Ink cost per sq/m on canvas & fine art papers?

Using Epson K3 inks, would anyone have a fair idea of how much ink is laid down when printing on canvas and heavyweight fine art papers? I believe it is double the amount used on standard photo paper but that doesn't really help in costing it out per job. We were given a very rough guesstimate when buying the printer, (Epson 9890) and have been quite impressed with how many prints have come out of our starter 110ml cartridges but need a better clue so that we don't under quote on jobs.

Thanks,

Hal55

I'm rather clueless about this, despite making countless prints from my 9800 on both photo paper and canvas. If one thing's for sure, it's that I'm usually much more worried about paper running out than the 220ml ink carts: I've once printed about 100 A1 (33.1" x 23.4") prints on inks that already had some use, and maybe had to change one of them during the job. Considering it's about $100 a cart where I live, it better damn last!
The canvas I print on is B0 (44" x 40') rolls, and I reckon that if I keep it conservative, I can maybe go through two rolls before changing the ink, which amounts to $1,400 expenditure according to my prices (probably will be a good 25% less in the US). In practice, I believe the inks last much longer since I'm not using the whole area of the canvas all the time.

While I appreciate & understand what you're trying to do here, the cost, while not free, is negligible.

Suppose you're printing a 16x20 canvas print. Depending on demand, local markets, your calculated labor costs and a couple of other factors, you should be selling that print alone (frame/mat not included) for somewhere between $300 and $500. Perhaps even a bit more.

Even if your ink costs for that print are as much as $5 (which they won't be), that represents pennies on the dollar. If a ~$5 ink cost is going to cause a financial loss, you aren't charging enough in the first place.

Just sayin'...

Note: We currently have an Epson R1800 printer, using Epson Premium Luster & Premium Glossy paper and Epson inks (in those goofy/expensive 11ml cartridges) an 8x10 will cost around $1.25, an 11x14 less than $2 (paper & ink included). With the volume we put through that printer and knowing exactly which consumables it uses, it was an easy exercise to calculate the numbers. We also have an Epson 4800 and I have no firm idea of print costs, I just know it's far less than the R1800.

Here are a few links I found for anyone interested:

http://www.inkjetart.c​om/pro/7600_9600/cost_​page.html

http://www.epson.co.uk …culator?_reques​tid=976223
(this one sometimes hard to open)

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/in​dex.php?topic=54534.0
(thread from luminous lanscape)

I'm impresed that FeXL can get $300-500 a print, so much so that I want to emigrate from Australia to wherever he/she lives. In Oz Imagescience, an online print firm, will do a A2 canvas on hahnmuhle for $60. I'd love to get the $300 plus and am very envious.

Hal55

He lives in Canada & we'd be glad to have you aboard. Got the same monarch but at least you'll be rid of Julia...

Our portrait price list has the 16x20 canvas rolled at $400. Stretched, etc., are options priced up from there. Frankly, we don't sell many 16x20 canvases. If a client wants a canvas print, usually they'll go to a 20x24 or 24x30.

Your Canadian! In my younger days Canadians were some of my best drinking buddies on holidays around the Pacific Islands. Don't know if it's the same Brit heritage but I don't think I ever met a Canadian I didn't like. Thanks for the input and for taking an interest in what is laughably passing for Australian politics at the moment, sadly our first ever female PM is a disaster of epic proportions. Not that the other side is much better with "two tunes Tony" in charge.
Must get back to trying to make money out of this, would love to do the Canada/Alaskan cruise holiday one day,

Cheers,

Hal55