Alt Papers: getting stuff

In new country may mean new clothes. Printing and printmaking are different. They began in different places, and diverged into different schools — education of the doers. Some of the words may sound the same. They aren’t.

Works on paper is the big arch. The base of the image is a paper, that very old fundamental object. It is quite nice on its own. So nice, that many are makers of paper; done. that is all that is needed. Make the paper. Show the paper.

Others, most of us, put something onto that paper. Photographic prints are on very limited range of papers. Hand-coated emulsions extend that range, as does digital printing. In fact, many digital printmakers chose that method because of the range of paper surfaces. Some of the most ardent devotees of the chemical cult do so because they dislike, disapprove of the paper surfacing above the plastic sheen of 20th Century Gloss.

Look List:

PaperProcessComment
Hahnemuhle Platinum Rag (HPR)PlatinumUse as delivered
Arches Platine 300gsmPlatinum“”
Bergger Cot 320gsmPlatinum“”
Legion Revere PlatinumPlatinum“”
Clearprint 1020HPInexpensive 100% cotton
Arches En Tout Casone side hot pressed, one side eggshell textured
Awagami Platinum Gampi
Hahnemühle Sumi-e:
Legion Thai Kozocoat with brush.
Canson Vidalon Vellum
Canson Opalux Vellum
Rives BFK 280gsmgum /pigmentmy first paper for litho back in school. for alt prints requires acidification.
Fabriano Artisticogum printsrequires acidification
Papers used for alt photo as well as printmaking

These are papers that are proven to work well across processes. find a vendor, then get samples to test in your work conditions. Your water, workroom conditions of temperature and humidity. How well they dry. How well they coat. How well, and comfortable you are in their use.

One size rarely suits all printmakers. Chemical Printers are confined to accepting that which is commercially, meaning widely acceptable. That is, the “classic” look of “air-dried” gelatin. Or, the commercial Glass Gloss display print. They don’t have much choice. As a printmaker, you do. Make the most of that …

Profile Links

links to file downloads for profile making … camera… and printer

Adobe ACPU utility: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/no-color-management-option-missing.html

MacBeth Colorchecker: now called Calibrite ColorChecker Camera Calibrations: https://calibrite.com/us/software-downloads/?noredirect=en-US

As I was updating a piece on AIM and mask making, I have been translating topics to digital procedures. That has meant verifying some links to digital information. The above links are accurate as of today (9Mar23) … These tools are part of a calibrated workflow from camera to printer.