Matte vs Glossy Posters: What We Print and Why
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When you buy a poster online you rarely get told what it's actually printed on. We'd rather be upfront: we only print on premium matte paper. We don't sell glossy prints at all. This post explains the difference between matte and glossy, and the honest reasons we picked matte for every single design in the shop.
Matte vs glossy: the real difference
The finish is the surface coating of the paper, and it changes how light behaves. Glossy paper has a shiny coating that makes colours pop and blacks look punchy — but it also acts like a mirror. Matte paper has no shine: colours are slightly softer, but there's no glare, no fingerprints, and you can read the art from any angle. Here's the honest trade-off:
| Matte (what we print) | Glossy (we don't sell) | |
|---|---|---|
| Glare under lights | None — readable from any angle | High — reflects lamps and windows |
| Fingerprints & smudges | Barely shows | Shows every touch |
| Colour punch | Rich but natural | Slightly more saturated |
| Photographs well (for framing/gifting) | Yes, no hotspots | Hard — reflections everywhere |
| Feels like | Fine-art print | Magazine cover |
Why we chose matte for everything
Three reasons. First, glare: most people hang posters near a lamp, a ceiling light or a window, and glossy art becomes a mirror exactly where you want to see detail. Second, mood: a lot of our catalogue is dark-fantasy and moody game art — a print like Elden Ring or Death Stranding lives in its shadows, and matte keeps those shadows deep instead of bouncing light back. Third, framing: matte sits behind glass without the double-reflection you get when glossy paper meets a glass frame.
Does matte lose detail?
No. Matte doesn't mean low-resolution — it's the same sharp artwork and the same fade-resistant, archival inks, just without the reflective coating. On a detailed retro piece like Chrono Trigger, every line reads perfectly; you simply lose the plasticky shine, not the sharpness. If anything, matte flatters fine detail because there's no glare washing it out.
Caring for a matte print
Matte is forgiving but not invincible. Handle prints by the edges, avoid damp rooms without framing, and keep them out of direct all-day sunlight to protect the inks over years. Framing behind glass or acrylic extends their life and, again, matte behind glass gives you a clean, glare-free result.
The short version
We print matte because it looks better on a real wall, in real light, in real photos — and because it suits the moody art we love. You can see the finish across the whole Posters collection, and it especially flatters the dark-fantasy pieces in Fantasy and the clean prints in Minimalist — try a Cyberpunk 2077 print to see how matte handles neon without glare. For dimensions and frame matches, read our sizes & framing guide.
How the print is actually made
Every design is printed to order — nothing is warehoused. We use fade-resistant, archival inks on premium matte paper, so the print you receive was made for your order, not pulled from a box of pre-runs. Matte here means a genuine fine-art matte stock, not a cheap uncoated paper: it's substantial, it takes deep colour, and it won't curl the way thin poster paper does.
Matte in real rooms
The reason we're so confident about matte is simple: rooms have lights. A poster hung opposite a window or under a ceiling lamp is exactly where glossy paper fails, throwing a bright hotspot across the art. Matte just... shows the art. That's especially true for the moody half of our catalogue — a Death Stranding or Elden Ring print keeps its deep, quiet shadows instead of bouncing the room back at you.
What about framing behind glass?
Framing adds a second reflective surface (the glass), which is why glossy prints behind glass can look doubly mirrored. Matte paper behind glass stays calm, so if you plan to frame — and most people do — matte is the safer choice. For which frames fit which sizes, see our sizes & framing guide.
Fan-made art. Not official merchandise; not affiliated with or endorsed by the referenced franchises or their owners.
