Wait a Minute!! Real Canvas for Banners??

CHS swimmers take a closer look at banners printed on canvas and displayed at the Carmel High School Pool at the MTAL Championships.

Yep.  Some people are a bit incredulous when they see real canvas being used for signage and banners.  No cheap vinyl used here.  I have been printing most all of my fine art and portrait photography work in studio on a wide format printer, capable of printing up to 44″ wide using archival pigmented inks on a wide variety of fine art substrates.  When my son started playing water polo and swimming for Carmel High School, I started using my studio printer to print wide format banners to boost team spirit and support.  In February 2010, the Friends of Carmel Aquatics (FOCA) started offering local businesses sponsorship opportunities at the new Carmel High School Pool, Bob Walthour Aquatic Center.  FOCA asked me to print the pool banners, and I made the decision to offer businesses a higher quality canvas banner.  Canvas?  Yes, canvas!

Banner tape reinforces the "grommetless" banner hanging system

I am very familiar with the durability of gallery wrapped canvas portraits produced in my studio, as well as the better color gamut of a fine art canvas over a vinyl substrate.  I chose to use Breathing Color’s 800M canvas.  Breathing Color’s 800M is an excellent economical choice and has proven to be an ideal banner substrate with its  excellent color gamut.  When coated with Breathing Color’s Glamour II, the 800M is very weather resistant.  Over the course of approximately six months (and ongoing) none of the banners on display at the CHS pool have  exhibited any fading; colors and details remain vibrant and true.  Admittedly, there are a couple banners at the pool that were made with Breathing Color’s highly regarded, industry leading Lyve Canvas, the same canvas that I use for museum gallery wrapped canvas portraits in my boutique photography studio in Carmel, California–but only because I ran out of 800M!  The 800M canvas is stronger than vinyl and less susceptible to tearing when exposed to the elements.  The banners also use a new grommetless hanging system, that when reinforced with banner tape, is actually stronger than normal grommets. 

Breathing Color's Glamour II is the secret sauce for protecting banners from the elements. Two coats are applied by HVLP sprayer.

Pool sponsorships and banners are still being sold by FOCA to area business.  (*hint* The cost of sponsorship and a canvas banner at special pricing is less expensive than the normal cost of a banner available elsewhere).  For more information on pool sponsorship banners, contact FOCA or contact me at the studio, Ken Doo Photography (831) 626-1844.