Discover the World of Canson Infinity Papers – Excellence in Digital Fine Art Printing

When it comes to printing photography or fine art, not all paper is created equal. For professionals who demand excellence, longevity, and museum-grade results, the name Canson carries centuries of trust and craftsmanship. Born in France and in business since 1557, Canson has been a trusted companion of artists like Degas, Picasso, and Warhol. Today, that same commitment to quality lives on in Canson Infinity — their premier range of fine art and photo papers for digital inkjet printing.

Canson Infinity isn’t just another paper brand. It represents the harmony of heritage and innovation. Every sheet and canvas is designed with the meticulous standards of archival-grade material, ensuring that your work not only looks exquisite but stands the test of time. Whether you're a photographer looking for the deepest blacks, a fine artist aiming to preserve texture and tone, or a creative professional crafting an unforgettable portfolio — this collection is made for you.

In this in-depth review, we’ll guide you through the entire lineup of Canson Infinity products, from smooth cotton rag sheets to textured canvases, including the often-overlooked but essential archival storage and presentation tools. Whether you're discovering Canson Infinity for the first time or trying to decide which paper suits your next big project, you’re in the right place.

 

---

 

Canson Infinity Fine Art & Photo Papers Overview

Before diving into the individual papers, it’s helpful to understand what makes Canson Infinity truly stand apart. This isn’t simply about surface finish or paper weight — though those are important. It’s about what lies beneath the surface: the quality of the base material, the purity of the coating, and the thoughtful absence (or presence) of OBAs (optical brightening agents).

Here are a few core traits you’ll find across the Canson Infinity lineup:

• Archival Quality: Most Canson Infinity papers are acid-free, lignin-free, and meet museum standards for longevity. They are compliant with ISO 9706 for paper permanence.
  
  

• Materials Matter: You'll find a selection of 100% cotton papers for the most traditional, natural look and feel, as well as alpha-cellulose papers for exceptional sharpness and structure.
  
  

• Surface Options: Matte, satin, glossy, luster, textured — no matter your printing goals, there’s a surface that will enhance your work.
  
  

• OBA Considerations: Optical brighteners can make paper appear whiter, but they also degrade over time. Canson offers both OBA-free options (for maximum stability) and high-white alternatives (for vibrant color pop).
  
  

• Inkjet Compatibility: All Canson Infinity media are specially coated for pigmented and dye-based inkjet inks, providing exceptional Dmax, sharpness, and color fidelity.
  
  

Simply put, these papers are not just substrates. They are foundations for lasting impressions — where the medium becomes part of the message.

📊 Canson Infinity Media Overview Chart

Paper-by-Paper Breakdown – Part 1

1. Rag Photographique – 310 / 210 gsm

If you're searching for a smooth, matte fine art paper that delivers striking contrast and beautiful tonal range, Rag Photographique is a top contender. Made from 100% cotton and completely free of optical brightening agents (OBA), this paper is an ideal canvas for black and white photography, detailed art prints, and minimalist compositions.

The 310 gsm version offers a substantial, gallery-worthy weight, while the 210 gsm provides a lighter option better suited for portfolios or high-volume print runs. The surface is smooth to the touch, and the OBA-free formula ensures long-term stability for archival purposes. Whether you're printing fine art or high-contrast monochrome, Rag Photographique delivers with a richness and subtlety that's hard to match.

2. Rag Photographique Duo – 220 gsm

This paper is a dream for book artists, printmakers, and photographers who create double-sided portfolios. The Rag Photographique Duo has the same ultra-smooth surface and 100% cotton base as the single-sided version but is coated on both sides for true duplex printing.

Ideal for photo books, accordion-fold presentations, or any printed material where both sides of the paper matter, this 220 gsm paper retains excellent rigidity and image quality while offering creative flexibility. It’s one of the few truly high-end double-sided fine art papers on the market.

 

3. Rag Photographique High White – 310 gsm

Need a bit more brightness in your whites? Rag Photographique High White gives you all the advantages of the original — smooth surface, 100% cotton, no OBAs — but with a slightly higher white point. This makes it ideal for color photography, graphic illustrations, and artwork where vibrancy and punch are key.

It keeps the archival properties that Canson is known for but allows your colors to "pop" just a bit more, thanks to its refined white base. It’s a favorite among photographers who want that extra edge in contrast without sacrificing texture or paper quality.

 

4. Edition Etching Rag – 310 gsm

With its gentle texture and natural matte finish, Edition Etching Rag is a go-to for artists and photographers seeking a classic look. This paper combines a slightly grainy surface with the softness of 100% cotton, making it perfect for detailed etchings, charcoal drawings, and fine art photography.

It offers a superb tonal range and is especially popular for reproducing pencil or pastel-based artworks. Its textured surface enhances the tactile feel of the original piece, creating a more authentic and immersive viewing experience.

 

5. Aquarelle Rag – 310 gsm

This is the closest you can get to watercolor paper in the digital realm. Aquarelle Rag has a pronounced cold-press texture, ideal for replicating traditional watercolors, ink washes, and pastel work. It’s made from 100% cotton and is OBA-free, offering both archival quality and a beautiful handmade feel.

The heavy texture might not be suited for everything — for example, it can overwhelm fine photo details — but it’s perfect when you're looking to embrace painterly, expressive visuals in your prints. Fine artists love it for gallery prints that feel like the original.

 

6. Velin Museum Rag – 315 gsm

Rooted in Canson’s historical connection with printmakers and museums, Velin Museum Rag is a rich, lightly textured paper with a matte finish. Its soft grain gives it a classic elegance, making it particularly well-suited for charcoal drawings, lithographs, and high-contrast B&W prints.

The paper is OBA-free, 100% cotton, and meets the highest archival standards. It’s subtle, refined, and gives your prints a timeless quality. If you're going for sophistication and softness, Velin Museum Rag is a wonderful choice.

 

7. PrintMaKing Rag – 310 gsm

This warm-toned matte paper brings a softer, vintage character to your prints. The PrintMaKing Rag was inspired by traditional printmaking papers but optimized for digital printing. It has a velvety surface and slightly warm base tone that flatters sepia, monochrome, and delicate color palettes.

It’s a less common choice among the Canson line, but a favorite for those producing traditional-looking prints with a modern edge. Whether you’re doing photogravure-style imagery or hand-drawn artwork, this paper lets emotion lead the way.

 

8. Arches 88 – 310 gsm

One of the most luxurious options in the Canson Infinity family, Arches 88 is a mould-made, 100% cotton paper with a super-smooth surface and almost no texture. Originally designed for screen-printing, its high ink absorption and stunning color performance make it ideal for high-end digital fine art printing.

It's the paper of choice for minimalist photographic prints, graphic art, and any subject where surface texture should not interfere with the image. Its Dmax (black density) is truly impressive, and its color vibrancy is stunning.

9. Platine Fibre Rag – 310 gsm

Arguably one of the most celebrated papers in the entire lineup, Platine Fibre Rag brings the look and feel of traditional darkroom baryta prints to the digital age. It combines the richness of a true baryta surface with the softness of a 100% cotton base — something few papers manage to do.

The satin finish delivers a deep Dmax and subtle gloss that adds dimension without overpowering the image. It’s the perfect choice for black and white portraits, museum-quality color prints, and anything that demands both drama and finesse. Platine Fibre Rag is not just a paper — it’s a statement.

IV. Paper-by-Paper Breakdown – Part 2

10. Baryta Prestige II – 340 gsm

A true heavyweight in both feel and performance, Baryta Prestige II is Canson Infinity’s flagship baryta paper — engineered for photographers who want museum-grade tonal range, depth, and luminosity. Made with a cotton and alpha-cellulose blend, it features a true baryta layer that mimics traditional silver halide darkroom prints.

Its impressive 340 gsm weight adds a luxurious touch, and the paper produces deep blacks and brilliant whites with incredible detail retention. Baryta Prestige II is particularly well-suited for exhibition work, fine-art photo portfolios, and collectors' editions. It handles both color and black-and-white with equal grace.

 

11. Baryta Photographique II – 310 gsm / 310 Matt

The Baryta Photographique II line is a more accessible sibling to Baryta Prestige — still incredibly high-quality, but with a slightly lighter touch. The Glossy version has a natural, smooth satin surface that delivers strong contrast and a warm tone, while the Matt version offers a more subdued look with excellent shadow detail.

What sets these apart is their consistency: you get rich, dark blacks and vibrant color with reliable coating uniformity. Photographers who love the classic darkroom look but prefer modern inkjet precision often choose this paper for gallery exhibitions, portraiture, or portfolio prints.

 

12. PhotoGloss Premium RC – 270 gsm

For those in search of a high-gloss finish with the durability of resin coating, PhotoGloss Premium RC delivers. With its smooth, mirror-like surface, this paper is ideal for commercial photography, poster-style prints, or highly saturated images that need to stand out.

RC (resin-coated) papers like this are popular because they dry quickly, resist fingerprints, and are compatible with a wide variety of inks. This particular gloss paper offers excellent Dmax and color brilliance without a plasticky look — and that’s where Canson’s craftsmanship really shines through.

 

13. PhotoSatin Premium RC – 270 gsm

PhotoSatin Premium RC strikes a balance between gloss and matte — perfect for photographers who want vivid detail without excessive glare. Its satin (or semi-gloss) finish has a soft sheen that enhances colors while preserving subtle highlights and shadows.

It’s a favorite for printing everything from family portraits to landscape photography. The surface is scratch-resistant and dries quickly, making it practical for high-volume production or framing without glass. It’s one of the more forgiving RC options, especially for those transitioning from traditional photo paper to fine inkjet printing.

 

14. PhotoLustre Premium RC – 310 gsm

Lustre is a texture that sits halfway between satin and matte, and PhotoLustre Premium RC takes full advantage of that sweet spot. At 310 gsm, it’s heavier than most resin-coated papers, which gives it a professional feel and excellent handling characteristics.

This paper is loved by wedding photographers, event shooters, and portrait studios for its combination of vivid color output, soft reflection, and tactile appeal. It reproduces skin tones beautifully and is less prone to glare than full gloss, making it a dependable go-to for photo books and mounted prints.

 

15. Arches BFK Rives Pure White – 310 gsm

If you want a cotton rag paper with a clean, bright look, Arches BFK Rives Pure White is your answer. With over five centuries of papermaking tradition behind it, this paper is made at the Arches mill in France and offers a soft, silky texture that flatters everything from graphite drawings to minimalist photography.

This “pure white” version introduces a slightly brighter base tone than its traditional counterpart, making it better suited for color-intensive projects. Artists who do digital watercolor or graphic reproductions will love how it holds pigment and detail without overpowering the image with texture.

 

16. Arches BFK Rives White – 310 gsm

The “White” version of Arches BFK Rives is slightly warmer and more subdued, offering a softer, more natural tone compared to the Pure White. The texture is subtly felt, ideal for art reproductions, tonal photography, and soft-focus compositions.

This paper is especially useful when you're looking for elegance over contrast. It absorbs ink beautifully while maintaining a tactile feel. It's OBA-free and made from 100% cotton, so it's both luxurious and built to last. Great for gallery pieces, limited editions, and collector’s portfolios.

 

17. Arches Aquarelle Rag – 310 gsm

Bringing the experience of traditional watercolor paper into the digital world, Arches Aquarelle Rag has a deep, pronounced texture and a natural white base. It’s 100% cotton, mould-made, and OBA-free — a powerhouse for reproducing watercolor, gouache, and soft pastel work.

This paper has body, soul, and texture. It’s particularly valued by painters transitioning to digital art, as it replicates the tactile look and feel of their originals. If you want your prints to feel like they were hand-painted, this is the paper for you.

Canvas Options for Fine Art Printing

Canvas printing has surged in popularity not only for its aesthetic appeal but for its durability and tactile impact. Canson Infinity offers two standout canvas options that cater to professionals who want to bring their work off the wall and into full gallery presence.

 

1. Museum ProCanvas Water Resistant – 385 gsm

If your goal is to create true gallery-ready prints, Museum ProCanvas is the top-tier solution in the Canson line. Made with a poly-cotton blend and a heavy 385 gsm weight, this canvas is built for permanence and performance.

Its matte finish reduces reflections, making it perfect for brightly lit installations or modern interiors. The water-resistant coating allows for minimal post-coating, and the surface is optimized for stretching without cracking — a key factor for professionals creating mounted or framed pieces.

This canvas holds color and detail exceptionally well, allowing for nuanced transitions, painterly effects, and even bold black-and-white photography. It’s OBA-free, making it ideal for archival-quality art prints that are meant to endure.

 

2. PhotoArt ProCanvas Water Resistant – 395 gsm

Offering a similar construction to the Museum ProCanvas, the PhotoArt ProCanvas is slightly heavier and comes with a gloss finish, giving it a subtle sheen that enhances saturation and depth. It’s perfect for vivid color prints, bold photographic imagery, and any work where a little luminosity adds to the impact.

The poly-cotton blend offers both strength and stretchability, and the water-resistant coating means it can handle gentle cleaning or varnishing. Like all Canson Infinity media, it’s crafted with longevity in mind — acid-free, lignin-free, and built to stand the test of time.

Both canvases are ideal for professionals creating limited editions, gallery exhibitions, or high-end commissions. Whether you’re printing landscapes, portraits, or reproducing digital paintings, Canson’s canvas options let your work live large.

 

---

 

Archival Storage & Presentation Solutions

Canson doesn’t stop at paper and canvas. Their commitment to protecting your work continues with an excellent range of archival storage and presentation accessories that safeguard your prints from damage, dust, and fading — while maintaining a clean, professional look.

1. Archival Photo Storage Boxes

These sturdy, acid-free boxes are designed for safe long-term storage of fine art prints, photographs, negatives, and documents. Made from durable archival board, they feature a sleek black exterior with a soft interior finish that prevents scratches and wear on delicate media.

Ideal for collectors, printmakers, and galleries, the boxes are available in multiple sizes and can hold a wide range of Canson Infinity paper dimensions. Whether you're storing portfolio pieces or limited editions, these boxes preserve integrity without sacrificing style.

 

2. Glassine Tissue Interleaf

Thin yet protective, Glassine Tissue Interleaf is a must-have for anyone handling or shipping fine art prints. It provides a translucent barrier that prevents ink transfer, scuffing, and surface abrasion — especially important when dealing with matte papers or textured surfaces.

It’s acid-free, neutral pH, and won’t react with inks or coatings, making it a reliable companion for every stage of the printing and presentation process. Whether you're stacking prints, packaging shipments, or storing editions in archival boxes, this interleaf tissue helps maintain perfection.

These presentation tools are a small investment with a big return — helping artists and photographers uphold the archival integrity that Canson Infinity media is known for.

 

Canson Infinity Discovery Packs – Try Before You Commit

Choosing the perfect fine art paper or canvas can be a daunting task—each project and artist’s vision demands something unique. Recognizing this, Canson Infinity offers Discovery Packs—carefully curated sample sets that allow you to experience the look, feel, and performance of multiple papers before making a larger investment.

These packs are invaluable for artists, photographers, galleries, and print studios who want to:

• Compare textures, finishes, and weights side by side
  
  

• Test compatibility with different printers and inks
  
  

• Evaluate color reproduction and detail rendering on various media
  
  

• Decide which paper suits their specific style or client needs
  
  

Each Discovery Pack typically contains smaller-sized sheets representing Canson’s popular and specialty papers—from smooth matte cotton rag to textured watercolor styles and premium canvases. This hands-on approach saves time, reduces waste, and guarantees confidence when selecting media for your fine art projects.

Whether you’re new to Canson Infinity or a seasoned print professional, the Discovery Packs are a smart first step that ensures your final prints look exactly how you envision them.

 

---

 

Final Thoughts

Canson Infinity stands at the pinnacle of fine art digital printing media, combining heritage craftsmanship with modern innovation to deliver papers and canvases that meet the highest archival standards. From the smooth sophistication of Platine Fibre Rag to the textured depth of Arches Aquarelle Rag, and from heavyweight baryta papers to gallery-grade canvas, Canson’s range supports every creative vision.

Coupled with their archival storage solutions and thoughtfully designed Discovery Packs, Canson Infinity provides artists and photographers a comprehensive ecosystem to produce, protect, and present their work with unmatched quality and longevity.

If you’re ready to elevate your prints with trusted, museum-grade media, consider Canson Infinity your go-to choice. To ensure authenticity and access to the full product line, turn to Image Pro International, the authorized reseller of Canson Infinity media in the United States.

Image Pro International offers:

• The full spectrum of Canson Infinity papers and canvases
  
  

• Archival storage and presentation accessories
  
  

• Discovery Packs to test media before purchase
  
  

• Expert advice to help match media to your printer and project needs
  
  

Contact Image Pro International Today to explore their Canson Infinity offerings and discover how these premium papers can transform your fine art and photographic prints.

 

---

 

Unlock Exclusive Savings with Image Pro’s Rewards Program!

At Image Pro, we believe your Loyalty deserves to be Rewarded. That’s why we’ve created our Exclusive Rewards Program—a Simple, Powerful way to Save on the Products you Need Most. Earn Points with every purchase, Unlock tiered Benefits, and enjoy exclusive discounts on media, equipment, and supplies.

Whether you’re a small business or a large-scale operation, our program is designed to help you save more and grow further. Join today for Free and start earning rewards with every dollar you spend. Ready to take your savings to the next level? Sign Up Now and experience the Image Pro difference!

Join Our Exclusive Rewards Program