subtly textured surface, often called 'museum grade' because they are what you find in collections and galleries. The finish is matte, soft, with no reflections at all. Blacks are deep yet never harsh, and tonal transitions have a delicacy that glossy media simply cannot reproduce.

It is the ideal choice for atmospheric images: morning mist, snow scenes, wildlife portraits, landscapes at dusk. Framed behind glass with a mat board, a Fine Art print has a calm, almost painterly presence. Longevity is also the best on the market: with pigment inks, we are talking several decades without visible fading.

Avoid it, however, if you are after maximum colour impact and contrast in a very bright room: a matte surface absorbs light rather than bouncing it back.

Alu-Dibond is a composite panel: two thin aluminium sheets around a polyethylene core. The image is printed directly onto the surface, with no glass and no frame. The result is matte or satin, perfectly flat, remarkably light for its size, and understated in a way that suits contemporary interiors.

It is the most versatile medium: it handles large formats without bowing, is unbothered by moderate humidity or reflections, and mounts to the wall with a hidden system that gives the print an elegant floating effect. Structured landscapes, architecture and graphic wildlife images gain remarkable crispness on it.

Its only limitation: it does not 'glorify' the image the way acrylic does. What you see is faithful and precise, but without any added sense of depth.

An acrylic print is made by face-mounting the photograph behind a 2 to 4 mm sheet of polished acrylic. Light travels through the sheet, reflects off the image and comes back saturated with colour: no other medium offers as much brilliance, saturation and perceived depth.

For astrophotography it is almost the obvious choice: the blacks of the night sky become dense as lacquer, and stars and nebulae seem lit from within. Sunsets, turquoise water and any high-contrast image benefit from the same spectacular effect.

Two words of caution: acrylic is glossy, hence prone to reflections — avoid hanging it opposite a window — and it needs gentle cleaning (microfibre cloth, never ammonia-based products).

One, what is the mood of the image? Soft and textured: Fine Art. Graphic and minimal: Alu-Dibond. Intense and luminous: acrylic.

Two, what is the light like in the room? Facing a direct light source, prefer a matte medium; in a softly lit room, acrylic reveals its full potential.

Three, what size? Up to 60 × 40 cm, all media are technically equivalent. Beyond that, Alu-Dibond and acrylic offer a rigidity and flatness that framed paper can only match at a much higher cost.

When in doubt, write to us with a photo of your wall: we will reply with an honest recommendation — including when the cheapest option is the right one.