5 Simple Tips for Printing Fabulous Photos

Great photos are at the heart of scrapbooking, and I’m here today to share some tips about printing archival-quality photos on a variety of specialty papers.

First, let me introduce myself. I’m Eddie Murphy, product marketing coordinator at Epson, and I’m excited to be a guest blogger for Creating Keepsakes. Here at Epson, we love working with people who have a real creative streak. Thanks for having me!

Based on input from creative pros and users at home, we’ve built versatile tools that can really make your creativity shine, like the EPSON Stylus Photo R2000. Not only does it create beautiful and durable archival prints, but it also works with a variety of specialty papers—including real canvas!—for photos, pages, and layouts like you’ve never imagined.

EPSON Stylus Photo R2000 printer

With this in mind, I wanted to offer you some tips and tricks for using specialty paper (yes, canvas, too), and building new, artistic layouts from your favorite summer photos that can be shared for generations to come.

Tip #1: Experiment with Paper

Experiment! Try out different papers, like canvas for a frameable background (I really like Exhibition Canvas Matte, and it’s only $37 for a 20-foot roll). I also like semi-gloss paper for photos included in a layout – it doesn’t have a lot of glare. You can even print a pattern or border elements on a heavier matte paper. I recently did this for a baby shower – we scanned the cloth pattern for the baby’s room and made it a background page. Remember, versatility is the key to unlocking your imagination.  Any paper can work for scrapping!

Tip #2: Match Paper and Settings When Printing

Once you’ve chosen your preferred paper, make sure it matches the selection in the printer driver. You don’t want to use plain paper settings for printing on photo paper (or vice versa). Use the photo quality setting that yields the best combination of speed and quality; it’s usually one setting below the highest.

Tip #3: Ink Matters

One of the most unique features of the EPSON Stylus Photo R2000 is its ink. UltraChrome Hi-Gloss 2 pigment ink creates colorful, archival prints, along with beautiful skin tones that are highly water- and smudge-resistant and will last for generations. For best results, I’d recommend letting your prints dry 24 hours before putting them into a scrapbook or displaying them.

The EPSON Stylus Photo R2000 uses UltraChrome Hi-Gloss 2 pigment ink

Tip #4: Network

Don’t just network with other scrappers–network your printer too! If your printer has a wired network (or better still, a high-speed, wireless-N) connection, use it. Whether you’re

scrapping with friends or someone else in the family needs to make a big print for a project, they don’t have to deal with wires and cables. Look for instructions in your printer manual or on the printer manufacturer’s website.

Tip #5: Show Off!

Be proud of your new, artistic masterpieces and share them with everyone and anyone you know! Summer may be coming to a close, but great photos last a lifetime.

Bonus Video Tutorials: How to Load Specialty Paper

Take a look at this pair of video tutorials (Loading Roll Paper and Loading Fine Art Paper) to help you load various types of paper into your Epson printer.

Do you have any tips and tricks for printing great photos? We’d love to hear from you at newsroom@ea.epson.com. Have a great day!