When you’re using thick paper, it’s important to check that it’s compatible with your printer. All printers have a media setting lever, shown above, which must be matched with the media type to avoid damaging the printheads.

One of the most interesting aspects of using alternative paper is texture. The example above was printed on high-quality writing paper, with its laid texture visible in the final print.

You won’t see pure white highlights anymore, but only the base color of the paper showing through. The example above was printed on a buff colored paper, creating a vintage-style varnished effect.

You’ll never match the pin-sharp results of glossy inkjet media when using art papers, but the softer end result can be visually pleasing. The example on the facing page was printed on Indian handmade paper.

Prepare your image for printing, and then select File > Print. Scale and orient the image; then select the Flip Image option, as shown. This laterally reverses the image so it prints the right way after transfer.

Achieve the best results with clear film media and a low Print Quality setting such as 360 dpi, as shown. Any higher and too much ink will be placed on the film, resulting in muddy, unsharp prints.

After the film is ejected by your printer, place it face down on the receiving paper and press with a rubber roller. Achieve the sharpest results by rolling the transfer image onto inkjet paper.

The most important thing to remember when using nonwhite media is that the overall color of your chosen paper becomes the maximum highlight value of your print. There’s no such thing as white ink!

If you’ve chosen a midtone paper, you’ll need to increase the overall brightness of your image to compensate for darker highlights. Open the Levels dialog and move the midtone slider as shown above.

When ink is applied to colored paper, the base color will affect the overall color balance. Make a test print and then use the Color Variations dialog to remove any casts.

It’s more economical to buy canvas on a roll, and you can cut it to size or use it in a printer with a roller transport. Use a craft knife to cut the canvas, allowing extra space for later mounting on a wooden stretcher.

If your printer has a built-in cutter, make sure that it’s switched off before using canvas. Cutters are not designed for slicing cloth and are easily broken. Select Off from the Auto Cut drop-down in the Print dialog as above.

Although coated canvas prints are virtually dry once ejected, it’s a good idea to let the ink cure for 24 hours before mounting or coating. To speed this up, place a blank sheet of paper over the print while it’s curing.

All white areas of your image become transparent when printed onto your chosen fabric. Like colored paper, the actual color of the fabric becomes the maximum highlight of the transfer, so avoid darker colors.

As the transfer paper is pressed face down on the fabric, the image needs to be reversed before printing. In the Print dialog, choose the Flip Image option as shown.

Most transfer media can cope with only a few fine ink dots, so use Plain Paper with a 360 dpi setting. Although these dots are visible on your print, they are much less noticeable when transferred to fabric.

Trim off any excess transfer paper from around your image or design, then place the paper face down on your fabric. Run a hot iron across the back, ensuring the corners are well pressed down.

Lift a corner of the backing paper to check that the heat applied is sufficient to bond the transfer paper to the fabric. If it isn’t, replace the paper and apply the iron again. The final result, shown below, is a unique one-off garment that can be worn and washed like any other t-shirt.

For best results, use the Plain Paper media type setting combined with 360 dpi print quality. This puts fewer dots of ink on the paper, so they don’t bleed into each other.

The example above is a typical test print with lower than expected saturation, resulting in a blurry, washed-out print. This is due to the increased absorbency of the uncoated paper and the off-white base.

To enhance the vibrancy of the print, try increasing the saturation using the Hue/Saturation dialog. The final result, shown on the facing page, looks more vivid than Step 2.

InkAid Precoat is a liquid inkjet coating ready to brush onto any porous surface to prepare it for printing. There are two types: transparent, which allows the paper color to show through; and white, which doesn’t. Apply to your chosen paper with a large, soft brush; let everything dry; and then apply a second coat. On the facing page is a print made on Rosapina paper and InkAid.

High-quality prints result from carefully applied coating and plenty of experimenting with different printer settings. Start by using 1440 dpi with Watercolor or matte paper media settings.