C-Print vs Archival Pigment Print: How to Choose

How each one is made

A chromogenic print is a true photographic print. A laser or LED printer exposes light-sensitive color paper, and chemical processing then forms cyan, magenta and yellow dyes in layers on the paper. You may see it called a C-print, a C-type or a Lambda, which is the name of one printer.

An archival pigment print is an inkjet print. The printer lays down fine drops of pigment ink onto the paper's surface. Labs and galleries may call it a pigment print, a fine art inkjet print or a giclée. It's worth using one exact name on your wall labels.

How they look on the wall

• C-prints have smooth, continuous tone and a photographic surface, usually gloss, luster, matte or metallic.
• Pigment prints come on a much wider range of papers, from smooth baryta to textured cotton rag, so the paper can become part of the piece.
• Glossy surfaces of either kind usually reach deeper blacks than matte papers, which give a softer, lower-contrast image.
• On some glossy inkjet papers, dark areas can look different at an angle, an effect called gloss differential or bronzing.

These are tendencies, and a good lab can show you exceptions. Ask for samples before you decide.

Size and mounting

Maximum print size depends on the lab's printers. Digital C-type printers such as the Lambda commonly print up to about 50 inches wide, and wide-format inkjets reach 60 inches or more, so ask before you fix your sizes.

C-prints are a common choice for face mounting to acrylic, which adds its own contrast and gloss. Textured cotton papers are usually framed instead. Not every paper suits every mount, so talk to your lab and framer together.

How long they last

Both processes can last for decades, and both can fade. Published figures vary widely, and test methods are disputed, so a single number doesn't tell you much. What you can control is the light: keep prints out of direct sun and use UV-filtering glazing where you can. If a collector or institution will buy the work, ask the lab what test data it can share for that exact paper and process, and keep a record of what you used.

What it means for your files

Both processes usually start from an RGB file, not CMYK, so the prepress steps for a magazine mostly don't apply. Each printer and paper has its own color range and its own profile, though, so a file toned for one won't automatically work on the other. If you're comparing the two, expect separate print files from the same master, and a separate check with soft proofing and test prints.

Resolution requirements also differ from one printer to another, so ask your lab before you size anything. Resolution and upscaling for large format prints covers the sums.

How to choose

• If you want a gloss or metallic surface, or an acrylic face mount, start by testing a C-print.
• If you want a matte or textured paper, start by testing a pigment print.
• If the print is very large, ask which process the lab can do at that size.
• If you're still unsure, print the same section of your hardest image both ways.

Whichever you choose, the whole series should normally use one process and paper, so the prints look like one body of work. We prepare the digital files for exhibition prints, and your lab makes the prints.